Lucky Bamboo Care Guide

Give this Friendship Bamboo bright, indirect light to help the green leaves flourish.

Keep the soil consistently moist (but not soggy). Use filtered, bottled, or tap water sitting 24 hours to release the chemicals and water enough that the water discharges out of the drainage holes. Once the water is fully drained, replace into the cache or decorative pot. If growing in water, replace with fresh, filtered water every 7-10 days.

Average indoor humidity between 45-55% is adequate for this plant.

The Friendship Bamboo prefers warmer temperatures.

Outside: Place Friendship Bamboo in shade under a canopy of trees or on a covered porch. Leave outside in container pots until night time temperatures dip to 60°F. Inside: Set this plant in bright, indirect lighting.

The Friendship Bamboo is not a heavy feeder and can be ignored on this part. If you prefer, fertilize once in the spring and summer by diluting a liquid fertilizer by half strength. Let the plant rest in the fall and winter.

When receiving the plant, do not repot immediately but wait at least 6-12 months or if the roots are beginning to get crowded and growing through the drainage holes. Repot in the spring, using a 2" bigger pot to keep the roots drier. Use a well-draining indoor potting mix with perlite to help with drainage. Water your plant in the old pot before transferring over and let sit an hour. Place a piece of screening at the bottom of the container over the drainage hole to secure the soil and allow to drain. Add soil to the bottom to elevate the root ball. Lift the plant and release the roots against the existing planter. Use a clean knife or garden trowel to wedge between the pot and the soil to loosen. Inspect the root ball. Notice if there are any dead or rotting roots and trim off with sterile pruners. If the plant is rootbound, cut through the roots to alleviate continued encircling. Ensure the plant is sitting about 1" below the edge of the pot to avoid water spillage. Add more soil and backfill around the sides by tamping down. Fill up to the soil line but not over. Water thoroughly, leaving the soil damp but not soggy. If settling occurs, add more soil.

Prune your Friendship Bamboo as they become taller to keep control of their height. Instead of cutting the main stalks, concentrate on the exterior offshoots with sterile scissors. Keep them a little shorter than the central stalk to give them a broader look. While watering monthly, set them in a sink and use a watering can with a shower end. Fill with nonchemical water and shower them from above, cleaning all the leaves of dust accumulation. Let drip dry.

Remove at least one leaf joint and crop the leaves to reveal the growth nodes. Place the cutting into filtered or distilled water to cover the base of the cutting. Refresh the water each week as the red roots appear within 30 days. Once the roots are plentiful, plant them in a well-draining potting mix or set in a vase of pebbles filled with water and replace the moisture weekly.