Variegated Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) — Live Houseplant

Easy Care · Low-Light Tolerant · Grows in Soil or Water · Ships Potted or Bare Root

Overview

Bring a fresh, modern look to any space with Variegated Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), also sold as Sanderiana Variegata. Upright stems carry crisp green-and-white striped leaves that look clean and bright on a desk, shelf, or windowsill.

Lucky Bamboo is famously easy to grow. It thrives in soil or simply in water, tolerates lower light, and grows slowly, so it keeps its tidy shape. Long associated with good fortune in feng shui tradition, it's a favorite gift for housewarmings, new jobs, and Lunar New Year.

What You'll Receive

• 1 live Variegated Lucky Bamboo, hand-selected for healthy stems and foliage
• Your choice of format:
  • Potted — arrives rooted in a nursery grow pot, ready to display or set inside a decorative planter
  • Bare Root — ships without pot or soil at a lower price, ready for a vase of water, your own pot, or a riparium setup
• Size: approx. 5–8 inches tall
• Greenhouse-grown under controlled conditions

Every plant is one of a kind. Height, stem count, and variegation vary naturally.

Key Features

• Crisp green-and-white variegated leaves on upright stems
• Grows in soil or water, so it suits pots, glass vases, and ripariums
• Tolerates low light, making it ideal for offices and interior rooms
• Slow, tidy growth that keeps its shape on a desk
• Beginner-friendly and low maintenance
• A traditional symbol of good fortune in feng shui

Benefits

• Adds a clean, modern accent to desks, shelves, and tabletops
• Works in offices and rooms that don't get much sun
• Easy enough for busy schedules and first-time plant owners
• A long-lasting houseplant with minimal upkeep
• A meaningful gift for housewarmings, new jobs, and celebrations

Product Specifications

Care Guide

Lighting

Give it bright, indirect light for steady growth. It tolerates lower light well, but keep it out of direct sun, which can scorch the leaves.

Watering

In soil: keep the mix lightly moist, watering when the top inch starts to feel dry, and never let the pot sit in standing water. In water: keep the roots covered and refresh the water every 1–2 weeks. Weekly changes also stop mosquitoes from breeding.

Water Quality

Lucky Bamboo is sensitive to the fluoride and chlorine found in many tap water supplies, which can turn the leaves yellow. Use distilled or rain water whenever you can.

Soil

Use a well-draining potting mix, and avoid waterlogged conditions to prevent root rot.

Fertilization

Lucky Bamboo needs very little food. Use a balanced liquid fertilizer at about one-fifth of the label rate, once a month for plants in water or every 2–3 months for plants in soil.

Temperature

Keep it between 65–80°F (18–27°C), away from cold drafts and heating or AC vents.

Perfect For

• Office desks and tabletops
• Small apartments, dorm rooms, and shelves
• Low-light rooms and interior offices
• Feng shui décor and meaningful gifts
• Beginner plant owners
• Riparium and paludarium setups (leaves above water)

Important Notes

• Not a fully aquatic plant. Lucky Bamboo is a terrestrial houseplant. Its roots can live in water, but the leaves must stay above the waterline, and it won't thrive fully submerged.
• Toxic to pets. The leaves and stems contain saponins, so keep it out of reach of cats and dogs.
• Natural variation. Height, stem count, and variegation vary. Photos show a representative plant.
• Avoid direct sunlight to prevent leaf scorch.
• Decorative containers not included.

Live Arrival Guarantee

We guarantee live arrival when our temperature guidelines are followed.

If your plant arrives damaged, contact us within 2 hours of delivery with clear photos for a replacement.

Extreme weather packaging is required for the Live Arrival Guarantee when temperatures are below 40°F or above 100°F.

Why Choose Our Lucky Bamboo?

• Healthy, greenhouse-grown plants, hand-selected before they ship
• Crisp variegated foliage that brightens any space
• Two ways to buy: potted and ready to display, or bare root for water and riparium setups
• Beginner-friendly and low maintenance
• Carefully packed for safe shipping and backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee
• Curated by PlantedPro, a specialist shop for live plants and aquascaping

Your Top 5 Questions — Answered

Q. Can Lucky Bamboo grow in water?

= Yes. Lucky Bamboo grows well with its roots in water instead of soil. Keep the roots covered, refresh the water every 1–2 weeks, and use distilled or rain water when possible, since fluoride and chlorine in tap water can yellow the leaves.

Q. Can I put Lucky Bamboo in my aquarium?

= Yes, as long as only the roots and the base of the stems sit in the water. It makes an easy riparium or paludarium plant on the tank rim or in a hang-on-back filter, and our Aquarium Plant Holder with Hooks holds it securely on the tank wall. Keep the leaves above the waterline, since it isn't a true aquatic plant and won't thrive fully submerged.

Q. Is Lucky Bamboo safe for cats and dogs?

= No. Lucky Bamboo contains saponins and is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, typically causing vomiting and drooling. Cats may also show dilated pupils. Place it where pets can't chew on it.

Q. Is Lucky Bamboo a real bamboo?

= No. Despite the name and its bamboo-like stems, Lucky Bamboo is a Dracaena in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae), native to tropical Africa. True bamboos are grasses.

Q. Why are my Lucky Bamboo leaves turning yellow?

= The most common causes are fluoride or chlorine in tap water, overwatering in soil, too much direct sun, and too much fertilizer. Switch to distilled or rainwater, let the soil surface dry slightly between waterings, move it out of direct sun, and feed only lightly. It's also worth checking leaf undersides for pests such as whiteflies.