Lucky bamboo plants seem to be everywhere. No wonder: they’re easy to grow even for those who gave up on growing any kind of house plant.
Not truly a bamboo but really a member of the lily family, lucky bamboo’s real name is Dracaena sanderiana. It’s native home isn’t Asia but Cameroon, in West Africa. This particular dracaena species grows in soil or else in water, stabilized by pebbles. That’s probably how you’ve seen it and that’s how I grow mine.
To get started, find a pretty glass or small vase. Not a bud vase but one that’s pretty even across, from base to top. I used a Coke glass someone gave me as part of a gift. My husband was going to throw the glass out, but I decided I wanted another lucky bamboo planted in it.
Take it to your local nursery florist shop. The people there are sure to sell lucky bamboo in fancy pots; you’ll be paying mostly for the pots. They’ll also likely have roots stalks of different shapes and sizes for about a dollar or so a stalk. My local nursery florist sells single stalks starting at $1.20 and up. I selected a bundle of five stalks for $7.99. Your nursery florist should pot the bamboo for you. Since you brought a vase or nice large glass, the bamboo will be potted in little pebbles. If your vase is clear and if you like the look, you can buy some of the more decorative stones your shop carries for potting your lucky bamboo.
Once you have your lucky bamboo home, give it enough water to cover the roots. They’re reddish in color and easy to see in a transparent vase; if you can’t see through yours, you can fill up with water. The kind of water matters a lot. Remember I said that the lucky bamboo is really a lily. Like other lilies, this one doesn’t like salt, fluorine or chlorine. If you have a central water softener installed, used bottled water. If you don’t, you can use tap water but let it sit out overnight, so the gases leave. If you have the plant home and are reading this for the first time, just use one of your bottles of drinking water.
Your lucky bamboo needs bright but indirect light. I put mine near a southern-facing window, but not on the window sill itself. It needs to be away from drafts. It likes to be at temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit; In other words, it likes pretty much the same temperatures as you or I do.
Every other week or so, change the water. This will keep the water fresh and the plant healthy. If you see dust on the leaves, take a damp paper towel and wipe them off. Some people give liquid plant food to their lucky bamboo plants. Ask the knowledgeable people about it where you bought your plant. My nursery recommended just changing the water.