Good luck is big business for florists and foliage-sellers in the UAE nowadays.
They are cashing in on a popular trend which appears to have been triggered by Chinese expats here. Lucky Bamboo, which purports to bring good fortune to the owner, has become a hot favourite among all plant lovers.
"It's in big demand. Many people come and ask for it," says a salesman at a florist shop in Jumeirah.
The plant is displayed in homes and offices, spiralling upwards to the ceiling, sometimes with a distinctive curly stem. The wholesale price for each of these bamboo shoots is about Dh12.
"The bamboos can be twisted at the top using special growing techniques," says Abraham Sunny, sales manager of Black Tulip, a Sharjah-based flower and foliage importer.
He says this plant has replaced the ubiquitous money plant, which was earlier the best-selling indoor plant. Lucky Bamboo is being imported into the UAE in large amounts from Indonesia, China and Singapore.
Experts in Feng Shui say that since bamboo is a fast-growing plant it represents growth in a person's life, career and relationships.
The lucky bamboo also comes in smaller sizes and is placed in tiers. Here, tiny bamboo shoots are tied together and sold as single units. They are about five to six inches tall. A three-tier one is supposed to bring you happiness. Five symbolizes wealth, seven tiers mean good health and 21 represent a very powerful and all-purpose blessing.
There is also a one-metre-high plant which sells for Dh300, says Sunny. This plant is popular not only when the Chinese New Year is approaching, but to celebrate the opening of a business, the purchase of a new home or just for pure good luck.
Lucky Bamboo is actually not bamboo at all, but is a member of the Dracaena family. It grows in very little water and will reportedly last for years. Another reason why this indoor-plant is so popular here is its low maintenance, not to mention its ability to grow without direct sunlight.
"The plant grows very slowly and only to a certain height", says Sunny, whose company is the largest in the region with a sprawling cold storage facility.
According to ancient Chinese culture, a gift of living bamboo brings good fortune. The imported plants are extremely hardy and will grow indoors for years with virtually an inch or two of water.
This charm promises to keep giving as well: the stem can be broken off and re-planted in water. By changing the water every three days, a new shoot will grow quickly. There are three major flower and foliage importers in the UAE which cater to a market of millions of dirhams.
Lucky Bamboo has also replaced Laughing Buddha, the good luck charm earlier found in many expat homes. The Buddha is also a symbol of wealth and is sold usually standing with a coin in one hand and a fan in the other.
Simple green grass or mystic magic?What is it: Lucky Bamboo is botanically known as Dracaena sanderana. It grows in very little water like cut flowers, but will last for years.
Chinese lore: Lucky Bamboo isn't only for Pandas. According to ancient Chinese culture, a gift of living bamboo brings good fortune, whatever the occasion. A three-tier shoot is supposed to bring you happiness. Five symbolises wealth, seven tiers mean good health and 21 represent all-purpose blessing.
Caring for the shootKeep away from the sun: Lucky Bamboo grows under the canopy of wet tropical rain forests in nature. A normal house temperature is perfect. The plant is known to do very well in kitchens, bathrooms and offices with little direct light, but good fluorescent lighting.
Keep it wet: Lucky Bamboo needs one to two inches of fresh filtered or distilled water. Even bottled water can leave deposits on the plants and containers. Ideally water should be changed every other week, and topped off as needed in between.
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