Have you ever noticed that almost every Asian restaurant has a pot of Lucky Bamboo on their counter? It doesn’t matter where you live either. I’ve seen gorgeous containers of Lucky Bamboo in restaurants across the United States and Canada.
Although they are called bamboo, these easy-to-grow plants are actually members of the dracaena family. In Asian culture, a gift of Lucky Bamboo is believed to bring you good fortune, luck, wealth, prosperity, and happiness, which make it the perfect gift for events such as graduations, weddings, house warmings, or business openings.
It is also considered a popular Feng Shui cure for home or office because it combines all five Feng Shui elements for a harmonious universe: water, wood, fire, earth, and metal.
Here’s a rundown of how those five elements are combined in a single gift of Lucky Bamboo:
Wood: represented by the plant itself
Water: the water needed by the bamboo to sustain growth
Fire: many Lucky Bamboo plants are tied with a red ribbon or planted in a red pot that represent the color of fire
Metal: the container the Lucky Bamboo grows in represents metal and if your plant is sold in a ceramic pot it will often have a coin or small metal figurine included.
Surprisingly, the number of stalks in your Lucky Bamboo also matters.
Two stems represent success in Love and Marriage
Three stems symbolize Happiness
Five stems encourage good Health
Eight stems provide Wealth and Abundance
Nine stems offer Good Fortune
Ten stems symbolize Contentment
Twenty-one stems represent a Powerful Blessing
Note: Plants aren't usually sold in groupings of four because it's believed to summon negative energy.
Keeping Lucky Bamboo happy is easy! If you are growing it in water, change the water regularly to keep it fresh. and place the plant in a location that receives bright, indirect light. Lucky Bamboo does not like direct sunlight. You can also grow Lucky Bamboo in soil. Just water whenever the surface of the soil dries out.
To find out more about gaining luck from Lucky Bamboo.
Written by Doug Jimerson
