
How to Save a Dying Lucky Bamboo Plant: The Ultimate Guide
As a symbol of wealth, health, and happiness in Chinese Feng Shui, lucky bamboo is a popular choice for homes and offices. With its elegant stalks and low-maintenance nature, it's no wonder plant lovers are drawn to it. However, even this hardy plant can face challenges from time to time.
Native to Africa, lucky bamboo can grow in both water and soil. While it adapts well to different environments, it still has specific care needs. If these conditions aren’t met, your plant may begin to lose its vitality. In this guide, we’ll show you how to save a lucky bamboo plant. Let’s get started!
Signs Lucky Bamboo Is Unhealthy
Examine your plant closely. Are the roots healthy and firm, or slimy and discolored? Is the water cloudy? Identifying the issue is the first step to recovery.
Yellowing Leaves: One of the most common signs of stress in lucky bamboo is yellowing leaves. This can be caused by too much direct sunlight, overwatering, or poor water quality.
Wilting or Drooping: If your lucky bamboo’s stalks or leaves begin to wilt or droop, it might be a sign that it’s not getting enough light, water, or nutrients.
Brown Tips or Edges: Brown spots or tips on the leaves can indicate that the plant is exposed to too much fluoride or chlorine in the water, or that it’s not getting enough humidity.
Root Rot: Foul-smelling or mushy roots are a sign of root rot, which is typically caused by stagnant water or overwatering.
Cloudy or Murky Water: If you’re growing your lucky bamboo in water, cloudy or discolored water can indicate poor water quality, which can harm the plant.
How to Revive a Lucky Bamboo Plant
Lucky bamboo is a resilient plant, so any signs of poor health typically indicate issues with its basic needs.
Pruning
The first step to save your lucky bamboo is to prune the affected parts. Trim away yellow, dead, or wilting leaves, ensure to use clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears. This improves the plant's appearance and prevents decay from spreading. If a stalk shows signs of rot, cut it above the damaged area with a clean cut to prevent the rot from affecting healthy sections of the plant.
Water
Lucky bamboo grows best in soil that remains consistently moist but not soggy. If you notice signs of underwatering, water the plant thoroughly, ensuring the soil is completely saturated and excess water drains away. For overwatered plants, allow the soil to dry out before watering again. If root rot occurs, repot the plant in fresh, well-draining soil. After addressing these issues, adjust your watering routine, typically once a week, based on the plant's needs.
When growing lucky bamboo in water, it's best to use filtered or distilled water, as tap water often contains harmful chemicals. Change the water weekly to prevent stagnation and toxin buildup. When setting up your lucky bamboo, ensure the roots are fully submerged while keeping the stalks above the waterline to avoid rot.
Light
Yellowing, wilting leaves, and other signs of stress in lucky bamboo are often caused by improper lighting. To keep your plant healthy, place it in a location with bright, indirect sunlight, and avoid direct sunlight, which can scorch the leaves. The ideal spot is near a window with sheer curtains or in a room with reflected light, where the plant receives adequate light without the intensity of direct sun.
Artificial light is an excellent solution for houseplants, especially when natural light is limited, such as during long, cold winters or in low-light spaces. LED grow lights offer the right spectrum and intensity of light to keep plants vibrant, and their built-in heat sinks help prevent leaf scorch.
Soil
For lucky bamboo that grows in soil, root rot can not only caused by overwatering but can also caused by poor drainage. To prevent waterlogged soil, use a well-draining potting mix. A porous blend of peat moss, perlite, and coarse sand is ideal.
Fertilizer
Too little fertilizer can cause nutrient deficiencies, while too much can lead to nutrient burn. To keep your lucky bamboo healthy, use a balanced liquid fertilizer with a 20-20-20 ratio, specifically designed for indoor plants. Be sure to dilute the fertilizer to half-strength.
This fertilizer works for both soil and water setups, offering flexibility for different growing conditions. During spring and summer, fertilize once a month to support active growth. In the fall and winter, when the plant is dormant, skip fertilizing to allow it to rest.
Temperature and Humidity
Lucky bamboo thrives in a warm environment, ideally between 65°F and 90°F (18°C to 32°C). Avoid placing it in areas with drafts or temperature fluctuations. While it can adapt to average indoor humidity, lucky bamboo prefers more humid conditions. If the air is too dry, use a humidifier or a humidity tray to maintain the optimal moisture levels for your plant.
Pest
Lucky bamboo plants can fall victim to a variety of insect infestations that can negatively impact their health. Common pests include:
- Fungus gnats
- Mealybugs
- Scale insects
- Spider mites
- Thrips
To address these pests, you may need to wipe or brush off any visible insects gently. For more extensive infestations, spray the plant with neem oil, an insecticide, or a diluted hydrogen peroxide. Regularly inspect your lucky bamboo for pest signs to maintain its health.
FAQs
Q1: Should I cut the yellow leaves off my lucky bamboo?
Yes, trimming yellowing leaves from your lucky bamboo is a good idea. Removing them improves the plant's appearance and helps prevent issues from spreading to healthy parts. Be sure to use clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears to cut the yellow leaves close to the base of the stem.
Q2: Why is my lucky bamboo plant turning yellow?
Yellowing leaves or yellow stems on lucky bamboo can occur for a few reasons, including overwatering, chemicals in your water, exposure to too much direct light, temperature shifts, or over-fertilization.
Q3: Can yellow bamboo turn green again?
No, yellow bamboo can't turn green again, as yellowing often means the leaf or stalk is damaged. However, you can trim yellow parts to keep the plant vibrant and attractive.