Lucky Bamboo Yellowing From Bottom Up

Ask the Expert: Lucky Bamboo

Lucky Bamboo Yellowing From Bottom Up

I’ve only had my Lucky Bamboo for 2 weeks, and they already seem to be taking a bad turn on me. A pet knocked it over, spilling the original water, and I mistakenly used tap water to refill it. I’m assuming that’s what’s causing the yellowing, so I’m going to try refilling it with distilled water.

My question is, how would you suggest I handle each of the stalks? I’ve attached a photo here. The curled stalk seems to be the healthiest with green ends, so I wasn’t sure if I should wait and see if it survives. The tall stalk seems to be mostly yellow with almost no green on either end, besides the bigger leaves at the top. The short stalk still has some green at the top, but is mostly yellow and wrinkly throughout the middle, and the leaves look a bit faded.

Thanks for your help! Pat

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: Unfortunately when stalks turn yellow from the bottom up there is little you can do. You did the right thing by changing the water and there is a slim chance that the stalks will be ok. I suspect that since you have only had the stalks for 2 weeks, the damage was done before you got them. They were probably over fertilized.

I recommend starting new stalks from the green healthy parts of the lucky bamboo.

To propagate your lucky bamboo cut the stalk off about an inch above one of the nodes. The nodes are the raised rings that grow on the stalk. Let the cut part of the stalk (on the stalk with the roots) dry for a couple of days; then mist the top to encourage new growth. Take the top of the stalk (the part you cut-off) and dip it in rooting hormone (garden centers carry this product) and let it dry over night. Then set the stalk in one or two inches of water and in a week or two you will have roots.

The blog has several posts that explain in further detail how to do this:
Turn Your Lucky Bamboo Top Into New Plant
We Are not always Lucky With Lucky Bamboo