Bamboo of happiness. Proper care of Dracaena Sandera at home

A very popular indoor plant, which resembles bamboo with its bridges on the trunk. But not everyone knows that it has nothing to do with real bamboo.

Happiness bamboo is a plant from. Its real name is Dracaena Sanderiana - Dracaena Sanderiana. The homeland of Dracaena Sander is China. According to Chinese custom, bamboo is a must-have in every family, because it brings happiness and good luck. Its Chinese name is “Fu Gwey Zhu”, which translates as: Fu - wealth, Gwey - nobility, Zhu - bamboo. That is why Dracaena Sander is called the bamboo of happiness.

Dracaena is a very unpretentious plant and can even grow in an ordinary glass of water. For this ability to add a decorative element to the home, many women grow it in a transparent vase with water or a special decorative gel.

There are several rules on how to keep happiness bamboo in water. Water for bamboo should be changed every two weeks and mineral fertilizers should be added to it for plant growth. Of course, if the water is of very high quality, then you don’t have to change it at all, but simply add fresh water from time to time. Without additional fertilizers, bamboo will very soon shed its leaves and stop growing, because in nature it receives all the necessary substances from the soil. The same principle must be followed if dracaena grows in gel. You should also not forget to water it with water with added fertilizer.

You cannot use regular tap water to water bamboo. The chlorine it contains negatively affects the development of the plant. You can use filtered water for irrigation, but rain or melt water is best. To get melt water in the summer, you just need to fill a plastic bottle with regular water and put it in the freezer. When the water is completely frozen, you can remove the bottle and leave it to thaw at room temperature. This melt water is very soft and is suitable for watering not only the bamboo of happiness, but any plants.

If you keep Lucky Bamboo in water, it may develop an unpleasant odor. Regular charcoal, which has antibacterial properties, will help you avoid it. Add a small amount to a vase with bamboo.

An indicator of the condition of bamboo is its leaves. If they begin to turn yellow, it means that the plant does not have enough water, or you are not watering it correctly (if it grows in the ground). Do not forget to wipe the dracaena leaves from dust from time to time.

It is also worth noting that happiness bamboo does not like sunny places. Therefore, you should not place it on a windowsill with direct sunlight. It is better to place it in partial shade, where it will be very comfortable. Bamboo of happiness is not very picky about temperature conditions and feels good at temperatures from 17°C to 35°C.

By the way, do not forget that the vase containing the bamboo of happiness can be additionally decorated with pebbles or multi-colored pebbles. Just remember to wash them in hot water to prevent infectious diseases from developing.

The happiness bamboo grows up to 70 cm in height. Don't expect it to continue to have the same intricately twisted stem. When grown in flower shops, they are specially given this shape using certain devices. Therefore, over time, it will completely straighten and acquire long, beautiful leaves. If you want your Dracaena to have a bare trunk, then the growing side shoots should be trimmed yourself, leaving only the top intact.

Dracaena Sandera looks very much like real indoor bamboo, which is why it is popularly called the “bamboo of happiness.” However, apart from external similarities, the plants have nothing in common. Amazing sticks with a bunch of green leaves on the top are considered a symbol of good luck; according to Feng Shui, they bring happiness and prosperity to the home of their owners. Dracaena Sander is used to create compositions, giving the shoots a variety of shapes, and is also grown as an independent plant at home in the ground or in water.

Unpretentious dracaena with a “bamboo” appearance

Under natural conditions, the plant grows in equatorial Africa, in particular, it is found in Cameroon. This is a perennial herbaceous plant, according to the botanical classification, belonging to the Asparagus family.

This type of dracaena received its name in honor of the famous English botanist, gardener and plant taxonomist Henry Frederick Conrad Sander.

The stem of dracaena is fleshy, in contrast to the hollow shoot of bamboo, colored green, and its shade does not change with the growth of the plant, which is a characteristic feature of this species. The shoots grow up to 1 m in height. Constrictions are noticeable on them, which, in fact, are dormant buds. The leaf blades, which are 15–25 cm long, are colored gray-green.

In indoor conditions, happiness bamboo is very unpretentious and requires minimal care, therefore it is highly valued as an ornamental plant decorating office premises. But dracaena can also add zest to a home interior, since florists use shoots to create amazing compositions in the form of pyramids, braids, etc. The plant is also shaped into a spiral, which gives the plant an extravagant appearance.

Lucky Bamboo and other types of Dracaena Sander

Dracaena Sander is often found on sale under the name Lucky Bamboo, which means “lucky bamboo”, the shoots of which are either straight or twisted in a spiral. The latter form is achieved artificially. The technology is quite simple. The young sprout is placed in a special curved tube and when it grows to the required size, it is released from “imprisonment.” The trunk retains a spiral shape for some time, and then stretches out, becomes overgrown with leaves and looks like an ordinary dracaena.

Breeders have developed several spectacular varieties of Dracaena Sander. Among them we can highlight

• White Stripe Victory with white stripes on light green leaves;
• White Stripe Gold with a yellowish border and white stripes along the entire length of the leaf.

Varieties and forms of Dracaena Sander in the photo

In the natural environment, the shoots of Dracaena Sander grow without bending
The bend in the form of a spiral is obtained artificially. A characteristic feature of the White Stripe Gold variety is a yellow border along the edge of the leaf. Pyramids can be formed from several shoots tied together. The shoots of Dracaena Sander are quite flexible, so they can be used to form fantasy compositions
The White Stripe Victory variety has white stripes along the entire length of the leaf.

Video: bamboo of happiness, bringing prosperity to the home

Lighting, humidity and other conditions required by Dracaena Sander - table

Features of planting and replanting pseudobamboo at home

You can grow Dracaena Sander both in water and in a container with substrate. Regardless of the cultivation method, luck bamboo should be replanted annually, and a plant growing in a humid environment can be replanted even more often, as needed.

Transplantation into the ground

When growing lucky bamboo in a substrate, it is very important to create a thick layer of drainage, the thickness of which should be approximately two-thirds of the pot. For this purpose, you can use small pebbles or other rounded stones, as well as coarse sand. When growing in transparent containers, decorative stones are an excellent option for creating drainage, which will not only remove excess moisture, but also give an aesthetic appearance to the composition.

The substrate is made up of:

• 1 part peat;
• 1 part coarse sand;
• 1/2 part of turf soil.

You can also use ready-made soil mixture for dracaenas to plant happiness bamboo.

The transplant procedure consists of several stages:

1. Place drainage at the bottom of the pot; the layer should occupy 2/3 of the container.
2. Remove the dracaena from the old pot, wash the roots, cut off any damaged, dry or rotten parts.
3. Place the plant on a drainage layer and lightly cover the roots with stones. Then add the substrate. compact it and water it.
4. Place it in a semi-shaded place, and after a week move it to a western or eastern window with diffused light.

Growing Dracaena Sander in water

Very often the plant is sold in cones filled with water. There is no need to replant it into the soil immediately after purchase. The plant can grow well in a humid environment for several years, but the replanting procedure must be carried out annually (sometimes even more often), as when grown in a substrate.

Water for growing Dracaena Sander must be filtered. Experienced gardeners also recommend using rainwater or distilled water. During the transplant you must:

1. Remove the shoot from the container, wash the roots and remove rotten parts. If the root system is not sufficiently developed, several cuts can be made on the lower part of the stem. This technique will stimulate the formation of new roots.
2. Place rounded pebbles at the bottom of the container.
3. Install dracaena shoots and press them with stones.
4. Then pour clean water into the flowerpot. The liquid level should be 1–2 cm above where the roots begin to grow, otherwise the shoot may rot.

An effective way to grow Dracaena Sander is to use hydrogel. For planting, it is best to choose a transparent pot, so the composition will look more impressive. The transplant process is simple:

1. Fill the hydrogel with water and leave for 4 hours to swell.
2. Then prepare the plant by removing any rotten parts.
3. Place it in a flowerpot and fill the voids with swollen hydrogel balls.

The hydrogel does not lose its properties for five years; after this period it must be replaced with a new one.

Nuances of caring for Dracaena Sander

As already mentioned, happiness bamboo is a very unpretentious plant, and it grows quickly. Because of this feature, the plant requires special feeding and frequent pruning.

Watering and fertilizing

When grown in water or hydroponically, bamboo must be periodically fed with mineral complexes, since due to their lack, the leaves will gradually begin to turn yellow and the plant will wither. To prevent bamboo from losing its attractiveness, it is necessary to add special preparations for dracaenas, produced in liquid form, to the water. In this case, their concentration should be 2 times less than indicated on the packaging.

Pseudobamboos growing in soil also need to be fertilized once a month. The procedure should be carried out during active plant growth from spring to autumn. In winter, feeding will lead to excessive growth, the dracaena will stretch out and look unattractive.

There is no need to water plants grown in water, but the water should be changed once every two weeks. The liquid must be filtered.

Dracaena planted in the ground is watered 2-3 times a week in the summer (as the top layer of the substrate in the pot dries). In winter, the number of moisturizers is reduced to one per week.

Forming a plant in a pot

Indoor bamboo has good growth. In suitable conditions, the shoots begin to quickly lengthen, leaves begin to grow on the top and on the trunk, which is why the plant becomes completely different from real bamboo and looks sloppy.

As it grows, side shoots and leaves on the stem must be trimmed periodically to maintain the appearance of the plant. In addition, if there are many shoots in the composition, then gradually keeping them crowded leads to yellowing and death of the leaves. To prevent this from happening, formative pruning is done. For this:

To create some compositions, for example, original pyramids, on the contrary, you need to stimulate the growth of side shoots. To do this you need:

Another way to stimulate the growth of side shoots is to spray the stem with a growth stimulant, for example, Epin or Zircon.

If the plant has become too elongated, you can replace it with a new specimen by cutting off the top and rooting it in water.

Even at home, you can try to create an interesting plant shape: make a braid or “braid” the stems into a pigtail. To do this, cut the apical cuttings, root them and plant them in the ground. To form a braid, it is enough to plant 3 plants at a distance of 2–3 cm from each other. When the cuttings grow to 7–10 cm, the leaves are cut off from the bottom and the shoots are intertwined. The joints of the stems are wrapped with wire. Then, when the plant grows another 10 cm, the shoots are intertwined in the same way and the braid is secured with wire. After a few months, when the stems become strong, the wire will need to be removed.

In the same way, a composition in the form of a braid is formed. Rooted cuttings are planted in a container at an angle to each other and the junctions are wrapped with wire.

Rest period

Dracaena Sander does not have a rest period as such. But in winter it is best to reduce the temperature to +20 o C and reduce the number of waterings. In this way it will be possible to restrain the stretching of shoots.

Consequences of mistakes made when caring for Dracaena Sander, and what to do to correct the situation - table

Diseases and pests of indoor happiness bamboo - table

Signs of diseases and pests on Dracaena Sander - photo gallery

Bamboo of happiness from apical cuttings

The stages of propagation using cuttings are as follows:

1. Choose healthy bamboo shoots 10–15 cm long. This is quite easy to determine: it is hard and green in color. Specimens that are yellowed and soft to the touch cannot be used for propagation.
2. Remove excess leaves from the stems.
3. Cut off the top.
4. Place the cutting in a glass of water.
5. After 2–3 months, roots will form on the cutting and it can be planted in the ground or continued growing in water.
6. Cuttings taken from side shoots can be rooted in a similar way.

New specimens from stem pieces

The shoot, after the apical and lateral cuttings have been cut from it, can also be used to propagate happiness bamboo. The stem takes root well and begins to grow quickly. To get new plant specimens, you must:

1. Cut the shoot with a clean knife into pieces approximately 5 cm long, each of which should have two jumpers (dormant buds).
2. Fill the top cut with wax. It needs to be melted in a water bath, cool slightly and pour over the cut.
3. After the wax hardens, place the prepared pieces in water.
4. There is no need to plant cuttings immediately after roots appear on them. Let them develop a good root system and wait for new shoots to appear on a piece of stem. Only after this can Sander’s dracaena be planted in the ground or continue to grow it in water.

Video: planting and caring for decorative bamboo

Dracaena Sandera or Lucky Bamboo is a fairly common indoor plant. It is believed that indoor luck bamboo can bring good luck and wealth to its owners. Being a very unpretentious plant, bamboo can grow indoors for many years, growing up to 2-3 meters in size with proper care. At the same time, Sander's dracaena is very simple and easy to propagate at home from lateral and apical shoots, of which dracaena produces a large number.

So, we present to you step-by-step instructions with photos for propagating lucky bamboo (Dracaena Sander) at home.

• We choose healthy bamboo stems with shoots 10-15 cm long. It is very easy to identify a healthy stem - it is green and hard. If the stem turns yellow, darkens, or is soft to the touch, it is best not to use it for propagation. An example of healthy stems can be seen in the photo:

• Next, remove excess leaves from the stems. It is best to leave only the top few leaves on the shoot. This will allow the bamboo to devote all its energy to root growth.

• Cut off the shoot from the main stem. The easiest way is to cut it along the top edge of the main bamboo stem (see photo). It should be noted that the cut shoots must have at least one node (a thickening on the dracaena trunk), from which the roots of a new plant will then grow.

• We place the cut off shoots of Dracaena Sandera in a container of water so that they take on new roots. This is usually not a quick process and can take two to three months. In this case, you should regularly change the water in the container to avoid the death of the plant. In this case, the water should be purified as best as possible (after the filter).

• If you want new shoots to form on the old stem, then you need to cut it 1-2 cm below the cut shoot, but to the first node on the stem. It is from this node that a new bamboo shoot is formed after 1-2 months.

• To prevent rotting of the top of the cut dracaena stem, it is necessary to treat it with wax. To do this, take an ordinary wax candle, melt a small piece of wax over the fire (it is best to do this in a tablespoon), and then lower the top of the plant into it. You should not keep it in wax for a long time, a couple of seconds is enough. After this, the top will be covered with a thin layer of wax, which will give it a good appearance and prevent it from drying out and various types of infections and bacteria getting into it.

Caring for indoor happiness bamboo and pruning roots.

General information about the Dracaena Sandera plant.

Bamboo of happiness

Often, “bamboo of happiness” or “lucky bamboo” is grown in apartments. In fact, it is a perennial plant called Dracaena Sanderiana. It belongs to the Musculaceae family, trees or succulent shrubs. Annual sales of all types of dracaenas are ahead of sales of other indoor plants.

Dracaena sandera or "bamboo of happiness"

The word “bamboo” in the name appeared because of the similarity of this type of dracaena to bamboo. Why another word - “happiness”? There is a version that this name came from an Aztec legend. It said that a poor young man, in love with the ruler’s daughter, fulfilling his father’s condition, watered the dry stem of the dracaena for 5 days, after which leaves appeared on it. The beauty's father had no choice but to agree to the wedding.

Dracaena Sandera looks a little like bamboo and differs from most of its relatives in the thickened cylindrical stem from which shoots extend. It has gray-green, slightly twisted leaves, up to 23 cm long. There is a variety that has leaves with a dark green border. Often, during growth, the stem is given a spiral shape in various ways. This plant looks more interesting than the standard form.

Lucky bamboo is often given as a gift. This is a pretty good choice since the word happiness itself gives it a special meaning. Yes, the item itself will decorate the room and, with proper care, can serve its owner for a long time.

Lucky bamboo is good for feng shui.

Dracaena sandera

Its stem is a symbol of a strong life filled with prosperity. It is a favorite gift in business, for example for partners.

Values ​​for the number of stems in lucky bamboo

The number of stems in one bunch is of great importance. The main principle is this: the more there are, the greater the blessings of luck and fortune. However, these are beliefs, and science has not found confirmation of the dependence of health, material well-being and similar serious things on the number of stems of “lucky bamboo” or other plants on the table.

The Chinese send two stalks of bamboo to express love. This number is said to double your luck.
Three stems are one of the most beloved combinations for the home. It brings three types of luck: happiness, longevity, wealth or career.
Four stems. In Chinese, the word for "four" sounds something like the word for "death." Number 4 attracts negative sha energy.
The five stems strengthen the five areas of your life: emotional, intuitive, mental, physical, spiritual.
Six stems attract prosperity and preconditions for wealth. In Chinese, the word for "six" sounds similar to the word for "luck".
Seven stems bring good health.
The Chinese word “eight” sounds like a word denoting growth and development.
Nine stems also symbolize and attract good luck.
If you were sent ten stalks of lucky bamboo, this means that the one who sent them to you wants everything in your life to be the way you want.
Twenty-one stems. If someone gives you so many stalks of lucky bamboo then he is expressing good wishes for you and your family in terms of great wealth and lasting health.

Growing Dracaena

In rooms, Dracaena Sander grows up to 70-100 cm, rarely up to 2 meters. It is an unpretentious plant. It can be kept in a vessel with water, but it is better in a container with soil. The best is a ceramic container, and besides it, a glass one.
Optimally formulated soil for dracaenas is available in specialized stores.

When keeping the “bamboo of happiness” in a container with soil, it must be watered as the soil dries. The soil should be well drained, but it is undesirable for the water to stagnate in it for a long time. Therefore, pebbles or coarse sand are placed in the lower part of the container with soil.
In addition to watering, caring for dracaena involves removing dust from the leaves, removing wilted leaves from the ground, and feeding the plant.

It is better to place the container with dracaena in a ventilated and bright place, but not in direct light. The “bamboo of happiness” tolerates dry air better than real bamboo.

It is enough to transplant the “bamboo of happiness” once a year, in the spring.
It can be propagated in one of two ways:
1. From the top cuttings, by further rooting them in water or moist soil.
2. Stem segments with ripening “dormant” buds.

When growing “bamboo of happiness”, its stem is often given curved shapes. For example, in the form of a spiral, heart, etc.
A composition of several Dracaena Sander plants, the stems of which are inclined and intertwined and grouped at the bottom, looks very beautiful.

How to properly care for Dracaena Sandera (lucky bamboo)

Caring for Dracaena Sandera at home is very simple! Dracaena Sandera or the bamboo of happiness is one of the most unpretentious indoor plants. You don’t even have to buy a pot for it: bamboo will feel great in an ordinary vase or glass of water.

There are several options for planting and growing happiness bamboo:

• in a flower pot in a soil mixture;
• in a container with clean water;
• in a container with hydrogel.

Growing in a container of water is the easiest way to grow. All you need is a water container and clean filtered water. The main thing when caring for Sander's dracaena when grown in this way is to remember to change the water and make sure that the water level is not very high and covers the roots by no more than 1-2 cm, otherwise there is a danger of the shoot rotting. If your babmuk of happiness grows in water for a long time, its leaves may turn yellow. This occurs due to a lack of nutrients and minerals. To correct the situation, you need to add mineral fertilizers to the container with water. And after a while, your dracaena will delight you with its green and cheerful appearance. Read more about growing bamboo in water...

Another way to grow Dracaena Sandera is to grow it in a synthetic decorative substrate - hydrogel. In this case, it is also necessary to periodically add small amounts of mineral fertilizers to the container with the flower. Hydrogel is granules of a special polymer that can quickly and in large quantities absorb water and water-soluble fertilizers (several hundred times more than the granules’ own weight), and then slowly and as needed (when the soil dries out, for example) release the absorbed moisture.

Recently, hydrogel has become increasingly used for indoor plants instead of regular soil. Hydrogel comes in transparent and rainbow colors.

Instructions for propagating happiness bamboo from apical shoots

Rainbow hydrogel (I saw 4 colors on sale) looks beautiful and has a pleasant shine. Hydrogel has a huge advantage: midges and bacteria do not multiply in it. Read more about caring for Dracaena Sander when grown in hydrogel...

Despite the simplicity and advantages of the previous methods, the best thing is to grow Dracaena Sandera as an ordinary indoor plant, i.e. in a pot with soil. When planting Sandera in a pot, expanded clay (or ordinary pebbles) must be poured onto its bottom to ensure good drainage, and the soil itself must be mixed with sand.

Illumination:

Indoor bamboo of happiness does not require very good lighting: diffused light is even preferable for it, and direct sunlight can even burn the leaves. Dracaena Sandera feels great both in the depths of the apartment and in artificial light. However, in order for the flower to develop well in such conditions, it is necessary to periodically place it in a bright place.

Humidity and temperature:

Happiness bamboo, unlike other types, is not very picky about indoor humidity. The flower tolerates dry air well and does not require constant spraying. However, when caring for it, it is still worth periodically wiping off dust and spraying the plant. Dracaena Sandera is a heat-loving plant. The comfortable temperature for its growth is 25-30°C. At temperatures below 18 degrees, the flower may die; it does not tolerate cold drafts.

Fertilizer and feeding:

It is necessary to fertilize the happiness bamboo once or twice a year. If it grows in water, then it is best to fertilize once every six months. However, you should not exceed the recommended dose of fertilizer, as this can cause yellowing and even death of the plant. Dracaena growing in the soil needs to be fertilized much less frequently, approximately once a year.

Possible problems when caring for Dracaena Sandera:

• Brown edges and tips of leaves, brown spots on leaves indicate insufficient watering or another cause is cold drafts.
• There are dry light spots on the leaves - due to too bright lighting, the plant received sunburn.
• Curled, soft leaves with brown edges indicate the temperature is too low.
• The lower leaves of the plant turn yellow - if the yellowing of the leaves occurs slowly, then this is a natural process.

Bamboo of happiness or Dracaena Sandera.

Reproduction of happiness bamboo at home

How to propagate Dracaena Sandera at home

Bamboo of happiness, lucky bamboo, lucky bamboo - this is how in everyday life they call a variety of indoor dracaena - Dracaena Sandera (Sanderiana). This type of dracaena differs from its “relatives” in that it is similar in appearance to bamboo, and not to a palm tree, like the others. At the same time, Dracaena Sandera has nothing to do with real bamboo, except for its external resemblance.

All flower growers are accustomed to the fact that the most common method of propagating this plant is propagation by dividing the plant stem. Moreover, to this day it is still unknown exactly how this plant reproduces in a “natural” way.

Basic methods of propagation of Dracaena Sandera:

• Propagation by cuttings and shoots. The easiest way to propagate Dracaena Sandera is by propagation by upper and lateral cuttings. To propagate bamboo using this method, you simply need to cut off the top of the dracaena shoot and root it in water or moist soil. Be sure to treat the rest of the plant after cutting to prevent it from drying out and dying. See illustrated instructions for propagating dracaena from cuttings.

Indoor dracaena Sander

Caring for the bamboo of happiness

Bamboo of happiness in the philosophy of Feng Shui

Dracaena Sandera is a perennial herbaceous plant. It has several names: “lucky bamboo”, “lucky bamboo”, “Sanderiana”, “bamboo spiral” and “indoor bamboo”. The base consists of tubes, at the top of which dark green leaves 15–18 cm long grow.

Sandera grows up to 1 meter. This flower is often used in interiors with a Japanese twist. Grown in pots with soil or water.

Many people know Dracaena Sandera under the name “lucky bamboo”. This name comes from an interesting legend. A long time ago, there lived in the same tribe a young man and a girl who were in love with each other. But the girl’s father, the High Priest, did not allow them to get married because the young man was a poor warrior. The young man did not give up in the struggle for love and came to ask for blessings for the wedding.

Then the High Priest stuck a dry stick into the ground and ordered the young man to revive it in 5 days. The warrior watered the stick, and after the specified time, leaves grew on the dead wood. The wedding of a beautiful girl and a brave young man took place, and this plant became a symbol of the happiness of two loving hearts.

In China, Dracaena Sandera is a very famous houseplant. According to the popular teachings of Feng Shui, “indoor bamboo” brings happiness and health to the home. Those people who grow this flower will have financial well-being, joy in the family and success in all matters.

Dracaena flowers can be seen very rarely, because it blooms about once every decade. Sometimes it can produce flowers 5 years after planting. She shoots an arrow on which small drupes form. Their color is whitish-greenish. The flowers are not fragrant; on the contrary, they emit a not very pleasant smell.

Dracaena Sandera is an unpretentious plant. It does not need special lighting. "Indoor bamboo" does not like direct sunlight.

He lives best in good diffused lighting. But he adapts remarkably well to both long-term absence of lighting, and to constant exposure to an artificial light source.

The shrub will change somewhat: the intense green color will subside and the stems will stretch a little. But this will not greatly affect the excellent beauty of dracaena. It is better not to place Sander on the windowsill. It would be preferable to place it somewhere in the interior of the room. It will be an excellent decorative accent in the room.

Dracaena Sandera very thermophilic. It cannot tolerate temperatures below 20 degrees. Feels great in fresh air and tolerates drafts.

It is better not to place the flower on the balcony or open space.

"Bamboo of Happiness" loves moisture and grows well in water. The only important condition is to maintain the correct water level: no higher than 2 cm above the upper roots of the plant. High water levels can cause tree trunks to rot. You need to add water to the container with the flower once a week. The water should be at room temperature.

When growing a plant in the ground, the soil should not be allowed to dry out. It should always be moist 2 - 3 cm inside. During the hot summer months, the flower needs to be watered frequently. In winter, watering should be fairly moderate.

Air humidity is absolutely not important for Sanderiana. She lives calmly even in very dry air. There is no need to spray the plant. If it is grown in water, it will itself moisturize the environment. Dracaena needs to be promptly removed from dust on the leaves. Wiping with a damp cloth will benefit the flower.

Water for growing Sandera must be settled or distilled. This dracaena does not tolerate chlorinated water.

Soil and fertilizing for Sanderiana

From the beginning of spring to mid-autumn it needs to be fed with special fertilizers. Once a month is enough to feed dracaena. Sometimes gardeners do not recommend fertilizing, but without it the plant will wither and lose its attractiveness.

Dracaena can be grown in water or in substrate. If you plant Sandera in water, then for stability you can put pebbles, pebbles or any other decorative soil in the container. Make sure that the auxiliary elements are not sharp, but have rounded edges, otherwise you can damage the roots of the plant. In addition to decorative soil, you can fill the flower container with coarse sand or hydrogel.

To grow dracaena in a substrate, an important condition is to lay a good drainage layer. It must necessarily cover the roots of the “indoor bamboo”. Small stones, pebbles or fine sand are suitable for drainage. The rest of the pot can be filled with special soil, sand, peat, or any mixture of soil sold in gardening stores.

Any transparent glass container can become a flowerpot for Sandera.

Usually these are beautifully shaped decanters, unusual flasks and glasses. You can also grow a flower in a regular pot. Ceramic and clay containers are perfect.

Bizarre form of Dracaena Sandera

In stores it is sold with interestingly twisted trunks. Such beauty is incredibly difficult to achieve at home. It is best to buy a special transparent tube with the required bend and place the plant shoot in it. As it grows, the trunk will twist into a tube shape. When the desired shape is achieved, the device can be removed and admire the excellent result.

There is also an option using wire. Young shoots need to be twisted around the stem and secured with wire. When they become stronger, the wire can be removed, and the new stems of the plant will take the desired shape.

Pests and diseases

Usually the “bamboo of happiness” is not susceptible to disease. But with improper care and contaminated water, pests can appear on the plant: mealyworms or red spider mites. If, when examining the plant, you find insects or small black dots on the leaves, then treatment is needed. To do this, wipe the leaves with a cloth and soapy water. If the soil or water is contaminated, replace it. Continue processing for 4 – 5 days.

Another problem that dracaena may have is trunk rotting. This happens due to waterlogging of the soil or high water level in the container. To get rid of this scourge, you need to carefully pull out the plant and cut off the rotting part. After this, plant the flower in new soil.

How to replant a plant

To ensure that the flower does not suffer during replanting and takes root in a new place, several conditions must be met:

• Choose the right one season for replanting. Spring will be the best time for this important moment. Dracaena becomes active after winter and begins to grow.
• Take suitable pot for transplantation. It must be of sufficient size. For a small plant, a container with a diameter of 15–20 cm is suitable.
• Prepare properly composed soil. A substrate sold specifically for dracaenas is ideal. But if you don’t have the opportunity or desire to purchase it, you can make it yourself. This will require peat, humus and deciduous soil.
• Provide good drainage. Place pebbles or pebbles at the bottom of the pot.

A young plant needs replanting annually, but for an adult plant once every 2 to 3 years is enough.

If all conditions are met, you can begin replanting the plant. This procedure is quite simple and, with the right approach, can be completed instantly.

1. A few days before transplant stop watering the flower. This will make the work much easier.
2. Carefully get a plant, but do not clean the roots from the old soil. Carefully straighten them and trim off any excess ones, if any.
3. Take a prepared pot (the bottom layer is drainage, the top to the middle is soil), put the dracaena in it and sprinkle the remaining space with substrate. There is no need to compact it; the plant loves “freedom”.

How to propagate dracaena

Reproduction of Dracaena Sandera occurs only vegetatively. There are two ways to get new plants:

• Cut off the top of the trunk 10 cm long and plant in a pot with moist soil or in a container with water. After 3-4 days, roots will develop and a full-fledged “bamboo of happiness” will grow.
• Planted in a similar way stem 7 cm long with at least one kidney.

When breeding, it is important to maintain the air temperature around 24 degrees.

Dracaena Sandera takes root in almost any conditions. It can be grown even by a gardener who is completely unaware of the rules of care. This plant will fit into your interior and bring happiness and good luck to your home.

This type of dracaena has been considered a symbol of happiness, health and success in Asia for many hundreds of years. The Chinese give it for any occasion: weddings, birthdays, New Years, etc. Thus, according to the teachings of Feng Shui, 3 stems of Dracaena Sander bring happiness, 5 attract energy and wealth, 7 health, 8 happiness and a cheerful mood, and a composition of 20 stems is called the “tower of love.”

But in the Middle Ages, real bamboo was given as a gift on the occasion of holidays. Such a gift, unfortunately, did not please for long, since real bamboo is not a houseplant and dies very quickly in a vase. About 100-150 years ago, Dracaena Sandera, supposedly native to South America or Africa, began to be used for these purposes. This plant is very similar in appearance to bamboo, but it is less demanding to care for and can last for months and sometimes years in a vase.

The name "Dracaena Sanderiana" consists of the botanical designation of dracaena (dragon tree) and the name of the famous plant collector, the "King of Orchids" Frederik Sander (1847-1920). The experienced gardener owned 60 greenhouses, where he and his employees grew over 2 million plants. Selling noble flowers, Frederick Sander, who at that time lived and worked in England, became a famous orchid dealer. In those days, such people were called “plant hunters.” On their travels they had incredible adventures and often paid with their lives for their hunt for plants. Frederik Sander could be called the "nerdy Indiana Jones." In his search for noble plants, Sander (or one of his employees) discovered and also classified our lucky bamboo, or Sander's dracaena.

This evergreen plant has green, oval-lanceolate leaves up to 20 cm long and up to 3 cm wide, with white-yellow and silver-gray stripes. An adult plant reaches a height of up to 2 m. Over time, the slender trunk becomes bare, which gives the plant a majestic appearance.

The unusual spiral-shaped stem of Dracaena Sander is obtained thanks to one-sided lighting. The stems bend towards the light, the direction of which periodically changes. Sometimes the stems are twisted with wire. The formation of one ring takes up to a year. Both of these methods at first glance are not at all difficult, but they require truly enormous patience.

Reproduction of bamboo of happiness

One of the greatest mysteries of the bamboo of happiness is its propagation. To this day, it is still unknown exactly how this plant reproduces in a “natural” way.

Despite this, there are still several methods of breeding our pet. One of them is the division method. We cut the stem into several parts. In this case, the following rules must be observed: the cuts must be covered with soft wax. Do not use hot wax, which can burn the plant. The wax prevents the stem from drying out.

The cuttings are then placed in a glass of water to take root. After just a few weeks (or better yet, after a few months), we can easily transplant the cuttings and shoots into another substrate.

You can also process the ends of the cut stem on both sides, as shown in the figure: remove half the layer of wax (Fig. b).

Place the cutting horizontally in a flat bowl (c), the cut points must be constantly filled with water. But be careful with watering: the buds should be dry and not lying in water. As soon as the roots appear, the plant can be transplanted into the substrate. The bamboos of happiness are not demanding; inexpensive soil for flowers will be enough.

And finally, the easiest way is to cut the top cuttings and then root them in water or moist soil.

Kinds

Bamboo of happiness in water

Gardeners and sellers advise growing happiness bamboo in water. Some recommend changing the water weekly. But this is optional.

If the water is of good quality, it will be enough to simply add fresh, clean water. Rainwater at room temperature is best because tap water can contain high concentrations of chlorine and well water can be contaminated with nitrates. If it is not possible to use rainwater, it is recommended to let tap water sit for at least 24 hours, reducing the concentration of harmful substances. To eliminate the unpleasant odor in the water that may appear after some time, add a little charcoal, which has excellent antibacterial properties.

To decorate the glass container in which your bamboo of happiness is placed, you can add colorful pebbles or pebbles, after washing them in hot water to avoid infections.

Growing happiness bamboo in the ground

Happiness bamboo can be planted in soil using any flower soil. Despite the fact that the plant feels great in water, it does not like stagnant moisture; the roots rot quite quickly. Various sources report that it is better to plant our Dracaena Sandera or lucky bamboo in clay pots rather than plastic ones, as they have a good ability to evaporate excess water. There is an opinion that happiness bamboo feels better in a pot without a hole for water drainage, since the substrate will be wet all the time. But that's not true. Sooner or later, mold may form and affect the plant: it will turn yellow or the roots will begin to rot, causing the bamboo to dry out. Therefore, it is better to use pots with a hole to drain water.

Growing Dracaena Sander indoors is not at all difficult. It requires enough light, while avoiding direct sunlight, and abundant watering as the soil dries out.

Care and conditions of detention

Happiness bamboo is an unpretentious plant, which is why it is popular with many gardeners. But, like any flower, Dracaena Sandariana has its own individual characteristics of keeping it at home

Firstly, the plant, especially in summer, needs abundant watering.

Secondly, Lucky bamboo prefers diffused light. It does not need special lighting, and direct rays of the sun can cause burns on its leaves.

Third, It is not advisable to spray the plant; it is enough to wipe its leaves from dust with a damp cloth.

Fourthly, Sandera does not tolerate drafts well. The most favorable temperature for its normal growth is the range from +18 to +25 degrees Celsius. But it should be remembered that lucky bamboo is a heat-loving plant, so it is still necessary to provide it with the necessary temperature indicators. At temperatures below the specified range, Dracaena Sander may die.

Reproduction

"Laki bamboo" propagates in two ways: by seeds; cuttings

Plant seeds need to be soaked in water before they germinate in March. Seedlings are planted in soil, which consists of four parts: soil (2 parts) and sand (1 part), and drainage (1 part) is also required. Spray with a spray bottle daily. When seedlings appear, it is necessary to create a greenhouse effect for them: cover them with polyethylene, organize additional lighting and optimal temperature conditions. To avoid rotting of young shoots, it is recommended to ventilate the greenhouse at least three times a day.

For propagation of Dracaena Sandariana cuttings it is necessary to pinch off a small shoot from it. It is placed in water until roots appear. Then the plant is planted in water according to the previous algorithm. As a result of non-compliance with important recommendations for caring for the plant, certain problems may arise when growing “bamboo of happiness”: too low a temperature leads to curling of dracaena leaves and brown edges; bright lighting contributes to the appearance of dry light spots on the leaves; the result of insufficient watering or systematic cold drafts are brown edges and tips, spots on the leaves

Transfer

The most favorable time for this process is May-April;

When replanting, it is forbidden to fertilize the soil; it is advisable to feed it after three weeks (mineral fertilizers are added to the water and the “lucky bamboo” is watered with it);

Other fertilizer options: phosphorus, nitrogen, bird droppings; organizing abundant watering after replanting (the soil in the pot should not be allowed to dry out completely)

Diseases and pests

Why does the plant turn yellow?

It often happens that over time the stem of Dracaena Sandera turns yellow and then rots. Perhaps the plant is affected by an unknown disease, bacteria or mold. If you find a yellow spot, you need to act immediately, otherwise the whole plant will turn yellow very quickly.

Today there is only one effective method - amputation (cutting off the diseased section of the stem). After this, the cut area should be allowed to dry for several hours, and then disinfected with charcoal powder and covered with soft wax.