Bamboo Stalks
Bamboo Stalks - A Popular Gift
Bamboo stalks may appear to be a rather strange gift. Add in the fact this gift is not actually bamboo, makes it even a bit stranger. When you see these stalks however, you'll understand their popularity, particularly if you are a devotee of Feng Shui. Bamboo stalks are tropical plants, and since we can't grow them outdoors in most parts of North America, they are cherished as house plants. Another name for bamboo stalks is Lucky Bamboo, so called because having one or more of these plants in your home is supposed to bring good fortune. In fact, as tradition has it, a given number of stalks have a specific meaning, which we'll get to in a minute.
Tap Water Can Kill - The bamboo stalks are actually a member of the lily family. However they resemble bamboo in many respects, especially the stem and the leaves, so most people have no problem in referring to them as bamboo plants, or lucky bamboo plants, rather than lucky lily plants, a name that doesn't have quite the same ring to it. It is often claimed that if you own one of these plants, you couldn't kill it, no matter how hard you tried. That's of course an exaggeration, but the lucky bamboo is a tough plant and does seem to have as many lives as a cat. It does have one weakness however, tap water. Water from your kitchen faucet, if chlorinated or fluoridated, or if it comes from a well and is loaded with minerals, could kill this plant in relatively short order. Owners are usually advised to use distilled water, bottled water, or spring water when watering it. If tap water is the only water available, pour some into a shallow pan, and let it sit overnight. The harmful chemicals will usually disperse. Aquarium water can be used also, and has the advantage of usually containing nutrients that the bamboo stalks need.
Food And Light - Feeding the plant is not difficult, and is often done when changing the water out by adding a little aquarium plant food to the new water. Bamboo stalks do not require bright light; though will grow a little faster in an area where the light is brighter. Just don't place the plant in direct sunlight. The result will be yellow leaves. The plant can even be placed in a rather dimly lit room, as long as every few days it is placed in a more brightly lighted location.
In the practice of Feng Shui, which can extend to how one decorates and furnishes a home, bamboo stalks are often used to represent wood, one of the five basic Feng Shui elements, the others being earth, water, fire, and metal. Proper Feng Shui practice dictates that one have a balance of these elements in one's immediate surroundings, such as a main room in the home.
What The Numbers Signify - As far as lucky bamboo is concerned, different numbers of bamboo stalks mean different things:
2 stalks will bring luck, and three will bring happiness, 5 or 7 stalks brings health, some say 5 stalks will bring wealth, others say you need 8 stalks for wealth, but there seems to be a general agreement that 7 indicates health. In truth, the meaning of a given number of stalks will sometimes differ, depending upon the source. It you want to make certain you've touched all the bases though, 21 stalks is usually considered to be the most powerful general purpose blessing. Curiously, there isn't much information available on what a single stalk may mean, if it indeed means anything.
Rather than worry about how many bamboo stalks one should have, a single stalk, given or received as a gift, will always make an attractive house plant.