Lucky Bamboo Turning Yellow? 6 Causes and Treatments

Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is a commonly cultivated houseplant grown hydroponically or in soil. While its stalks resemble a true bamboo plant, the lucky bamboo plant is actually a part of the Asparagaceae family. Lucky bamboo has deep roots in feng shui—an ancient Chinese philosophy that dates back to the ninth-century BC—and is thus traditionally given as a gift to promote good luck, good fortune, love, health, and growth.

A healthy lucky bamboo plant should have dark to bright-green leaves and stems. If the plant’s stem or leaves are turning yellow, it could be for several different reasons, including:

1. 1. Too much sunlight: A lucky bamboo plant needs bright but filtered sunlight, similar to the light beneath the canopy of a tropical forest. Lucky bamboo often turns yellow if it sits in a window with too much direct sunlight, which can scorch the leaves and stress the plant.
2. 2. Excessive fertilizer: Another potential cause for discoloration or wilting leaves is an excess of fertilizer. A lucky bamboo plant only needs a light dose of fertilizer once or twice a year.
3. 3. Lack of water: Lucky bamboo can survive simply by submerging the bottom of the canes in water. When planted in soil, lucky bamboo can dry out fairly quickly—this can stress the plant, causing the leaves to turn yellow, wilt, and die.
4. 4. Poor-quality water: Lucky bamboo plants are sensitive to additives in many municipal water sources, such as chlorine and fluoride. Try using bottled, filtered, or distilled water on your lucky bamboo plant if you've been using tap water.
5. 5. Incorrect temperature: Lucky bamboo plants are tropical and grow best in warm temperatures. As a houseplant, it will usually do fine in growing environments of sixty-five to ninety degrees Fahrenheit. Heating or cooling vents can stress a plant, so be sure to place them away from sources of heat and air-conditioning.
6. 6. Pest infestation: Yellowing leaves on lucky bamboo stalks can be due to an insect infestation. Common culprits include spider mites and aphids, which are very small. Close inspection with a magnifying glass will usually reveal these pests.

Several factors could cause a lucky bamboo plant to yellow, so treating the plant requires a bit of trial and error. Consider the following lucky bamboo care guidelines to mitigate yellowing leaves:

1. 1. Prune your plant. Remove yellow leaves by gently pulling them away from the stalk.
2. 2. Move your plant. Transport your plant to an area with indirect light or its orientation toward the sun. If you notice that your lucky bamboo is growing in the direction of the sun, it’s in a good position—this is a natural behavior. Cultivators even use the sun to shape these plants.
3. 3. Use a new water source. A good early intervention is to change out the water. If your plant is growing in water, throw out the old water and use fresh water. Stagnant water can allow microorganisms to cause root rot.
4. 4. Limit the use of fertilizer. Overfertilization can cause your lucky bamboo to turn yellow. If you fertilize your plant, try limiting the amount of fertilizer and the frequency of application.
5. 5. Inspect your plant for pests. Closely inspect your plants with a magnifying glass to look for pests. If you find them, try using a solution of water and rubbing alcohol or a mixture of vegetable soap and water to clear them away.
6. 6. Trim the yellow stem. Before the entire plant turns yellow, trim away as many of the yellow parts as you can, and put what remains in fresh, clean water.

True bamboo plants from the subfamily Bambusoideae can also turn yellow. In many bamboo species, the canes, also known as culms, naturally turn yellow with age and sun exposure and do not indicate a problem. Similarly, older bamboo leaves will turn yellow and fall off as the plant grows and new leaves sprout every season.

If your bamboo plant has excessive yellowing leaves, it may be due to overwatering, underwatering, or a lack of nutrition. Be sure to plant bamboo in soil with good drainage, water it consistently, and apply organic compost annually to supply nutrients.

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