How to grow “bamboo of happiness” at home
Although the smooth stem of this plant with spectacular bridges outwardly resembles bamboo, its true name is Dracaena Sanderiana. His English “nickname” is Lucky Bamboo, and in the Russian manner – “Bamboo of happiness”, which brings success and prosperity to the house
Dracaena Sandera is a perennial ornamental plant that is distinguished by its increased unpretentiousness. It will outlive all the flowers in the bouquet and will grow and develop beautifully even in a glass of water. If you wish, you can plant your “good luck talisman” in the soil. With minimal maintenance, the “bamboo of happiness” will delight you for many years.
Dracena Sandera loves water. She needs abundant watering in summer and moderate in winter. Do not let the soil dry out. If your stem grows in water, you need to update the water every 2 weeks, adding mineral fertilizers to it for growth (in natural conditions, all nutrients come to the plant from the soil). Water must be filtered, and preferably distilled, at room temperature. Otherwise, the leaves may turn yellow.
Choosing a place for your indoor bamboo, avoid the sun-drenched windowsill… Direct sunlight can burn the leaves. For dracaena Sander, diffused light is preferable. “Bamboo of Happiness” tolerates dry air well and does not require constant spraying. Wipe dust off the leaves from time to time. The comfortable temperature for plant growth is 18–35 ° C.
As a soil for the “bamboo of happiness” any flower mixture can be used or special for dracaena. The plant needs good drainage (small stones or expanded clay should be placed on the bottom of the pot). “Bamboo of happiness” grows well in a mixture of equal parts of flower soil and sand. Keep in mind that the bare stems of the “bamboo of happiness” look great in a transparent jar filled with colored hydrogel.
Top dressing: fertilizers for dracaena… It is enough to transplant once a year in the spring. Dracaena is propagated by apical cuttings rooted in water or wet soil, as well as by segments of the stem with dormant buds.
Over time, a real tree about 70 cm high with an erect stem and long leaves will grow from the planted shoot. Do not expect that the stem will continue to curl, and the leaves will fall off by themselves (beautiful curves are added to the plant in an artificial way). Despite the fact that the “bamboo of happiness” will less and less resemble its prototype, it will not lose in any way in its decorative effect due to its dense green foliage. If you want to enjoy the bare stem, you will have to break out the growing shoots.
“Bamboo of happiness” and feng shui
In China, there are centuries-old traditions and customs associated with the “bamboo of happiness.” According to the Feng Shui teachings, bamboo brings health and happiness to the inhabitants of the house, financial well-being, promotes the flow of positive energy, maintains a good mood, strengthens friendships and love relationships, and ensures longevity.
The Chinese place several shoots of the “bamboo of happiness” in a floor vase at the entrance to the house, thus showing respect to the guest and providing him with a charge of positive energy. In addition, there is a tradition when a guest is presented with a stem from a bundle that the owner of the house has.
Considering the “bamboo of happiness” an ideal gift, the Chinese give it for any occasion: for a housewarming party, opening a new company, or a wedding. According to an ancient custom, Chinese newlyweds present each guest at the wedding with three plant shoots – this should be the key to a long and happy marriage of the young.
The number of bamboo shoots in the composition has a certain meaning: three stems attract happiness, five stems predict wealth; seven stems bestow good health; twenty one stems – success in all endeavors.
Composition of 20 twisting stems called the “Tower of Love”… Such a gift is regarded in China as a gesture of care, friendship and compassion. To achieve wealth and well-being, the composition should be placed in the south, east or southeast of the house.
The spiraling sprout of Sander’s dracaena is the perfect complement to a bouquet addressed to a man. After all, bamboo in many cultures personifies masculine will and inflexibility.
The inhabitants of the Celestial Empire use many ways, with the help of which, they believe, it is possible to further enhance the magical properties of the “bamboo of luck”. Such “happiness multipliers” are red and gold ribbons, which are used to tie bundles of shoots, transparent glass vases, talismans hung on curls of “bamboo”. Chinese flower growers are also convinced that pots for the “bamboo of luck” should not be simple, but always with images of sacred animals, for example, a toad, panda, dragon or elephant.