How Lucky Bamboo Gets Its Curls
Lucky bamboo naturally grow straight. However, spiral, curled, and braided lucky bamboo varieties must be trained to reach their final shape. In order to do so, ideal conditions must be met during the growing process. The humid wetlands of China and Indonesia make training lucky bamboo the perfect environment.
When bamboo growers harvest the lucky bamboo, the stalks are cut according to their desired length. Once the stalk is cut, the bamboo stalks will not continue to grow any longer, rather only the leaves will continue to flourish. The grower then applies a wax over the fresh cut, which protects the plant from diseases and seals in the moisture. After applying the wax, the farmer applies a rooting hormone to the base of the stalk, which helps the bamboo to properly absorb water and nutrients.
Once a strong root system is developed, the farmer can train the bamboo into various shapes and curls. The key element is natural sunlight. The growth pattern of the stalks is that it will bend itself to reach a single light source. As the lucky bamboo grows, the farmer will observe the growth and rotate the bamboo several times toward the sunlight creating the desired shape.
The process of training lucky bamboo takes years to form. With time, care, patience, and effort, Lucky Bamboo farmers create the beautiful twist of art we all have learned to appreciate.
