How to Care for a Lotus Bamboo

The lotus or “lucky” bamboo belongs to the Dracaena plant family and is not related to bamboo. Its botanical name is Dracaena sanderiana and it is more closely related to lilies than to bamboo. The Chinese art of feng shui uses it to bring good luck and positive energy to those who grow it. It grows equally well in water or soil and prefers bright indirect light. It’s a hardy plant that can thrive in a wide range of temperatures and environmental conditions, although fluoridated water causes leaf tips to burn.

Non-fluoridated water
Vase
Fine gravel

Instructions

- 1
  Pour 3 to 4 tbsp. of fine gravel into a vase or other container with no drainage hole. Special containers are available: a common size for this plant is 3-5/8 inch tall with a 3 inch opening.
- 2
  Poke the base of your lotus bamboo into the gravel and then add about 2 inches of bottled water to the vase, depending on your vase size. Ensure that the water contains no fluoride.
- 3
  Locate your lotus bamboo where it will receive bright indirect light.
- 4
  Change the water once each week, using only bottled water that contains no fluoride.
- 5
  Fertilize with a balanced plant food if your plant begins to develop yellow leaves. The Organic Gardening website recommends organic fertilizer, which has few of the salts and phosphorus that synthetic fertilizers contain.

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