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What does bamboo belong to? The structure of bamboo and saxaul stems

Bamboo... Where does this amazing plant grow? Is it a tree or a grass? In fact, it is a cereal crop that has high strength and flexibility. It can reach a height of forty meters. The high growth rate of the plant amazes and delights at the same time.

What is this

Bamboo is a plant that in appearance resembles both tall grass and a tree. It has a straight stem and wedge-shaped leaves. This oriental cereal combines calm, soothing colors - yellow and green. There are many types of it. The plant is found not only in the wild. It is actively used by people in landscape design, decorative gardening, for the production of furniture, interior items and even in cooking.

The stem has a fibrous structure. The roots and rhizomes are located horizontally underground. Buds form on the rhizome, which gradually turn into sprouts. Most bamboo species bloom once every sixty or one hundred and twenty years. The plant reproduces quickly - through rhizomes or seeds. In the latter case, this happens quite rarely. The bamboo stem is very strong, shoots with leaves extend from it. Thickenings form on the trunk where the shoots emerge. They are called nodes, and the part of the stem between them is called internodes.

What does it look like

Bamboo (photo can be seen in the article) grows only in conditions of high humidity and warm climate. It is the climatic conditions that determine its appearance and active growth. The stem of this plant resembles grass and a tree trunk. Bamboo is very tall, its crown is branched. The shoots of the plant are hard inside and out. In the middle of the trunk, the bamboo has a bright yellow color and there are hollow areas.

The leaves of the grass are lanceolate, with short petioles. Spikelets with large inflorescences are attached to the branches. On the branches there are scale-shaped bamboo leaves. The root is well developed. It is capable of growing over long distances. The rhizome produces many powerful stems. Bamboo produces fruit only once every few decades due to rare but abundant flowering.

Habitats

Bamboo. Where does it grow, what climatic conditions are comfortable for this crop? The tropics are considered to be the birthplace of bamboo. It can be found in Australia, America, Asia. It is thermophilic and is poorly affected by frost and cold winds. Some species feel comfortable in the cold. However, northern and temperate climates are not suitable for cereals, as is extreme heat. Frost-resistant varieties of the crop are unpretentious. Their rhizomes develop in any soil. The plant also takes root in Russia, but only as an indoor inhabitant.

Bamboo is evergreen. The life cycle is long. Does not tolerate extreme heat, cold and drought. Able to survive in any conditions with proper care.

Species

Is bamboo a grass or a tree? It is considered to be a plant or giant grass. There are about a thousand varieties of bamboo in the world. They all differ in height and width of the stem. Some species look like bushes. Absolutely all of them adapt to new living conditions over time. One of the most popular types is considered to be “lucky bamboo”. This is a small indoor plant that grows in soil or water. It cannot be called a direct relative of culture.

The plant requires careful care and does not tolerate cold weather. Bamboo does not like clayey, waterlogged soil. Keep this in mind if you want to grow the crop at home. If the crop grows at home in an indoor pot, it is important to provide it with moderate humidity and warmth, but keep it away from the heating system. It is recommended to wipe the stem and leaves with a damp cloth.

Peculiarities

What features does bamboo have? Where does it grow and why is it able to quickly adapt to different climatic conditions? The most interesting and, perhaps, the main type of bamboo grows in the East Indies. Its trunk reaches a height of twenty-five meters and a diameter of thirty centimeters. The structural features of bamboo allow it to be used in construction. In addition, the old stems of the plant produce a sweet-tasting liquid that is used to make polishes and porcelain. Features include rapid growth, massiveness, and plant properties. Young crops are eaten, the stem is used in the interior, household, and industry, including textiles.

Areas of use

Where is bamboo used? Where does this crop grow and what is its significance for the economy? The scope of use of cereals is huge. Houses are built from the bases of trunks of large species and musical instruments are made. Bamboo is highly valued in the textile industry. Bamboo fiber is used to sew clothes, linen, blinds, wallpaper, carpets, blankets, pillows and much more. The material made from bamboo threads has amazing properties. It perfectly absorbs moisture, hypoallergenic, antibacterial and very soft. In addition, things made from it are durable, practical, and beautiful.

Today, bamboo is actively used in interior design. Decorative partitions, furniture, and accessories are made from it. It brings naturalness, environmental friendliness, and naturalness into the room. In countries with warm climates, durable dwellings are built from the crop, and the shoots of young plants are eaten. The popularity of bamboo is due to its resistance to climate change and mechanical stress. Bamboo is also used to make thick silk paper and tableware.

Growth rate

The fastest growing plant in the world is bamboo. A photo of this cereal shows what it looks like and how tall it reaches. Young bamboo can increase in length by ten centimeters per day. Some types of this crop grow fifty centimeters in 24 hours! The main difference between bamboo and wood is that the former grows to its final height in a season, while the latter takes years to do so. The reason for the high growth rate is the internodes. They simultaneously stretch, increasing in size. However, the growth rate is uneven and decreases from the root to the top. During the growing period, the plant not only grows upward. Its stem thickens and the nodes become larger. There is evidence that a babook can stretch one meter in just 24 hours!

Bamboo is a resilient evergreen tropical plant from the Poaceae family, which is considered to be native to East Asia.

Bamboo is distinguished by a knotty golden straw-colored stem with numerous leaves at the top. Typically, it reaches a height of 25 to 40 meters and is the tallest grass among all members of this family (wheat, corn and rye). At the same time, bamboo has a very high growth rate and some of its species grow from 40 to 100 cm per day.

Within three years, the young trunk becomes woody. Bamboo trunks are widely used for construction and as a finishing material; musical instruments are made from it and used for paper production.

Bamboo has amazing properties - it is not afraid of moisture, sun, or temperature changes. In the East, it is considered a symbol of indomitable strength and energy, since its sprouts easily penetrate even stone. Buddhists regard it as a sacred plant, personifying longevity, spiritual truth, constancy, grace, long-term friendship and blooming old age.

Composition of bamboo

Bamboo contains 90% water. It is rich in protein - on average from 1.49 to 4.04 g per 100 g of fresh shoots. In addition, it contains eight essential amino acids.

100 g of bamboo shoots contains:

90.86 g water;
2.65 g proteins;
0.49 g fat;
0.58 g fiber;
0.88 g ash.

Bamboo has a rich vitamin composition. Its shoots contain vitamins A, B6, E, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, folic and pantothenic acids. They are also rich in minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, manganese, sodium, zinc, copper, selenium and iron.

The calorie content of bamboo is 20 kcal per 100 g of shoots.

Useful properties of bamboo

Young bamboo shoots are not only tasty, but also rich in nutrients. They are among the top five most popular healthy foods in the world.

The main properties of bamboo were recorded in an ancient pharmaceutical text from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644): “It is cool, sweet, non-toxic, quenches thirst, improves blood circulation, adds Qi energy and can be used daily.”

In Asian countries, the anti-inflammatory and restorative properties of bamboo, due to the presence of a strong antiseptic in its fibers, are often used for colds and ARVI, as well as for allergies and asthma.

Bamboo is also one of the few plants that is characterized by a large amount of silicic acid, which:

Helps strengthen hair and nails;
Has a beneficial effect on the skin;
Has a calming effect in cases of depression.

Bamboo is effective for peptic ulcers, digestive disorders and diarrhea. In Asian countries, it is also used to treat diseases such as jaundice, tuberculosis, fever and dysentery.

Bamboo extract strengthens the walls of blood vessels, improves blood supply to tissues, reduces capillary permeability and increases their elasticity and tone.

Not only bamboo shoots are used for medicinal purposes, but also other parts of this amazing plant:

Bamboo roots are used as a general tonic;
Bamboo leaves, which have antipyretic and expectorant properties, are considered a good cough medicine;
Bamboo sap is used as a remedy for apoplexy and epilepsy.

Health benefits of bamboo shoots

Bamboo shoots are more of an exotic food because they are most widely used in Asian countries. However, the beneficial properties of bamboo are gradually finding their fans in Western countries.

Bamboo promotes gradual weight loss. Thanks to its balanced nutritional supply, it is considered an ideal food for those who want to lose weight without constantly feeling hungry. Dietary fiber, found in large quantities in bamboo, is necessary for digestion and improving intestinal motility. In order to lose weight faster, it is recommended to eat young shoots for dinner. Bamboo's low calorie content and low carbohydrate content make it possible to use it as part of various plant-based diets.

The vitamins, minerals and antioxidants contained in bamboo shoots help strengthen the immune system.

According to many studies conducted in India and Asian countries, bamboo has been proven to be beneficial for preventing heart disease as it helps dissolve cholesterol. Due to its low fat content and low calorie content, bamboo also has a beneficial effect on intestinal function.

Many studies have confirmed the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of bamboo, which allows it to be used externally in the treatment of wounds and ulcers.

Applications of bamboo

A decoction of bamboo shoots is used in Asian countries to treat respiratory diseases. As a rule, to obtain a decoction, the shoots should be boiled twice, first for 5 and then for 10 minutes. The resulting decoction can be taken with honey.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that bamboo shoots have a rather rare property - to have a stimulating effect on the muscles of the uterus. Bamboo leaves are also used for indigestion and as an anthelmintic.

Bamboo shoots are used in cooking to make various dishes. As a rule, they are pre-cooked and then eaten with butter and soy sauce. They can also be added to soups, sauces, pickles and salads.

Fresh bamboo shoots will keep for up to two weeks in a cool place and away from sunlight. Improper storage may result in a bitter taste. In order to preserve the beneficial properties of bamboo longer, it is usually preserved.

In Japan, they also eat bamboo seeds, which vaguely resemble oats.

Contraindications and harm of bamboo

There are no contraindications to the use of bamboo for food. However, when preparing dishes with bamboo shoots, it should be taken into account that young shoots contain a poisonous cyanogenic glycoside, which, however, is quickly destroyed during cooking.

Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:

Bamboo is an evergreen perennial plant that belongs to the grass family and is common in tropical regions of Asia.

This plant is known as a strong building material and as the fastest growing plant on the planet.

For 2,000 years, bamboo has been widely used as a material for the construction of bridges, homes, boats, household utensils and musical instruments. The omniscient Chinese made needles from bamboo for their ancient medical operations, tenths of a millimeter thick, as well as plumbing, which was used until the 3rd century BC. Using such a water pipeline, they transported salt water from salt springs to Tsu Liu Ching (Suchian Province).

Bamboo stems can grow up to 40 meters. At the same time, the growth rate of the plant can reach 75 cm per day.

A group of bamboo in a certain area blooms only once every few decades. In this case, bamboo of the same type blooms at the same time, regardless of where it grows.

Another mystery is associated with the fruiting of bamboo. Plants of the same group, which originated from the same “parent,” bloom at the age of 33 to 66 years and die after fruiting. Such mass death of bamboo groves has an extremely negative impact on both human life and the lives of animals, such as giant pandas from China.

Bamboo groves are actually thickets of giant grass, as the plant belongs to the grass family.

Another feature of bamboo is the different diameter of the trunks, which depends on humidity, soil composition and species. Therefore, it is very difficult to collect a large number of shoots of the same diameter. To transport the trunks, ingenious knots are used to group shoots of different diameters and thicknesses. In modern times, special adhesives and even accessories such as bolts are sometimes used.

In countries where bamboo grows, this plant is treated with respect. Bamboo is used not only for construction, but also for making furniture and crafts. bamboo is considered a symbol of purity and happiness.

Some bamboo varieties produce a special oil, tabashir, which is used, for example, as a medicine for asthma, cough and even as an aphrodisiac in southwest Asia. And heated bamboo produces a flammable resin used in lanterns. By the way, the first light bulb, made in 1880 by Thomas Edison, used specially processed bamboo fiber as an incandescent filament.

Some structures made from bamboo have survived thousands of years. An enclosed bamboo bridge spanning the Ming River (southwest China) was built in the 3rd century AD. Its length is 320 meters, it is a suspension bridge, the supporting structures of which are 15 bamboo cables, each 5 centimeters in diameter. It is still in good condition and undergoes preventative maintenance twice a year.

Even in 1905, China had drilling stations made entirely of bamboo. The height of these structures was 75 meters, and they were built in 220 AD - almost 1800 years ago! This is durability...

Another advantage of bamboo is that if you cut down its trunk, a new one will begin to grow in that place. Bamboo roots very branched, and send out new shoots at a distance of up to 6 meters from the center. There are about 180 central roots per hectare of bamboo forest that support this entire plantation for decades. Bamboo roots are also very resistant to erosion, landslides and even earthquakes, due to their exceptional strength and vitality.

The structure of bamboo wood is similar to oak wood. However, its strength, according to research by French scientists, is two and a half times higher than the strength of oak wood.
In financial terms, the cost of building a bamboo house is 8 times less than building a modern concrete building of the same size. But in the event of an earthquake, the concrete building will collapse much earlier. Therefore, bamboo is widely used to build houses nowadays in southwest Asia, Africa and Latin America.

There are more than a thousand types of bamboo. Some of them grow in severe cold conditions in the mountains, at an air temperature of -24 degrees Celsius, at altitudes of about 5000 meters above sea level. Argentine and Chilean types of bamboo, on the contrary, grow in conditions of high humidity and temperatures unbearable for humans.

The main producers of bamboo in the world are Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Kenya, Costa Rica and Brazil. All of them grow up to 10 million tons of bamboo per year.

The record for bamboo growth was recorded in Japan. The stem of madake bamboo grew 5 cm in an hour, increasing by 120 cm per day.

Bamboo used not only in construction. Sugar is extracted from this plant, and young shoots, roots and seeds are eaten.

There are more than a thousand species of bamboo in the world. However, some plants can tolerate both severe sub-zero temperatures and live at altitudes of about 5000 m above sea level, as well as conditions of high humidity and high temperature.

The root system of bamboo is distinguished by its strength and vitality. One hectare of bamboo grove can only have 180 central roots supporting all the plants.

The oldest bamboo structure that has survived to this day is the 320-meter-long bamboo suspension bridge at An Lan, spanning the Ming River in southwestern China. This bridge was built in the 3rd century AD.

The plant that grows in apartments and is called indoor bamboo does not belong to the type of bamboos that grow in the wild. Wild bamboo is a herbaceous plant, although it sometimes stretches up to forty meters. In indoor conditions, a variety of dracaena, or more precisely Dracaena Sander or Sanderiana, is grown under indoor conditions called indoor bamboo. And it is closer to woody plants than to herbs. Reproduction of bamboo at home and its cultivation in the future have their own nuances. For this reason, you need to know as much as possible about this plant and its care.

Description of the plant

This plant has a bare, smooth trunk. There are shoots and leaves at the top of the trunk. The trunk is fleshy and usually grows straight upward, or can bend in a spiral. This bush has a bright green or gray-green color, but there are also straw-golden shades. If the plant is exposed to bright sunlight all day, its color turns dark green. The height of the perennial does not exceed one meter, and there can be several trunks.

The leaves of the perennial grow directly from the trunk. When the top of the plant is cut off, it produces side shoots and a new top. Most flower growers believe that this perennial does not bloom indoors, but if Dracaena Sander is properly cared for, it can produce a beautiful arrow of white flowers that have a strong and very sweet aroma. But not all varieties of this type of dracaena bloom.

The roots of the plant are not very powerful and grow in bunches at the end of the stems, without going deep into the soil. They are located close to the surface of the earth.

This type of dracaena is considered a good luck plant. For this reason, many who are fans of the theory of Feng Shui strive to grow this flower at home.

Nuances of care

Sanderiana is an unpretentious plant and survives even in unfavorable conditions. But to obtain beautiful and elegant bamboo, it is important to know some features of caring for the plant. Since the root system does not go deep into the ground, the pot chosen for it is wide and shallow.

This indoor perennial does not need constant replanting. If the roots of the plant begin to crawl out of the pot, you can simply cut them off.

In addition, indoor bamboo does not like drafts even in summer; there is no need to talk about winter time. For this reason, the window where the bamboo is placed should not be opened. If Sanderiana gets caught in a draft, she will die.

Read also: Lychnis - bright dawn: planting, propagation and care in open ground

Lighting

Dracaena Sandera is very photophilous and grows well in high-quality lighting, but it must be protected from direct rays of the sun, which can cause the leaves to burn and lead to their yellowing. If there is too much light, the plant begins to lose leaves. In this case, you need to move the pot to a window where there is no direct sunlight.

It is better to place the plant on a window that “looks” to the east.

Watering

You need to water regularly so that the soil in the pot does not dry out completely; there should be a lot of water. The fact is that this perennial can grow simply in water, without soil, and in such conditions it grows better than in soil. If there is a lack of moisture, the fern leaves curl and wither, and if there is excess moisture, the roots can rot and the leaves begin to turn yellow - so the plant needs drainage.

Top dressing

For this purpose, it is better to take fertilizers intended for feeding all varieties of dracaena. Growing perennials need to be fed every month, and in the summer, feeding is carried out at least once every two weeks, and in winter, bamboo does not need such frequent feeding, they are fertilized once a month.

Temperature

The permissible temperature range is 18 ° C - 30 ° C, that is, Sanderiana does not require a strict, special temperature regime and easily adapts to the normal temperature in the room. If the temperature is above 30 ° From or below 18 ° C, the plant may get sick.

Humidity

A special humidity regime is not required for perennials. It does not need spraying, but dust must be removed from its leaves. This is done with a special sponge.

So far, this product is used very rarely by flower growers. This method is not very common when growing Sanderiana in apartments. And many lovers of such flowers know little about what it is. Hydrogel is sold in specialized flower shops. The perennial is placed in a vessel with water and hydrogel capsules. Capsules change their shape and color over time.

Such maintenance of dracaena does not require special conditions. With this type of cultivation, bamboo is fertilized only twice a year. Water is added when it starts to dry out.

Features of growing in water

To be able to grow a flower in water, its roots are washed well in running water. After this, check for damage. If there are scratches or breaks in the root system or stems, they need to be removed. Moreover, about a third of the roots can be removed. Water for planting bamboo must be distilled or settled. The plant is placed in a glass vessel (you can use a vase for this purpose). The roots need to be secured with beautiful decorative stones, which should first be boiled, as for an aquarium. Then the prepared water is poured into the vessel. After two weeks, the water is changed, but if the water becomes cloudy, the water is replaced earlier. The liquid is also changed when the bamboo leaves begin to turn yellow. You need to add nitrogen fertilizer to the water. Then this feeding is given to the plant every 28-30 days. Fertilizers that are used for palm trees and dracaena perennials are suitable for this.

Apical cuttings

This plant is easy to propagate by cutting off the tops. The top of the stem is cut about 15 cm down. Then the cutting is placed in a vessel with water in which “Heteroauxin” is diluted, and after the roots appear, the cutting is planted in the ground.

Stem cuttings

This method is most often used if the top of the plant has died. Using a sharp blade, the stem is divided into several parts, which can be rooted simply in water with a stimulant dissolved in it.

You can plant cuttings in the ground for rooting, but this method is less effective.

Reproduction by knees

The perennial is also propagated using knees. Where there are thickenings on the knees, the plant may develop roots. Therefore, the stalk, on which there is a thickening, is immersed in water and it is constantly changed so that it is fresh. As soon as the roots appear, the young bamboo is planted in the ground.

Reproduction by root division

Mature indoor bamboo plants can be propagated by dividing the roots. To do this, when transplanting plants, separate the largest stems along with the roots and immediately plant them in a separate pot or in a vessel with water. If the shoot is planted in a pot, water it abundantly for several days. The young plant does not like a lot of light, so it needs to be placed in a window where there will be diffused light.

Propagation by seeds

If the store offers indoor bamboo seeds, you should not give in to temptation. Dracaena practically does not reproduce by seeds, so buying seeds will be a waste of money, nerves and time. Bamboo will not grow from these seeds, and if anything does grow, it won’t be bamboo. So you should remember that for a bamboo plant, propagation by seeds is unrealistic.

Indoor bamboo has nothing in common with the one that grows in the wild. Their differences are visible to the naked eye. Wild bamboo is considered a grass, but despite this, it can reach a height of up to 40 meters. At home, they grow a miniature plant that belongs to the genus Dracaena and is called Dracaena sandera or dragon tree.

General information

Bamboo is a plant with a bare stem, which only has several branches with leaves on top. The trunk of bamboo can be either straight or curved in the form of a spiral. Most often, the domestic variety of bamboo has a green tint, but there are also types with golden foliage and stems.

The Chinese believe that bamboo brings good luck and material well-being. If you adhere to the philosophy of Feng Shui, then this plant should definitely appear in your home, as it will not only bring prosperity, but will also diversify your flower collection with exoticism and beauty.

Types and varieties of bamboo

Bamboo Indoor - is a miniature plant with a smooth or spiral-shaped bare trunk with shoots and leaf blades at the top. Bamboo leaves are hard and glossy. They have an elongated lanceolate shape and a light green tint. At home, the plant rarely blooms, but if this happens, it throws out a long arrow with white, pleasantly smelling inflorescences. Peduncles appear in mid-summer.

- is an evergreen semi-shrub perennial with a bare trunk, on the top of which leafy shoots grow. The leaf blades are hard and dense, with a rich green tint. The plant blooms extremely rarely. Flowering time occurs in mid-summer.

– bamboo of this species grows up to 20 meters in the wild. The thick, knotty stem has a bright yellow tint with green stripes and rich green glossy, elastic leaf plates. This plant rarely blooms. There are no seeds. It is propagated by bush division.

– the natural habitat of the plant is Nepal and the Himalayas. This type of bamboo grows in the form of a bush, consisting of individual plant trunks. This variety can grow up to 40 meters in length and has a thick, flexible and slightly gnarled stem. The leaf blades are hard, glossy, dark green. In nature, the plant blooms extremely rarely and often dies after that.

This type of indoor plant can grow up to 300 centimeters in length. It has thick, gnarled, dark green stems with thin branches and lush, green, glossy foliage. Bamboo does not bloom indoors, but it has excellent decorative properties.

– This variety is known as giant bamboo. This plant is very popular in the USA. The bamboo stems are dark green in color and slightly knotty. They are elastic and can reach a height of up to 40 meters. Bamboo branches are short with lush, green, glossy leaf blades. The plant blooms extremely rarely, since flowering greatly depletes it and leads to death.

– The natural habitat of this plant is tropical Asia and the Philippines. This type of bamboo can be compared to blackthorn. It can grow either as a bush or as single individuals. The stems of bamboo are thin gray-green. They bear branches with dark green foliage and small spines. Spiny bamboo does not bloom or bear fruit.

– grows in Indochina, Tibet and Iraq. Its stems are used to make paper. Young bamboo trunks are bright green, but after several years they become light gray and knotty. The trunk is covered with sparse thin branches with green foliage, which become denser towards the top of the trunk. In rare cases, bamboo throws out a flower shoot, which is covered with white, pleasantly smelling inflorescences. However, most often, flowering leads to depletion of the plant and its possible death.

– The plant grows in Bangladesh and Australia. Bamboo reaches a height of 8 to 15 meters. The trunk of the evergreen plant is almost bare, knotty, and of a rich green hue. A large number of shoots are formed closer to the top. They are covered with tough, sharp, green leaf blades. Only mature plants bloom, after which they often die.

Bamboo indoor care at home

Growing bamboo at home is not difficult, the main thing is to follow a number of rules and then you will be able to grow a healthy and beautiful plant that will become a real pearl of your flower collection.

Dracaena sandera can be grown both in soil and in water. Wide, slightly flattened pots, similar to bowls, are suitable for bamboo. The plant should be properly fertilized, watered and yellow leaf blades removed; if these rules are not followed, it may die.

Bamboo is a very light-loving crop. Light affects not only its growth and development, but also the color of the leaves and the height of the stems. Despite the fact that dracaena loves light, it should be protected from direct sunlight to avoid burns.

However, lack of light also negatively affects the plant, it becomes dull and slows growth. Bamboo, deprived of solar energy, begins to reach for the sun, its stems become crooked and unattractive, and its leaves become faded and turn yellow.

Dracaena Sander requires moderate temperature conditions. The plant does not like drafts. For its normal growth, the temperature should range from 18 to 30 degrees. Temperature readings should not deviate from the norm, otherwise the bamboo may get sick.

Humidity, as well as temperature, should be moderate. In the hot season it should be 50%, and in the cold season 35%. To ensure comfortable conditions, you need to place an air humidifier next to the dracaena, and also spray the leaf plates with a sprayer. If the plant does not have enough moisture, its trunks will begin to crack and the dracaena will dry out.

Dracaena is a member of the Agave family. It can be grown with care at home without any problems if you follow the rules of agricultural technology. You can find all the necessary recommendations in this article.

Growing bamboo in water or in soil

As mentioned above, the plant can be grown both in water and in soil.

When growing dracaena in the ground, you should pay attention to the pot for planting, since the size and height of the bamboo will depend on how freely the root system grows in the container.

Since the plant is usually planted in small pots, bamboo stems do not grow tall, and they are also thin and less knotty than tall bamboo. To achieve miniaturization, dracaena should be replanted every three years, completely changing the soil.

The soil for the plant must be breathable with good drainage. Watering dracaena in the ground should be moderate, but you should not over-water it, as this will lead to rotting of the root system and death of the plant.

You can also grow bamboo in water or hydrogel. But in this case, it should not be planted in an ordinary pot, but in something like a large test tube or glass vase. To plant a plant in water, the roots should be washed and inspected for damage. Then the plant needs to be moved into a glass container and carefully filled with pre-boiled pebbles.

When using hydrogel, the plant must be placed in a container for its further growth, pour the hydrogel into it and fill it with distilled water. It is best to choose a gel with small granules, as it will not allow the root system to be exposed and it will not dry out.

Caring for dracaena in hydrogel is simple. It is enough to add settled water to the container once every few weeks and feed the plant once every six months.

Watering bamboo

Dracaena needs regular watering, but it will depend on where exactly the plant is grown. If it grows in water, then the liquid must cover the roots. The water in the container with bamboo should be changed to distilled water every week.

It is necessary to water bamboo in the ground once every three days, and spraying should also be carried out at the same time interval. Even if the top layer of soil has dried, there is no need to increase watering; you must adhere to the specified interval so as not to cause rotting of the root system.

Soil for bamboo

Dracaena Sandera will grow much better in soil than in water. This feature is due to the fact that bamboo does not really like it when the root system is in liquid for a long time, and water does not stay in the ground for long.

You can choose any soil mixture for growing bamboo, the main thing is that it is loose and allows water and air to pass through well. In a flower shop, you can ask the seller to select a suitable soil or make it from washed sand and 1/3 peat moss.

In general, any well-draining soil with an acidity between 5.5 and 6.5 pH will do. After planting the plant, the soil should be lightly pressed to remove air and watered.

Transplanting bamboo

Replanting should be done in the spring every year. If a gardener grows large varieties of plants, then they need to be replanted every three years. It is very important to choose the right pot for replanting. The root system should not come into contact with its walls; there should be a distance between them of 5 to 7 centimeters. During replanting, you should change not only the container, but also the soil mixture due to the fact that it loses its nutritional properties over the course of a year.

When the dracaena is four years old, the frequency of transplantation should be reduced to once every three years. The soil mixture for bamboo should consist of either loam and humus, or moss and washed sand. Drainage is also a very important parameter when replanting; it should be placed at the bottom of the pot in a layer of 3 centimeters.

After transplantation, the plant acclimatizes for one and a half months, after which it begins to develop as usual.

Fertilizer for bamboo

Dracaena sandera should be fed with both mineral and organic fertilizers. It is best to buy fertilizer at a flower shop intended for dracaenas; it is ideal for bamboo, as it will be rich in the substances it needs.

In autumn and winter, fertilizing should be reduced to 1 time. In the warm season, bamboo needs to be fed once a month.

Bamboo blossom

The plant blooms once in its life. Since this process takes almost all the dracaena’s strength, most often it dies after this. However, it should be noted that indoor bamboo blooms extremely rarely. If this happens, the gardener notices an arrow on which, over time, white inflorescences with a very pleasant aroma appear.

Observations have shown that most often flowering occurs in the summer. If the bamboo still blooms, but the gardener does not want the plant to die, the flower shoot should be carefully removed and the cut area should be treated with charcoal.

Bamboo trimming

Bamboo tolerates pruning well, so the grower can shape it the way he wants. However, pruning and shaping should only be done when the plant has taken root and is completely healthy.

The procedure is carried out as follows:

First, dry and excess stems located at ground level are removed.
The stems are then fixed at a certain height and cut above the branching point. This must be done so that the stem stops growing upward.
At the end, to give the plant a decorative appearance, you need to remove excess shoots.

If the grower wants the plant to grow vertically, he should regularly thin out the branches. Dracaena Sandera can be either straight-trunked or have a spiral-shaped trunk, everything will depend on the type of bamboo.

Caring for bamboo in winter

With the onset of winter, bamboo enters a dormant period, which means caring for the plant changes slightly. This concerns watering; it should be carried out once every five days, combining moisture with spraying.

The temperature in winter should not fall below +18, and humidity - below 35%. You should also provide additional lighting to the dracaena by purchasing a phytolamp for it. At the end of the winter period, bamboo care returns to normal.

Bamboo from seeds at home

Dracaena Sander is propagated by seed, cuttings and apical shoots. It is extremely difficult to propagate bamboo using apical shoots, especially if the grower does not have experience in this. The same applies to the seed method.

You can grow a plant from seeds in open ground; it is almost impossible to propagate cultivated varieties indoors. The chances of germination are extremely low. In addition, sowing seeds, the appearance of sprouts and caring for them is a labor-intensive and very lengthy process. Therefore, gardeners prefer to propagate bamboo using cuttings. This method is the simplest and most accessible.

Propagation of bamboo by cuttings at home

Dracaena should be propagated by cuttings in the spring. For planting, it is necessary to use young branches that appear on a plant that has reached maturity. Planting material should be separated from the stem and planted in the ground so that it takes root.

The soil mixture for rooting should be the same as for planting the plant. Since bamboo grows very quickly, roots will appear within a month. The pot for cuttings should be spacious and medium in height, since after some time it will be completely filled with the roots of the planting material.

To make propagation easier, it is often combined with replanting mature bamboo, which is carried out once a year. The growing season is not only a favorable time for transplantation, but also for cuttings. Also, do not forget that after transplanting the cuttings into the ground, they should be carefully looked after in order to avoid problems with the growth and development of young plants in the future.

Diseases and pests

Bamboo can only get sick if it is not cared for properly. If dark spots begin to appear on the leaf blades of the plant , then most likely, the dracaena began to develop a disease of fungal etiology, which was caused by waterlogging of the soil. To cope with it, it is necessary to treat the plant with a special fungicide, reduce watering and ventilate the room more often.

When the plant develops slowly and the stem or leaves turn yellow may suggest a lack of nutrients. In this case, bamboo can be helped by correct and dosed feeding with a special fertilizer, which can be purchased at a flower shop.

If the gardener notices that the leaf plates of the dracaena have begun to crumble, darken and become soft , this means the plant is kept at the wrong temperature. The normal temperature for growth and development is considered to be 18-30 degrees.

The plant can also be threatened by pests such as aphids and spider mites. If the gardener notices cobwebs or sticky leaf blades , he should carefully examine the dracaena for the presence of these insects. If they are detected, it is necessary to remove damaged leaves and spray the plant with the Aktara insecticide according to the instructions on the package.

Proper care of bamboo will completely eliminate the occurrence of pests and diseases listed above.

Why does indoor bamboo turn yellow?

Dracaena Sandera is an evergreen plant that periodically sheds its leaves. First, the leaf blades turn yellow and then fall off, and this is absolutely normal. Most leaves fall in the spring. However, the natural feature of the plant does not always lead to leaf fall.

Yellowing of bamboo foliage can occur as a result of:

Lack of nutrients in soil or water;
Excessive application of fertilizers;
Lack of moisture and light;
Insufficient drainage;
Incorrect temperature conditions;
Low air humidity;
Drafts;
Watering with unsettled water.

If no violations were made in caring for the plant, then the yellowing is the preparation of the bamboo for shedding old foliage, which will soon be replaced by new ones.

Bamboo in the house - signs and superstitions

Bamboo is highly valued in China due to a number of its magical properties. According to Feng Shui philosophy, the plant brings good luck, financial well-being and health to the house.

For Dracaena sandera to “work”, it should be placed in the south-eastern part of the home. However, if there is little light there, then it is necessary to additionally illuminate the bamboo using a phytolamp, otherwise it may simply die. If a florist wants to attract love into his life, he should place bamboo in the bedroom; if he wants to confidently walk up the career ladder, he should place dracaena in the office.

The number of bamboo stems also determines its influence on a particular area of human life. A plant with three stems brings good luck in all endeavors. Bamboo with 5 stems can improve personal life, and dracaena with 7 stems will make its owner healthy and successful. If a gardener wants to improve all aspects of life, he should get a dracaena with 21 stems.

To enhance the magical properties of bamboo, it must be supplemented with a three-legged frog with a coin in its mouth or a special Chinese vase depicting the sacred animals of the Land of the Rising Sun. The frog should be placed in close proximity to the plant, but only not high, otherwise it will “work” in the opposite direction, bringing failure and poverty.

Conclusion

Growing bamboo is not difficult, the main thing is to create the right microclimate for it and provide proper care. Then the dracaena will not only attract good luck to its owner’s house, but will also become an element of unusual living decor that will not leave anyone indifferent.