Why Do Bamboo Plants Turn Yellow?

Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) can bring luck, love, friendship or property to your life, according to the tradition of Feng Shui. That makes it a popular housewarming gift. The plants don't require much maintenance, but they won't thrive without the right types of light and water. One of the first signs of a sick bamboo is yellowing of the leaves. Yellowing stems are more severe and often signify your plant has a serious problem. Correcting your plant's living conditions often can bring it back to life and help it's verdant, green color to return.


Bamboo needs bright but indirect or filtered sunlight. You usually can find these conditions on a countertop or a side table next to a sunny window. If you place a bamboo plant in hot, direct sunlight, it will experience sunburn and may appear yellow. If your plant isn't getting enough light it might develop yellow leaves before it develops a yellow stem. Correcting your bamboo plant's lighting conditions should correct the yellowing in a week or two. Yellow leaves may drop off instead of returning to their full green color.


While lucky bamboo plants don't require much care, they are particular about their water conditions. Your tap water may have an excess of treatment chemicals that damage the plant. It's best to use filtered or distilled water. You also should change your plant's water about once or twice a week. If your plant sits in stagnant water for too long, algae and bacteria can form around the roots and cause root rot, or interfere with the absorption of water and nutrients.


Yellow leaves and yellow stalks, especially if the stalks turn yellow at the bottom first, could be a sign of over fertilization. If you've recently fertilized your plant, change the water and do not add more fertilizer until the plant recovers, which could take several weeks to several months. As a general rule, fertilize once or twice per year with aquarium plant or liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to just 1/10 the normal strength. Some people successfully grow lucky bamboo for years without ever fertilizing it.


Bamboo plants may yellow due to injury. Vigorous pruning, broken stems, plucked leaves, or damage from pets, from falling over, from too-tight ribbons or wrappings, or from extreme heat or cold could cause your plant to yellow as a sign that it's on its way to the grave. Extreme yellowing, or yellowing combined with a mushy or withered, straw-like texture means your plant is likely gone or too close to death to save.

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