Lucky Bamboo

Lucky Bamboo is Dracaena sanderiana, a tropical African plant whose upright green canes resemble true bamboo but belong to the asparagus family. It is famous for being grown in vases of water and pebbles and for canes trained into spirals, lattices and tiers by rotating them toward light.

In feng shui it is given as a symbol of luck and prosperity, with the number of stalks carrying different meanings. It is one of the most forgiving houseplants, thriving in water alone as long as the water is kept clean.

Identify it by jointed, bamboo-like green stalks topped with strappy leaves, often sold in water.

• Stalks: thick, segmented, bright green canes, frequently curled or braided
• Leaves: narrow, lance-shaped, gray-green, sprouting from the cane joints
• Roots: red-tinged roots visible when grown in clear vases
• Size: typically 30 to 90 cm indoors

Give bright indirect light; direct sun scorches the leaves and deep shade causes leggy, pale growth.

• Water: if grown in water, keep stalks submerged a few centimeters and change the water every 1 to 2 weeks; use filtered or distilled water since it is sensitive to fluoride and chlorine
• Soil: can also grow in well-draining potting mix kept lightly moist
• Temperature: 18 to 27 C; avoid cold drafts
• Feeding: a few drops of dilute fertilizer monthly
• Propagation: cut a healthy top section below a node and root it in water

Native to Central Africa, particularly Cameroon, where it grows in the rainforest understory. Despite its tropical origin it has become a global symbol of good fortune through feng shui, especially across East Asia, and is mass-produced and exported worldwide as a novelty and gift plant.

Grown as an ornamental and as a symbolic feng shui gift, where the number of stalks conveys wishes for luck, love, health or wealth. It is popular for desks, offices and homes because it tolerates low maintenance and grows in plain water, but its sap is toxic to pets.