# Does anyone grow lucky bamboo?



## erinpuppy (Jun 28, 2015)

I picked up a small lucky bamboo plant today. I read that people grow it in just water and pebbles.. although it can be grown in soil. How would you plant yours?


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## The Snark (Jun 28, 2015)

If you mean Dracaena braunii, http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Lucky-Bamboo

Their natural environment is swamps with very little light.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## dementedlullaby (Jun 29, 2015)

Until it starts growing too tall/top heavy I just keep it in the original pot. I use fish tank gravel on the bottom and river stones on the top (just to make it look prettier) if I need to re-pot them. They aren't very demanding. I change the water in the container periodically, maybe once every two weeks.If the water is left too long it can cause rot. Often the main plant will die off but sprout a little shoot near the top that you can replant if this happens. 

I never bothered growing it in soil. Bamboo is generally very hardy. I'm not sure how these do outdoors or if they spread as crazily as other species. Take some caution if you go that route.


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## erinpuppy (Jun 30, 2015)

Thanks for the tips. I'm putting it in my future scorpion tank. I'm keeping it in a separate container, not putting it in the substrate. I'm glad that it is hardy and doesn't need a lot of light. I decided to give it some soil to live in because I learned that is healthier. I put in a layer of rocks and sand to make it look pretty and give drainage though.


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## The Snark (Jun 30, 2015)

The major problem with bamboos is they are fungus incubators in high moisture or humidity environments. Once a fungi gets going on the bamboo stalks it's yours for the life of the plant pretty much. 
Dracaena is one of the few varieties that don't mind cutting back and usually thicken up when they are cut but some caution is advised to not overly stress the plants. A little at a time, just like bonsais. Dirt, or even mud is fine for soil medium. Very few bamboo needs high drainage. Most can grow in mud. I suppose people think they need high drainage from the attractive pots/potting that helps to sell them. Once a firm root ball - colony is established they can take an tremendous amount of abuse. Even the entire root ball dug out of the ground and all culms cut back they will continue to regrow.


To give an idea how hardy established clumps are, a friend had a microburst come down in his yard. Blew a couple dozen shingles off his roof and ripped out an established green stripe clump, hurling it across his yard. So he had a backhoe come in, pick the clump up and drop it back where it was. The leaves never even wilted.


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## vespers (Jul 1, 2015)

dementedlullaby said:


> Bamboo is generally very hardy. I'm not sure how these do outdoors or if they spread as crazily as other species. Take some caution if you go that route.


"Lucky Bamboo" isn't actually a bamboo, but a Dracaena like Snark mentioned. It doesn't have quite the crazy invasive nature or super-fast growth of actual bamboo species.


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## dementedlullaby (Jul 5, 2015)

vespers said:


> "Lucky Bamboo" isn't actually a bamboo, but a Dracaena like Snark mentioned. It doesn't have quite the crazy invasive nature or super-fast growth of actual bamboo species.


Thanks! That provided some interesting reading. I didn't realise how diverse Dracaena was.


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## edgeofthefreak (Jul 5, 2015)

dementedlullaby said:


> Thanks! That provided some interesting reading. I didn't realise how diverse Dracaena was.


My favourite Dracaena is *Dracaena cinnabari* from the Socotra archipelago, similar to our Monocentropus balfouri. They look huge, and I like how some are almost wider than tall.

Anyone know if bonsai versions of this exist? I want one footer in a box on my desk.

Reactions: Like 1


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## The Snark (Jul 6, 2015)

edgeofthefreak said:


> My favourite Dracaena is *Dracaena cinnabari* from the Socotra archipelago, similar to our Monocentropus balfouri. They look huge, and I like how some are almost wider than tall.
> 
> Anyone know if bonsai versions of this exist? I want one footer in a box on my desk.


I love how the mature Cinnabari looks. Amazing tree. Unfortunately the ones you see in photographs with that broad canopy ... well the branching second growth often doesn't start until the tree is 20 to 50 years old. 
No reason why you couldn't bonsai them I suppose though the are a little fussy with water or so I;ve read. And on the bright side, get a healthy bonsai going it can be a plant handed down to your great great great great great great great great great.... grand kids. They can easily live 200 years and often quite a lot longer.

Reactions: Like 1


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