Question: Wednesday, January 16, 2002
Received 4 canes of curly bamboo at Christmas, placed it in water and looks like it is starting to show signs of roots, should this be planted in a type of soil like cactus or jade plants or regular soil, or left in water, I am afraid it might rot.
Answer:
Curly bamboo is not actually bamboo but a species of Dracaena whose segmented canes resemble bamboo. It is not naturally curly but has been manipulated by growers under greenhouse conditions. The plant is covered on three sides with one side facing the light and periodically rotated in order to encourage the plant to grow towards the light, hence the curl.
This plant is quite tough and will enjoy low to bright indirect light, producing new green leaves, in either water or soil. When grown in water, change the water every 2-3 weeks, keeping the level consistent. Roots will develop wherever the joints are covered.
This slow-growing plant can last many years. A small drop of liquid fertilizer periodically added to the water will provide more vigorous growth.
Groundskeeper@marksgarden.com
