If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why is my Lucky Bamboo in water turning yellow?“, you’re not alone. This charming household plant, known for its easy care and beautiful aesthetic, can sometimes surprise owners with sudden changes in health.
This sudden yellowing could be a sign of a problem that needs your immediate attention. However, identifying the cause isn’t always straightforward. The solution lies buried within a fascinating exploration of plants’ needs and sensitivities…
Why Is Lucky Bamboo in Water Turning Yellow?
1. Overwatering
| Description | causes roots to suffocate, leading to nutrient deficiency and chlorophyll breakdown, resulting in yellowing leaves. |
|---|---|
| Solution | Reduce watering frequency and ensure proper drainage to prevent waterlogged roots, which causes yellowing. |
Overwatering can be the cause for your lucky bamboo turning yellow. This is because when a plant is overwatered, it means that the plant is receiving more water than it can absorb. Consequently, this leads to the roots getting waterlogged and deprived of oxygen, therefore, the roots can begin to rot and won’t be able to efficiently absorb water and nutrients. As a result, the plant begins to show signs of stress such as yellowing leaves.
Solutions for Overwatering: If you suspect overwatering is the issue with your lucky bamboo, you should immediately drain any excess water in the container. Replace the water once a week only, ensuring not to submerge the entire plant—just the roots need to be in water. To prevent overwatering in future, use water just enough to cover the roots and make sure your plant is placed in a well-lit spot, but not in direct sunlight as it prefers indirect light. Ensuring a balance between watering and lighting conditions helps the plant’s overall growth and health.
2. Lack of sunlight
| Description | causes chlorophyll breakdown, leading to yellowing leaves in Lucky Bamboo plants grown in water. |
|---|---|
| Solution | Increase exposure to sunlight. |
Lucky Bamboo requires consistent filtered or indirect light to remain healthy. Insufficient sunlight can cause your plant to become weak, leading to yellowing of its leaves and stalk. This is because the plant relies on light for photosynthesis, a process where light energy is converted into food.
How to treat?
To remedy this, ensure your Lucky Bamboo is kept in an area that receives lots of indirect sunlight. If you do not have a space with sufficient natural light, you could also consider using grow lights as an alternative. Just remember, Lucky Bamboo does not cope well with direct sunlight. It could lead to scorching of leaves.
3. Nutrient deficiency
| Description | Lack of nutrients causes the lucky bamboo in water to turn yellow. |
|---|---|
| Solution | Provide a nutrient-rich solution to the water to prevent yellowing of lucky bamboo. |
A nutrient deficiency in the water can cause lucky bamboo to turn yellow. Essentially, the plant is unable to obtain the necessary nutrients it needs for chlorophyll production and overall health. Chlorophyll helps the plant absorb light and gives it its vibrant green colour. When it can’t make enough due to a lack of nutrients, leaves often turn yellow.
Nutrient Deficiency
The simplest way to combat this nutrient deficiency is to change the water regularly, about every two weeks. Pure water, without additives, is best for lucky bamboo. In addition to this, you can also supplement with a diluted water soluble fertilizer about once or twice a month. However, ensure you use it sparingly, as excessive fertiliser can also damage the plant.
Solution: Regular Water Change and Fertilizer
4. Poor drainage
| Description | Lack of nutrients causes the lucky bamboo in water to turn yellow. |
|---|---|
| Solution | Provide a nutrient-rich solution to the water to prevent yellowing of lucky bamboo. |
Lucky bamboo turning yellow may be due to poor drainage because the waterlogged environment restricts oxygen supply to the roots. This causes the plant to struggle in breathing, eventually leading to a decline in health which is reflected in yellowing leaves.
To remedy this, you should change the water in the container regularly, preferably once every two weeks. Ensure the container has enough space for water to circulate and not become stagnant. You can also consider transferring your lucky bamboo to a well-draining soil mixture to resolve the drainage issue. Additionally, avoid overwatering, and ensure the plant is located in a place with suitable light conditions, preferably indirect sunlight.
5. Inadequate air circulation
| Description | Provide a nutrient-rich solution to the water to prevent yellowing of lucky bamboo. |
|---|---|
| Solution | Improve air circulation to prevent yellowing of lucky bamboo in water. |
Lucky Bamboo turning yellow may be due to inadequate air circulation. This condition can affect the plant by causing a buildup of toxins that the plant cannot filter out. Maintained in a closed atmosphere, the plant’s oxygen exchange gets inhibited, which is crucial for plant health. Lack of air circulation is responsible for causing certain diseases in the plant often resulting in yellowing and death of the plant.
To solve this problem, one needs to ensure that the Lucky Bamboo plant is exposed to fresh air. Regularly changing the water can also promote better oxygen exchange for the plant. Providing openings in the room where the plant is kept, or occasionally moving it near an open window can also improve air circulation.
If your home naturally has less air circulation, consider using an air purifier or a small fan to gently circulate the air around your home as well as the plant for healthier living conditions.
6. Temperature stress
| Description | causes chlorophyll breakdown, leading to yellowing of the lucky bamboo leaves in water. |
|---|---|
| Solution | Adjust water temperature to reduce stress. |
Lucky Bamboo can become stressed and begin to yellow due to improper or extreme fluctuations in temperature. Temperature stress can cause the plant cells to die, impairing vital processes and threatening the overall health of the plant.
To remedy this situation, it is recommended to keep your Lucky Bamboo in a place where the temperature is consistently moderate, between 65 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid areas with drafts, direct sunlight, and forced air heaters or air conditioners, as these can cause sudden temperature changes. Additionally, gently trimming off the yellow parts can also help the plant regain health while moving it to a more temperature-stable environment.
7. Pest infestation
| Description | Pest infestation causes yellowing of leaves due to damage and nutrient extraction by the insects. |
|---|---|
| Solution | Apply organic insecticidal soap to affected areas and surrounding foliage to eliminate pest infestation. |
Lucky bamboo in water can turn yellow due to over exposure to sunlight. This exposure can cause the bamboo to heat up which in turn results in yellowing of leaves. High levels of direct sunlight can burn the plant, leading to discoloration. Chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for giving plants their green color, can degrade with too much light, causing the yellowish hue.
To prevent your lucky bamboo from turning yellow due to sunlight, place your plant in a location where it can receive indirect sunlight. You may also want to ensure that the temperature around your plant is kept relatively stable, as sudden changes can stress the plant. If necessary, you could consider using a shade cloth to protect your bamboo from intensive sunlight. Keep rotating the plant as well so all parts receive equal light and grow uniformly.
