Lucky Bamboo FAQs

This page contains questions that we've received from our visitors and our responses addressing specific problems they have had with lucky bamboo. We have grouped them for easier navigation. Please see our care instructions for specific information on how to keep your lucky bamboo plants healthy and growing for a long time.

• Lucky Bamboo: Yellow Leaves & Stems
• Lucky Bamboo Care: Common Questions
• Spider Mites & Lucky Bamboo
• Lucky Bamboo Roots
• Lucky Bamboo & Fungus

Lucky Bamboo: Yellow Leaves & Stems

One of the stalks in my arrangement is yellow while the leaves on it are still green. Can the stem be saved?

Unfortunately it's too late for this stem. As soon as it turns yellow it is dead. Sorry about that. I would immediately remove it from the arrangement so as not to infect the other healthy stems.

What caused the stalk to go yellow and how can I prevent this in the future?

Unfortunately there are lots of things that could have gone wrong and it can be kind of tough to figure out which it was. Here are some of the main causes:

1) The most common cause of dead stems on lucky bamboo, especially when they have been going along nice and healthily, is drying out or too little water. Even if the lucky bamboo dried out temporarily for just a day, this can cause the “pores” that suck up water to dry out and harden up so that even when you add more water they are unable to suck it up.

2) The second most common cause, especially in winter time, is allowing your lucky bamboo to get too cold. If lucky bamboo gets too cold, the “pores” shrink and they cannot suck up water—basically the same problem as #1. For best results lucky bamboo should be maintained above 65 degrees. Also, remember not to add cold water when watering, use lukewarm or room temperature water to keep your lucky bamboo happy. (Incidentally, air conditioning vents can also be bad for lucky bamboo, so make sure to keep it out of reach of the a/c during the summer).

3) Toxic water is another common cause… this can occur from a) too much commercial fertilizer (i.e. miracle gro., etc.) or b) build up from chemically treated tap water over time. To avoid either of these use only gentle fertilizer, such as our Green Green product, and use only purified, room temperature spring water.

4) Natural death… if your lucky bamboo is very old it can become finicky and hard to please (but I’m talking about 4-6 years). If your plant is this old, try a good bamboo fertilizer such as our Green Green and extra warm and sunny conditions (although not direct sunlight). Your best shot is best case scenario conditions for lucky bamboo.

5) Mites can also cause death, but you’d probably have noticed some other signs: webbing, brown sticky substance on the leaves, etc. We haven't had a lot of experience treating mites because our products are mite free--however we've done a bit of research and talking to people and have gleaned some good information. If you have these symptoms check out our information on treating mites on lucky bamboo.

6) Fungus. Fungus is extremely common in cheaply produced lucky bamboo. The fungus resides in the water on lucky bamboo plantations and is grown right into the plant. It cannot be eradicated and usually causes premature death of lucky bamboo plants. You would have noticed a really funky smell or slime around the roots or white/black fungus on the stems… it can reveal itself in different forms. (We have spent a lot of time finding high quality growers that do NOT produce lucky bamboo in fungal conditions and the difference in quality and longevity of these plants is truly amazing). I have had many people email me for advice on how to get rid of a fungus but I still don’t know what to tell them because I really have not had to deal with it. If you find something out, let me know.

The leaf tips on my lucky bamboo are turning brown, what can I do?

Sounds like the plant has been traumatized somehow during the last few weeks or it does not like something about its environment. Trimming off the tips (or the entire leaf if its really bad) with sharp, clean scissors should be ok. The most common problem resulting in brown tips is letting the plant dry out or water levels get too low, even for brief periods of time. Otherwise here are a few things you can try:

1. If you’re using tap water, switch to bottled pure water at room temperature. Tap water can make leaves turn brown if there is too much chemical content (chlorine, fluoride).
2. Try a bit of gentle bamboo fertilizer such as our Green Green to fortify the leaves and stems and bring optimum nutritional balance to the plants.
3. Make sure the plant isn’t getting too cold (i.e. below 65 degrees or under an a/c vent) or sitting in direct sunlight (causing sunburn on the leaves) for long periods of time

One of the stems in my braided lucky bamboo plant has turned yellow and is now completely dead. Do I undo the gold ties and cut off the dead part?

Yes, if you can, immediately get rid of that stem. Try to remove the entire stem from the plant completely, all the way down to the roots. The bottom is the part that will actually cause rot to spread if it is left in the water too long with the other stems.

You may not need to undo the ties, but can if you have to. Try separating from the bottom upward, gently pulling the roots away from the other roots it is likely entangled with. Don’t worry if you end up ripping some roots, as these *should* quickly regenerate. If the plant has many braided strands removing one dead stem shouldn’t hurt the overall strength of the arrangement.

Lucky Bamboo Care: Common Questions

I recently moved and ever since my lucky bamboo plant seem to be homesick and not thriving. What can I do to bring them back to "life"?

Keep your lucky bamboo warm, at about 70 - 80 degrees F, and exchange water once a week, preferably purified spring water and slightly warmed up. As long as the stem does not turn yellow and mushy your lucky bamboo is fine. The yellow tips could have developed due to the water, lack of water, low temperatures or too much sun exposure. Just wait to see what they are doing within the next few weeks. If you want to, you can use lucky bamboo fertilizer to help revive them, ours is called "Green-Green". It helps the lucky bamboo develop a darker color and enhances growth. Remember, keep the water level according to your length of the stems. 4 - 6" approx. 1" water, 8 - 14" approx. 2", for longer lucky bamboo approx. 3 - 5" of water.

My lucky bamboo is planted in soil but appears to be dying. Help!

Bottom line: If the leaves are the only thing yellowing, not the stems, you may still be in good shape. The leaves may come and go, but the stem needs to stay green. You will need to give the lucky bamboo its ideal conditions to nurse it along as it recovers… so you will need to put a bit of work into it. Here we go:

First things first: get the bamboo out of the soil, rinse it off and put it directly into purified spring water. Lucky bamboo does not need soil and in fact usually dies more quickly in soil, mainly because people tend to let it dry out more in soil. It needs ample fresh water, and that is all. I would recommend you even give the entire plant a bath in your tub in lukewarm (just not cold) water for a few hours to cleanse, hydrate and acclimatize. Inspect the roots: if they are white or orange they are healthy still. If they are gray or black you have some root rot. If there is rot, but the stems are still green (not yellowing) then the plant may still be saved—try trimming off the sick roots but spare any that appear healthy.

Put the plant in a vase or ceramic container large enough to give the roots sufficient room to spread as they grow. Typically you can use rock to anchor it in the pot, which is fine. However, if you need to keep an eye on the roots for a while, I’d skip the rock for the time being (you’ll just have to keep dumping them out every time you pull the plant out of its vase).

Normally you can just add water whenever the levels get low without switching out all the water but maybe every other month or so. However since we are nursing this one back to health you might want to change out the water frequently, I’d say once a week. Be sure to use purified spring water as tap water contains fluoride and chlorine which are toxic to LB.

Ideally, you should add some bamboo fertilizer for speedy recovery. We sell Green Green fertilizer on our website because we have found this to be the best, perfectly formulated, for lucky bamboo. 2-3 drops every time you add water is all you’d need.

Keep the bamboo in a bright sunny room but out of direct sunlight while it recovers. Direct sunlight will sunburn the leaves. Also, keep it moderately warm, probably 70 degrees over if possible and definitely out of direct air flow of your a/c vents.

The yellow tips/leaves can’t be saved. Try trimming off the tips with sharp, sterile scissors. It whole leaf goes, just take that leaf off, new ones will grow from the top. If one or more of the stems start to die (turn yellow), remove them immediately from the bunch as they could spread sickness to the others.

How much water should I give my Lucky Bamboo?

Keep the water level according to your length of the stems.

• 4-6" stems, maintain approximately 1 inch of water
• 8-14" stems, maintain approximately 2 inches of water
• 15" + stems, maintain approximately 3-5" inches of water

On my lucky bamboo, only the leaves are growing but the stalks are staying the same. Why aren't the stalks getting any taller?

The stem of lucky bamboo, once it has been cut, does not grow any taller. The cut of the stem forces the growth out through a shoot on the side. The shoot is the only portion that will continue to grow over time, producing new leaves.

How and what I will need to transplant my Lucky bamboo?

Well, it depends on your lucky bamboo arrangement and its root system. When you change your water out, at least every 2 months or so, look at the root system to determine whether or not the plant is becoming "root bound". If the roots appear to be knotted and formed into a pot-shaped mass then it is time to either repot the lucky bamboo so the roots can grow outward or trim the roots back a bit. Either route is fine. Typically you will see this begin to happen around one year, but it will differ from plant to plant.

If you choose to simply repot, all you need is a larger ceramic or glass pot than the one you currently have. Simply dump out the rocks, remove the lucky bamboo plant from its pot and place it into the new pot. Add the rinsed rocks and fresh, purified room temperature water and you’re done!

If you choose to trim the roots, remember a few things: 1) use sterile, sharp scissors, 2) leave at least 1/2 to 1 inch of roots, 3) replace water with pure, room temperature spring water and 4) consider a good lucky bamboo fertilizer to help with stimulation of the roots. (We sell Green Green which is the absolute best fertilizer we've found for lucky bamboo).

Make sure to also give your lucky bamboo a little TLC in the process...plenty of indirect light and warmth, especially during the pruning process, will go a long way.

My cat ate my bamboo! What can I do to save the plant? Is my cat going to be ok?

Sorry to hear about your plants… what a shame! I don’t know why but cats are particularly fond of Lucky Bamboo!

You'll have to watch the plant to see if its going to make it. If the trauma isn't terrible the plant may still make it. Go ahead and trim back the eaten leaves because they can't be saved. Just be sure to use sharp, sterile scissors when cutting.

Make sure the plants get optimum growth conditions: warm temps (over 70 degrees), bright indirect sunlight (ie a bright room) and plenty of fresh purified water. Give the plant room temperature to warm water every few days. Fertilizer, like Green Green on our website, will help it to grow/regenerate quickly as well.

Regarding your critter, well, lucky bamboo (dracaena sanderiana) does not appear on the ASPCA's list of plants that are considered toxic for animals, so I'd think he'd be ok. But if you are concerned, please contact your vet.

What type of water should I be giving my lucky bamboo?

Not all water is created equal when it comes to long term health of lucky bamboo. If you want the absolute best, try purified spring water from a natural source, such as Deer Park or the like. It seems like a lot to pamper a plant with water you have to buy, but over the long term your plant will like it the best as it does not contain chemicals and has traces of minerals.

You don't have to use bottled though! You can use tap water, but if the water is high in chlorine and flouride (which are toxic to LB) you may see this take a toll on the plant over time. If you use tap water the best thing you can do it leave it out overnight before adding it to the plant to let the chlorine evaporate out. You can run the water through a Brita filter to remove other impuities but keep in mind it usually does not remove all the chlorine, etc.

Can I cut my Lucky Bamboo?

It's best not to cut lucky bamboo unless you know what you are doing and have the proper tools. Otherwise, the stalks you cut will mostly likely die.

Should I cut the bottoms off my lucky bamboo stalks to help them absorb water better?

Nope! This is something you do with cut flowers... not necessary for lucky bamboo and will most likely kill it.

Can I cut or trim the sprouts/leaves?

You can. You can cut all the way back to the desired height, however I would recommend leaving about ½ inch to 1 inch of the shoot so that leaves will grow again. If you cut flush with the stem it may not grow back in its place although it is possible that a new shoot would be forced out a bit lower down on the stem. Make sure you use very sharp scissors that have been sterilized with rubbing alcohol first.

My plant has grown a very large side shoot. Can I cut off this shoot and start another by putting it in water?

The short answer is “yes”. But you would need to cut the shoot off at the very base, where it attaches to the stem, in order for it to be a viable off shoot. If you do this, you are basically taking the “guts” of the shoot with it and a new shoot will not appear on the old stem in its place. It is possible that a new shoot may sprout from the knuckle below the original, but this can take months… and occasionally not ever.

To give the plant its best possible shot at sprouting a new shoot make sure it stays very warm and in a bright sunny room (although out of direct sunlight). Make sure you use a bamboo fertilizer and keep the water fresh. You probably won’t notice any change during the winter months, but spring and summer are bamboo’s growth season so I’d imagine you’d see some growth then.

I bought bamboo at a grocery store florist, they told me to cut the stems before putting them in water. I did - after reading your website I realized I shouldn't have. Is there anything I can do to keep them from dying?

Well, that was definitely not good advice. It goes against logic to cut the roots off! You can try to save them by exchanging water daily (lukewarm, not cold water) and keep an eye on them. If the stems show any yellowing on top or bottom and turn soft/mushy, your lucky bamboo is not to be saved. If cutting the stem didn't kill it, it may grow roots again and survive.

Also, skip adding rocks for now. You need to check the bottom of your stems now daily and it is not advisable to pull them out from the pebbles all the time. Tiny roots which might develop will be broken or damaged again. Depending on the size of the stems, use 2 - 4 inches of water.

Spider Mites & Lucky Bamboo

My plant shows some sticky stuff, sort of webs, on stems and leaves. Now I noticed that leaves are turning yellow. Do I have mites? What do I do?

Uh oh, sounds like your lucky bamboo has become home for a spider mite colony! We don't really deal with mites on our plants, but we did a lot of research because we are constantly confronted with this problem by visitors of our website. The best information can be found in an article by Sherri-Lee Mathers on a website called The Garden Guy. We strongly advise to read this useful article and treat the plants and their surrounding accordingly. Click here to check it out: Sherri-Lee's Mite Article

Here's what we've found out: The sticky brown substance, usually on the under side of the leaf, is a byproduct of the mites eating up the pigment in the leaves. When they've eaten enough, the plant won't be able to synthesize the light it needs and will begin to turn brown, as you've noticed, and will eventually die altogether. You may also notice the white spots that appear on the leaves themselves where the pigment is now gone. Other clues include tiny webbing on the leaves and the mites themselves are white in color. Mites are very tiny but if you watch closely or use a magnifying glass, you can see them moving about—usually on the underside of the leaf.

Killing them is the ONLY way to save the plant... go to your local nursery or garden center and find a product designed to kill spider mites on ornamental plants. Insect soaps are good, or use a product called "Mite-X". I would recommend the natural or organic insecticides as the others are quite harsh. We always treat our plants for mites just as a precautionary measure—we regularly give the plants a bath (not the roots, just the leaves, dunking it upside down) in soapy, warm water.

The trick is to treat the entire plant, minus the roots, with a warm soapy bath every 2-3 days for about a month, maybe even more if you're so moved, because even though you'll be killing the insects, the insecticide or soap will do nothing on the eggs. The eggs will then hatch and your problem starts all over again.

You can carefully trim off the dying leaves, cutting back the leaf all the way to the stem... these leaves won't come back once they're gone, but new ones should grow over time.

One last note: quarantine this plant.... keep it completely separate from any others as you will surely pass the mites from plant to plant. If the lucky/lotus has been near other plants, or you have touched the leaves without washing before touching other plants, begin treating the other plants as well. Mites are extremely "contagious" and love to move from plant to plant.

Lucky Bamboo Roots

I bought some lucky bamboo and I know someone else who also has it. Theirs is growing roots much bigger and faster than mine. Is their anything to make the plant grow faster.

Some lucky bamboo grows lots of roots, some don't. This is not going to effect the growth of the leaves. As long as your leaves are dark green, your stem firm and green and not yellowing, your lucky bamboo is fine. You can add some lucky bamboo fertilizer, we carry one that's called Green Green, to enhance the color and growth if you want to.

The roots of my lucky bamboo are ORANGE!! Is this a disease?

Actually healthy, established lucky bamboo roots are orange or rust colored. New ones are white or cream colored. There is only a problem if the roots are black. Black roots are dead and decaying and should be removed.

Lucky Bamboo & Fungus

I found a fungus on the stem of my plant and no matter what I do it has a strange smell and the water turns very cloudy. What should I do?

Hmmm, sorry to hear about the mold issue!

We've never experienced any kind of fungus on our lucky bamboo, but I have had a few emails from non-customers who have the same problem. It seems that all of them, including you, have bought the lucky bamboo from a grocery store, supermarket or at a farmers market. I can only assume that it has something to do with poorly produced Chinese lucky bamboo which is usually grown in poor conditions and very seldomly imported by air cargo. (This lucky bamboo comes via ocean import and is spending a lot of time in containers.)

You might want to take your lucky bamboo to a nursery, if available in your area. They are very knowledgeable in determining what kind of fungi your plant has. Keep me updated, please! If you find a pesticide which works I would really appreciate you letting me know so I can be of more help to my visitors and post a recommendation on my website.