What to expect from the acquired "bamboo of happiness" - Dracaena Sander
Recently, it has become very fashionable to give as a gift or souvenir "bamboo of happiness" - it is believed that it will bring good luck to the house. Most growers are confident that they are buying bamboo, although in fact this is a type of dracaena.
What is the "bamboo of happiness"?
"Bamboo of happiness" is called not so much the dracaena itself, as its cuttings. They are collected in a special way into a composition that directly resembles bamboo shoots. Such bouquets consist of a group of cuttings tightly set to each other and intertwined with a special soft wire or twine. Such bunches of shoots are obtained, while they can stand both in one tier and in several "floors" when the next one is higher than the previous one. Variants are possible when the shoots are twisted in a spiral, which gives the composition a unique look. To keep the cuttings alive, they are placed in a container of water.
To curl the shoot in a spiral, a special twisted tube is put on the young sprout. When the stalk grows up, the tube is removed, while the trunk retains a spiral appearance, but now new shoots grow straight.
How did dracaena earn such a name?
A real bamboo shoot consists of jumpers. Exactly the same jumpers are found on the dracaena shoots - where the leaf is attached, which makes them very similar, therefore such a composition is called the "bamboo of happiness".
Also, the leaves Dracaena Sander also a bit like bamboo, but that's all that two such different plants have in common. They have different growth characteristics and cultivation techniques.
How do I keep the look of my composition?
Being in the water, the cuttings will take root over time and start to release shoots. Since this variety of dracaena can grow without soil, just in water, over time, a compact bunch of bare columns will turn into a lush dense bush.
To preserve the previous appearance of the "bamboo of happiness", it is necessary to regularly remove the growing shoots.
You can do the following:
- Disassemble the bundle.
- Plant each rooted stalk in a nutritious soil or place in a container with water.
- When grown in water, it should be changed twice a month, and activated charcoal should be put in to avoid unpleasant odors.
Thus, many new young plants are obtained, from which such souvenirs can be made independently and presented as a gift to friends and acquaintances.