Find Your Gary asks:
We have a 3 stalk Lucy Banboo plant and it was doing well but in the last two weeks we have ovserved that the biggest and tallest one has start to trun yellow. The leaves are all green and healthly looking. We live outside of Bethlehem PA. The temperature is about 60 degrees. The plant gets indirect day light but it is not in a window.We use only spring water and we water it twice a month.
Is this condition something that I should be worry about.
Jamie’s Reply: Although you use spring water, it may still be heavy in salts. Too much floride, chlorine, or salts can cause the leaves to yellow. Try using distilled water. I would not worry if only one or two leaves at the bottom are turning yellow. Flower Shop Network has an informative newsletter called Caring for Lucky Bamboo. Hope this helps.
Gary responds:
Thank you for getting back to me but the leaves are not the part that is turning yellow but 1 out of tree stalks are turning yellow.
I printed out the newsletter and will read through it. Should I be worried about the stalk turning yellow?
Jamie’s Reply: I am a little concerned. You may have some type of pathogen — insect or fungal. Check for scale or spider mites both are insects. Scale will be a cottony substance or a shell like attachment on the stem or at the base of the leaves. You will need a magnifying glass to see the spider mites — they will be actively crawling around. As for fungal, check for soft tissue any where on the stem especially at the water line. One other thing have you fertilized your lucky bamboo? I will research a little further to see if I can come up with any other possibilities.
Gary Responds:
Thank you for getting back to me.
I will get a magnifying glass and check for spider mites and fungal. No we have not fertilized the luck bamboo but we will. Can you please let us know what and how we should do this.
Jamie’s Reply : Use any standard house plant food at about one-tenth the recommended dilution rate each time you change the water. Make sure you are using a water soluble fertilizer.
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Sorry for the delay in my reply. You have several stalks that should be ok. Remove all of the yellow ones and the ones that are shriveled. Change the water and clean the container. take a warm soapy rag an wipe all of the remaining stalks then wipe then with a warm rag without soap. hopefully this will take care of the problem.
Hi Jamie!
I stumbled upon this article while trying to decide what to do about my own bamboo, and I was wondering if you could give me some advice.
I have had my lucky bamboo for a bit more than a year now, and in the last few months, the newest leaves (there are two stalks) came in a very pale spring green color. I realized shortly after this that my cleaning lady had been giving it tap water (probably for a few weeks or a month).
It seemed okay at the time, but the next time I changed its water I noticed an unpleasant smell. After reading up I realized that this was probably due to bacteria, and later that week I rinsed its roots, and cleaned its pots and pebbles with tap water and salt. It smells fine now, so I believe the fungus is gone.
However, I noticed when I cleaned the pot that both of my bamboo stalks were yellowish-white from about where the pebbles had been downward. They were not (and are not) mushy or rotted as far as I can tell: apart from the color, they seemed just fine. I put them back in their pot, but just a little bit higher up than before, so I could keep an eye on the color.
In the last two weeks I’ve been watching my plant closely, and I’m not sure what to make of it. The yellow is not (from what I can tell: I haven’t removed the plants from their pot again) rotting, nor is it moving up the stalk — although the color of the plant isn’t as evenly green as it always has been: there are streaks of light green running up one stalk, and a few patches of darker color than I’ve ever seen near some of the nodes. The thinner of the two plants has some faint withering lines that haven’t gone away, but it’s also darker than the other.
I’m a little bit confused, because while the tips of the older leaves seem to be losing a little bit of color, the new paler leaves are actually darker at the tips than they were before. Additionally, at least one of the stalks is still growing roots — the container I keep my bamboo in is clear glass and I can see where they’ve spread along the sides of it.
With this in mind, is it more likely that my bamboo was damaged by the tap water/fungus or that it’s just recovering from being removed from the water and replaced at a different level? Do I need to cut the yellowish bottoms of the stalks away or is there a chance they’ll survive? The plants are rather small and I feel a bit bad about cutting more away from them…I’m also very nervous about doing so, as I know it’s an easy way to accidentally kill a plant and I’m not much of a gardener.
Sorry for the ramble, and thanks for reading. Please help!
Thanks,
Renee
Your lucky bamboo may still be recovering from the fungus and the tap water. Can you send me a picture? I need to see if the yellowish bottom look normal or shriveled. I would also like to see the streaks of light green running up the stalks. I really need to see the lucky bamboo before i recommend any course of action.
I just recently bought a lucky heart shaped bamboo plant for a valentines day present. When I took it out of the packaging the material that was wrapped around the roots was frozen fast to the plant.. I left it thaw out before unwrapping it the rest of the way and followed the instructions and now it seems the plant is turning a yellowish-brown color?
does this mean it dying? I used distilled water.
Could it be that it was shipped in cold weather?
Please help?
Thanks
I am afraid your lucky bamboo is not going to survive. Exposed to long periods of cold temperature will severely damage the plant.
It still has green leaves at the very top of it.. are those worth cutting off and trying to grow another one?
Yes, the tissue damage may not have effect the tops.
hi jamie…
thank u for this fabulous resource!
i am attaching a few pics of my lucky bamboo. i have had it since christmas and it has been
doing just fine. i use tap water about once a week and keep it away from the window. i just came back from being away for 2 days. i watered the bamboo before i left and put it in the kitchen (where there is no window) too keep it away from possible drafts while i was away. when i came back i found one of the stalks had started to turn yellow from the top down. there are leaves on the yellow stalk that are still green. the stalk is not mushy on the yellow area. there is no bad aroma coming from the plant. i dont see any lesions or bugs. what should i do?
thanks for your help! i can send more pics if u need.
Attached Image: 102.jpg
another view of my lucky bamboo
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one last picture…
i hope these help with your analysis!
Attached Image: 109.jpg
Deb,
I am at a loss. Your plant does not seem to have any sights of damage or distress. The only possible factor could be light. Although the lucky bamboo does well in low light conditions, it may not have like the light change.
I recommend cutting off the yellow part. Do this right above a node with strong green color.
thanks for the advice. i was a bit puzzled myself after reading all of the posts.
none seemed to really fit my situation. i will be performing the “surgery” tonight and
i will keep you posted.
wish me luck!
deb
I’m kind of worried about my lucky bamboo plant. I’ve had it for a year and a half so far, about 6 months into keeping it, the shortest out of three stalks turned completely yellow, so I got rid of it. So far, I haven’t had any similar problems at all, up until recently. I water my bamboo plant with just regular tap water, and I moved it to my room about a month ago and placed it up on my shelf. Its near a window, but doesn’t get much sunlight, since the sunlight is blocked by another house. I’m worried because the twisty stalk is turning light green, and almost looks wrinkly. It doesn’t seem to be yellow, but its a very light green color, and I am sad, because I don’t want it to die at all. Is there any way that I can prevent it from becoming yellow, or reverse this? Should I move it to another part of my room with less sunlight? :(
I would try to figure out want was different about the previous location and the present location. If it was warmer, you need to move it to a warmer spot. If it had more light you need to move it to a place with more light. Also check for spider mites – you will need a magnifying glass to see the spider mites. Once you determine what casued the change in your lucky bamboo nyou can correct it.
Okay….I have a small 3 stalk Lucky Bamboo Plant….I just moved it into a larger glass container with glass pebbles and its old rocks…..I am using distilled water, indirect sunlight and it is still turning yellow….The stalks are nice and firm and the leaves are nice n green…..Mind you I haven’t fertilized it yet because I’m afraid to harm it….My question is this…Is it missing something that helps it be green or am I doing something wrong??
How long have you had the lucky bamboo. If you haven’t had them very long it could be damage prior to your care. If the stalks are yellowing from the bottom up it is a fertilize issue. From the top down a light issue. As long as the stalks stay firm and the leaves green give the lucky bamboo a few weeks of water only no fertilizer. If you could send me a picture of the yellow areas, I might have a better indication of what is going on.
I’ve had the plant since November, I just changed the water last night and did a root check they seem to be holding strong, no black so that means no root rot, I actually had roots wrapping around some of the glass marbles I am using to keep it upright….Pardon the largeness of the pic….Didn’t want to shrink it down so you can take a look at it…I just misted it with a light misting of distilled water because I have read it likes that…=)
Attached Image: IMG_3197[2].jpg
INFO I NEED TO ADD:
Okay…At first when I first got the plant I did use tap water…(I know bad me) I am hoping that all it needs is a little love and light, I have a very very diulted solution of miracle gro since I’ve never really fertilized or fed it plant food on standby too….=)
At this point I think you should be ok. This is what I think you should do – don’t fertilize (even with a diluted solution) for at least two months. continue to use distilled water and leave it be. The stem seem more pale than yellow so I think it will recpver fully in a couple of months. Keep me posted or let me know if anything changes.
Need some help with lucky bamboo soon!
i recently got a stalk of lucky bamboo with a spiral towards the top.
now it appears to have a patch of yellow round the middle of the spiral. it seems to be more flaccid in consistency in comparison to the rest of the stalk. as of now i have cleaned out the affected part and tried deb-riding it in an effort to preserve the spiral which i am very reluctant to cut off.
it stands in a vase with pebbles filled in half way and i am using packaged drinking water as opposed to tap water or distilled water and haven’t added any fertilizer to it at this time.
the rest of the plant inclusive of the leaves seems to be healthy otherwise.
i am uploading a picture along with this post.
any advice on how i can preserve it would be appreciated.
Attached Image: 07042010.jpg
After reviewing the picture, I recommend cutting off the diseases part. I know this will remove most of the spiral. However, the yellowing spot maybe fungal and will spread to the rest of the plant. by cutting off the diseases part, you can save the healthy part. You can even make the plant spiral. To make the stalk curl follow the instructions in the post How Lucky Bamboo Spirals Are Created.
You can also root a new stalk from the other healthy side of the curly part. Read How to Propagate Lucky Bamboo.
Something else you should check is your bottled water. Make sure it doesn’t contain any extra supplements. Some companies add extra salts or other supplements to the water and these can cause problems with lucky bamboo.
Good luck and keep me posted.
Hi – I have a ribbon plant (lucky bamboo) that I got at Lowe’s 2 years ago. The stalks have not grown at all but the leaves are now over 2 feet tall. Why do the stalks not grow? They truly are no taller…but the leaves that were very short and tiny when I bought the plant, only a couple inches tall, are now over 2 feet tall.
I don’t like having such tall leaves…I would like the plant itself to grow some. What can I do to get the stalks to grow and should I cut the leaves down. It’s a very odd looking plant and no one can see the stalks much at all since all they see are these huge tall leaves.
Otherwise it’s been healthy. And I love it….I just want shorter less overwhelming leaves. BUt I’ve been afraid to cut them as I don’t know if that is safe and I can’t find any info about this problem. All the people who write about their plants make it sound like their stalks grow and you talk about cutting them at the joints and making new plants, etc. I can’t do that since the stalks never grow. Just the leaves.
Please explain what to do about the leaves or what to do to make the stalks grow! Thank you.
Attached Image: Ribbon Plant.jpg
The original stalk doesn’t usually grow much. Instead the way the lucky bamboo works is it produces a side stalk from the original stalk. You can top your lucky bamboo anytime you want to and you can propagate new stalks from the top. In my comment above I have a link to the how to propagate lucky bamboo. You should read it and then top your lucky bamboo. I am attaching a picture of your plant. I have created a red triangle with an orange line. the orange line is the one of the places in which you can cut your lucky bamboo to start a new plant. Good Luck. Let me know if you need anything else.
Attached Image: Lucky Bamboo Stalk.jpg
Thank you – I see now what you mean about the original stalks not supposed to be growing much at all. And thanks for the photo of where to cut one of the side stalks.
There are three original stalks in my pot…the side stalks as you call them are very thin at the bottom where they are growing off from the main stalks. None of them seem thick enough to cut at the joints and top off the stalks as you call it. But if that’s the only way to get the thinner side stalks to quit growing so tall with more and more leaves, then I can try that.
I already read how to top off or cut the stalks, but that was not my concern. I wanted to know why these side things with leaves were growing so tall. Now I see from what you have said that they are stalks too and can be cut off and so that would put an end to the tall growth that way.
But if I did that on each of the three little side stalks from the main stalks, there would be nothing else growing from the main stalks. Would look very barren. So how long would it take for new side stalks to grow out from the main stalks? Or is that how it works? What happens to the side stalks at the point where I cut them off? Do they grow more side stalks off of their little thin bases? I’ve never seen any of tehse types of plants any bigger than 3 or 4 short stalks, with only short new stalks growing off the main ones. Don’t know what a mature plant is supposed to look like. Or how far it goes with all this topping off and so forth.
Thanks again for your input. It’s very educational since I’ve not seen any side stalks as tall as mine and didn’t know they could be cut anywhere since they are so thin and don’t look at all like the main stalks.
I’m learning a lot and I really appreciate it.
When you top a lucky bamboo it usually takes about three weeks to see new growth. As for side stalks, I’m not sure exactly what you are asking. Do you want to know where the new growth will come from? If so lucky bamboo that is topped will produce new foliage below the cut on the side of the stalk. With the spindly side stalks, you might want to remove them completely and let the plant start new stalks from the side.
Hi, I got my lucky bamboo plant from my dad and have grown quite fond of it. About a week ago I noticed one of the three stalks had turned yellow, and the middle one was starting to do that as well. Now two stalks are almost completely yellow and it’s beginning to happen to the third one. I’m not sure what to do. I give the bamboo bottled water everytime I notice it’s dry, so I know its not tap water that’s causing it. Please help!
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Hi, I need your help! I’ve had my heart shaped lucky bamboo for at least 2 years now and recently it started turning yellow from the bottom up. One of them is completely yellow except for the leaves, and the other one is half yellow. One part has like a brownish spot and its a little bit soft. I’ve read that i need to cut the yellow part but its all yellow! please help me, i dont want it to die.. this little bamboo is part of the family already =(
here are some pictures, so you can see better.. since i can only attach 1 per message
i’ll put the others in another message feel free to erase them after u see them..
But Please Help!
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second picture
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third one
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Your stalk that is completely yellow probably has had a fungal issue or another type of pathogen. It will not recover. It still has green at the very tip. I would take the green part and propagate a new stalk. The other stalk still looks good to me. Hopefully once you remove the bad stalk, the other stalk will be ok. Should it start to yellow, you will need to remove the yellow parts. You might want to clean the rocks and the container when you remove the yellow stalk.
Hi, I know this has been asked alot but im still a bit confused. I was given a lucky bamboo, 3 of them that someone no longer wanted, it was pretty much dead when i got it, and am in no way a green thumb, in actual fact eveything dies on me…But this bamboo must like me because not only did it come back to live it thrived in my kitchen window and on tap water once every now and then. it has alot of green leaves and looks like it was doing well till i nocticed that the middle one was going soft at the top (but the leaves are still thriving?) and my one on the left went yellow from the top and now is almost to the bottom but isnt soft. now if it was caused from the water or sunlight wouldnt they all be the same? im really confused, and i love this plant cause it loved me so what is happening to my friend?
Thanks, Kristoni
Not necessarily, just like people lucky bamboo stalks can have different tolerances for different issues. The stalk that has the soft spot could have had some external damage. You will need to propagate new stalks from this one and eliminate the diseased part. The stalk that is turning yellow from the top down but is not soft, has either gotten too much light or fertilizer. It probably received too much light. In the winter your window is probably the perfect place for it. However, in the summer the window may give the lucky bamboo too much light. I would change the water in the container and move it to a spot with less direct light. It should recover. Should it become soft it will need to be remove and if possible propagate a new stalk from it.
Hi I have 24 bamboo which are wrapped to each other beautifully but unfortunately some inner members begin to become yellow and ruin what can I do?
If the inner ones are turning yellow and are soft, you will need to remove them. Leaving them may infect the other ones. You also need to determine what caused them to yellow in the first place. Over fertilization and using tap water with chlorine or fluoride can cause the stalks to turn yellow. You may need to clean the container with hot soapy water then rinse it and fill with tap water. While you have the stalks out of the water check for any lesions on the stems. Lesions on the stems could also cause the stalks to yellow.
Hi!
So, I read through many of the comments, but, I didn’t find any that fit my scenario, probably because I’m not sure if my “issues” are even really issues.
About a year ago, I bought at stalk of lucky bamboo, and its little instruction manual told me to place it in a vase of some sort, stick it in some pebbles, and put new water in it every two weeks.
It’s grown great! However, I have two questions.
-When I bought the stalk, they had placed wax on the top of the main stalk, which I assume is used to stop it from growing too tall. Yet, the offshoot on it has become almost as big as the main shoot now, and I’m wondering if I should
1)Trim the offshoot so it’s not top heavy or
2) Take the wax off.
Which sounds the best?
-My second concern is about the alge which is now covering the pebbles and the inside of the glass. I change the water every week or so, but the alge stays. I’m wondering if this is harmful to the plant? The leaves are a beautiful bright green, and the stalk is strong and firm, but, is alge something I should work to get rid of?
Thanks so much!
The area with the wax is where they propagated a new lucky bamboo stalk. With or without the wax, the stalk will not grow in that area. The wax was placed there to seal the wound. However, new growth will form on the sides of the waxed area. You can cut the top out of the stalk and create a new stalk – which is essentially what they did to the stalk you have now. They cut the top off started a new shoot and let the old stalk form new growth.
As for the algae, you need to get rid of it. Empty the container and remove the lucky bamboo stalks. Gently wipe the stalks with a damp rag. Now wash the container and the pebbles with warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Replace the pebbles and lucky bamboo and fill the container with distilled water.
I have had my lucky bamboo plants for about three years now. They are very dusty and the ends of the leaves are turning brown with a ton of roots. I have never furtilized them and they are growing ok. What is the best way to dust the leaves and trim the roots? The leaves also seem a little droopy but maybe cause of the dust on the leaves. I enjoy these plants cause of very low maintenance. Can you give me some answers to my questions so I can better care for these plants?
The best way to dust lucky bamboo is to take a moist cloth and gently wipe the leaves. If you have an over abundance of leaves you can snip off the excess roots. Make sure you leave a fair amount of roots. While you have the stalks out of the container, you need to clean it with warm soapy water. Rinse it thoroughly and fill with distilled water.
I got 2 “Lucky Bamboo” plants from Wal-Mart back in January 2010. They were doing just fine and I did water them with tap water. I did not know that it’s not healthy to water them with it.
My plants are on a wall shelf about 20 feet away from the window which usually has the blinds closed during the day. I live in South Florida and I knew it wasn’t necessary to give them direct sunlight. However, there are “special treat” days that I will put them on the window still around 4pm for a few hours at the east end window (not the west when the sun sets). I’ve only done this maybe 4 times since January.
Up til about 2 weeks ago, I noticed one stalk was turning yellow on the very top and on one side only and I thought maybe it needed water.
I do water them about once a week or every 1 1/2 weeks so I don’t over water them. I just got a PUR filter for my kitchen faucet and I just watered them with the filtered water today.
Today, I also discovered that the yellowing stalk has gotten a bit more severe with dryness and visible black spots. I don’t think they’re bugs because they’re not moving at all. But I attached a few photos of it to give you a better idea.
I don’t know what to do, but I know that tomorrow I will be repotting them with new pebbles (twice washed of course) and possibly some fertilizer?
My fiance told me to cut it off, but I don’t want to because there is a leaf growth on one side of it and I would love to try to save it in any way if possible.
I’m very new at this and I have become rather attached to these plants. :)
Help would be greatly appreciated.
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Ashley,
I can’t tell if it has gotten too much sunlight or if a fungus or disease has invaded the plant. Since that stem is the only one that seems to have an issue, I would cut the damaged part off. The stalk will sprout new leaves after you do this. Make sure you go a couple of nodes past the damaged part.
If you need instructions on how to make the cut just left me know.
Also since you have a pur filter, you can use water straight from your tap and I wouldn’t move the lucky bamboo to the window any more.
Hi Jamie,
I have a curly lucky bamboo (single stalk,from Ikea) in normal water for almost 2.5years with some brown stones in it and it was really doing good. A month back i noticed a growth ( stem) near one of the nodes in the water & i just cut it off. After that i moved to a different location and suddenly noticed the leaves started turning yellow. There were two stems at the top the stalk & when one turned completly yellow, i cut that off.
Now, almost half the stalk is turned yellow & dont no what to do. But the tip of the stalk is still green,why is that? After reading some of your previous suggetions i replaced with filter water & there is no problem with the sunlight at all.
I want my plant to be fine & hope i could get some suggetions from you.
Thank You
Dee
Dee,
Can you send me some pictures. I think you may need to start a new lucky bamboo plant, but I won’t know unless I can see some pictures. You can use the attach an image uploaded on the comment box.
Hi Jamie,
I am sending few pictures of my Lucky Bamboo for you to see & let me what you think?
Attached Image: Bamboo 001.jpg
I hope these pictures help you. Thank You Jamie
Attached Image: LB 004.jpg
Dee,
You will need to cut the yellowing part of the stem off. I would go very short. You might need a different container. I have attached a picture of where to make the cut – see the red line and where the water should come to — see the blue line.
Once you have cut the yellow top off, the plant will be able to produce new foliage. To encourage the foliage growth wait about 2 days and then begin misting your plant once a day until the new foliage emerges. Then you can mist every few days until the foliage is fully formed.
As far as water and fertilizing – keep the water level at the blue line and don’t fertilize for a couple of months. When you do fertilize use a very diluted water soluble fertilizer.
Keep me posted and let me know how it goes. Remember lucky bamboo doesn’t like direct sunlight.
Attached Image: Lucky Bamboo In Glass Vase.jpg
I have a 3 1/2 years old stalk LUCKY BAMBOO and from the day i bought my plant nice and green, located by my window for a year. Use regular water from the house, use food plat occasionally then I move out and in to my brothers house and do the same care how i did in my old apartment and about a 1/2-1 year later one of them start turning yellow and the stem is not as green as before, leaves are dyin as in its dry (one of them is fully dead leaf) so i took it out but most of them is starting to die. and the other one is healthy til now. what can i do to prevent and make my plant healthier. PLSSS HELP
First the tap water in your brothers place may have more chemicals in it. If you can’t use distilled or filtered water, put the tap water in a container with a wide mouth and let it sit for 24 hours before you use it. Also the stalks may be receiving too much light — check your light source. Your air may also be drier in your new place. Mist the air around your stalks. You may need to cut off the unhealthy parts of the stalks and let them produce new growth. Good Luck and keep me posted.
I have two bamboo plants in containers in my office cubicle. One plants is in a container with the pebbles cemented on top and the other does not. Recently the office has a few gnats flying around. I’ve checked and don’t see any flying around when I shake the plants. Someone suggested I change the water in the containers. How to do this without destroying the sculptured plant?
Unless the water is cloudy and smelly, there is no need to change the water. I would check to see if the knats are coming from another source.
Thank you, Jamie.