If you’ve been looking for a way to add a unique, low-maintenance touch to your home, look no further than lucky bamboo. Lucky bamboo, officially called dracaena sanderiana, does not come from the bamboo family as you might have assumed from the name – instead, it is a tropical water lily. And did you know it is often used in Feng Shui to bring good fortune and positive energy into the home? That makes it a perfect housewarming gift!
So, if you already have one of those pretty plants in your home, why not create several new plants out of the one? In this article, we will find out how to propagate lucky bamboo!
Can you grow bamboo from a cutting?
Sure you can and it isn’t difficult either. If you have ever propagated house plants before, you’re probably familiar with propagation from cuttings. Nearly every house plant can be propagated from stem cuttings. Lucky bamboo is another plant that can be grown using stem cuttings.
Taking the cutting itself is a simple one-step process, but there are some things you will want to pay attention to.
- Locate a healthy stem on your lucky bamboo. The offshoot should be dark green and 4 to 6 inches long.
- Cut the offshoot from the parent stalk as close to the parent stalk as possible. Always use a clean pair of pruning shears or scissors.
- You want to remove any bottom leaves on your lucky bamboo cutting before emerging the cutting in water or soil. Do leave two green leaves on the top part of the cutting.
Propagating bamboo in water
Propagating house plant cuttings in water is one of the most common propagation techniques plant enthusiasts opt for and is also incredibly beginner-friendly.
- Pick out your glass container and fill it with water – a few inches is enough. Ensure the remaining leaves on your cuttings are above the water’s surface. And while some indoor plants can thrive in tap water, you are best off using distilled water for your lucky bamboo propagation project. Tap water contains chlorine, which can affect your cuttings negatively.
- Place your cuttings in a warm place where they can get bright indirect sunlight.
- Change the water regularly – once a week is perfect!
- Keep your cuttings in the water until they establish a root system. Once they do, you can plant them in the soil or keep water-growing them.
How about the soil?
If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, why not grow your lucky bamboo plants in soil? The cuttings can be grown in the soil just as easily as in water.
- Find a pot or a container of a smaller size and check that it has some draining holes. Fill it with a well-draining potting mix.
- (Optional) You can use a rooting agent to help with the rooting process. Simply dip the bottoms of the cuttings into the agent before planting them.
- Plant your cuttings in the soil. Plant them a few inches deep and ensure that at least one node on each cutting is under the potting mix.
- Give it a light watering to provide the cuttings with a moist environment and allow the cuttings to get enough light and warmth.
- Water regularly, but don’t go overboard with it.
Caring for Lucky Bamboo
We were not lying when we said that lucky bamboo plants are low maintenance and don’t need much to thrive. Keep a few simple things in mind, and you’ll have a healthy plant decorating your home for a long time.
Lucky bamboos enjoy a warm environment. Just as the plant cuttings need indirect light during the rooting process, an established plant wants the same thing. Avoid harsh sunlight, but don’t deprive your plant of the sun.
Water your plant regularly and provide it with a moist environment. A well-draining soil is needed to avoid root rot. If you’ve opted for growing your lucky bamboo in water, don’t forget to change the water weekly.
And that’s about it! Caring for lucky bamboo is not much effort at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unfortunately, no. You can’t grow a new baby lucky bamboo plant from a leaf as the leaf isn’t able to grow roots. However, propagating the plant is very easy and can be done using stem cutting.
How to propagate lucky bamboo in soil?
Start by taking a stem cutting from your lucky bamboo plant. Once you have your cutting, plant it into a container filled with well-draining potting mix – plant the cutting a couple of inches deep and ensure that at least one of its nodes is below the soil surface. Keep the cutting in a warm spot, and the potting mix should stay moist but not soggy.
How to propagate lucky bamboo in water?
To propagate lucky bamboo in water, you first need a cutting from a parent plant (or several). Cuttings should be 4 to 6 inches long and cut close to the parent chalk. Remove the bottom leaves from the cutting and place them in a water container – ensure the remaining leaves stay above the water surface. Keep your cuttings in a bright spot and regularly change the water until roots form.
How Long Does it Take Lucky Bamboo to Propagate?
It is easy to propagate lucky bamboo and it takes root quite quickly, even within two weeks, but certainly within 1 month. After that, the plant is ready for potting in new soil.
How do I make my lucky bamboo grow more branches?
If you are not paying attention to the bamboo, it could grow very high. However, if you want your house plant more spacious, you can easily do that! You don’t have to do much, but prune your lucky bamboo to grow more branches. If you cut your bamboo on top, it will probably grow two branches. The other method that helps you frequently remove the yellowish leafage.
