Greenie Get the app 
Lucky bamboo care
Dracaena sanderiana · Asparagaceae
Also called Ribbon plant, Friendship bamboo, Chinese water bamboo.
Not a bamboo at all but a dracaena from the forests of west-central Africa, with jointed green stems and narrow, strap-like leaves. It is sold growing in water or soil, often trained into spirals, braids or tiers. It needs very little care beyond clean water and bright, indirect light.
Light
Bright IndirectWatering
WeeklyDifficulty
EasyPets
Toxic to cats and dogsHeight indoors
0.3-1.5 m
Growth
Slow
Temperature
18-29 °C
Not below 16 °C
Humidity
40% - 60%
Average room humidity
Soil pH
6.0-7.0
Slightly acidic soil
Native to
- Cameroon
- Gabon
- Congo - Brazzaville
- Congo - Kinshasa
- Central African Republic
- Angola
Through the year
In water, keep the roots covered and change the water every week. In soil, keep it lightly moist.
-
Spring
WeeklyRefresh the water, clean the pebbles and resume light feeding.
-
Summer
WeeklyTop up water more often and keep it out of hot direct sun.
-
Autumn
WeeklyStop feeding.
-
Winter
WeeklyKeep it away from cold windows and drafts; change the water as usual.
Feeding
Every 6 weeks in spring and summer. Very dilute liquid fertilizer, about a tenth of normal strength in water or a quarter strength in soil. Do not feed in winter.
Care tips
-
Give the roots something to hold
Grow it in pebbles or glass beads so the roots can anchor and the stems stay upright.
-
Change the water weekly
Fresh water keeps roots healthy and stops mosquitoes breeding.
-
Feed very lightly
A few drops of diluted liquid fertilizer is enough; too much burns the roots.
-
Cut back old stems
Trim tall, lanky stems near the base to encourage new shoots.
Common problems
-
Brown leaf tips
What you seeTips of the leaves dry and turn brown.
What to doUse filtered, rain or distilled water instead of chlorinated tap water and keep it out of dry, hot air.
-
Yellowing stems
What you seeA stem turns yellow from the base and goes soft.
What to doRemove the yellow stem so the rot does not spread and refresh the water and container.
-
Algae in the water
What you seeThe water turns green and the container gets slimy.
What to doClean the container and pebbles, change the water and use an opaque vase.
Pets
Is lucky bamboo safe for cats and dogs?
Toxic to cats and dogs. Contains saponins; eating it can cause vomiting, drooling, loss of appetite and dilated pupils in cats.
Good to know
-
Its stems are trained into spirals by turning the plant regularly so the growing tip bends toward a light source.
-
The species is named after Henry Frederick Conrad Sander, a German-born nurseryman in England known for orchids.
