I Asked a Plant Stylist How to Style Lucky Bamboo Spirals — These Are Their Top Tips to Make the Most of This Prosperous Plant in Your Space

A close up image of lucky bamboo spirals styled in a large vessel in front of a dark, detailed wall mural with a sofa and lamp shade in front and an empty vessel in the corner.

As a self-confessed plant addict and a big lover of styled flowers in a vase (usually straight from my garden or else picked up at my local supermarket), it won't be difficult to understand why my latest obsession is with lucky bamboo spirals, as a wonderful mixture of the two.

We should all have a lucky plant (or several) in our homes, in my opinion, but lucky bamboo can not only bring a sense of prosperity into your space, but a refined sense of style, too, if you style them in the right way.

I spoke to plant experts — including the guru of professional plant styling — to find out how to style lucky bamboo like a pro; here's everything you need to know.

How to Style Lucky Bamboo Spirals in a Pot

Dane Jordan, co-founder of The Plant Daddies, sourced, curated, and planted the above lucky bamboo spiral arrangement with his team specifically for Livingetc, shot by his in-house photographer and friend Mikey Piliero.The Cizhou ware jars "are treasured not only as artifacts of Chinese history but as sculptural works of art, lending depth, character, and a sense of narrative to contemporary interiors," says Dane. "To live with such a piece is to hold both craft and culture, where form, function, and history converge in enduring beauty."A wide selection of Cizhou ware jars is available on Etsy. (Image credit: Mikey Piliero. Styling: The Plant Daddies)

"When we chose to style lucky bamboo, our goal was to present it in a way that felt true to its roots," says Dane Jordan, co-founder of professional plant styling company The Plant Daddies, which has a client roster packed full of interior designers.

"Too often it is treated as a novelty, when in reality it has long carried meaning in Chinese culture as a living symbol of prosperity, balance, and good fortune. We wanted to highlight that heritage in how we presented it."

And it's not just about understanding the correct Feng Shui bamboo placement when styling the plant; it's about choosing the appropriate vessel to house it in. "This Cizhou ware jar felt like the right partner," says Dane. "Its brush-painted surface carries the same energy as the bamboo’s upright form, and its history connects back to the same culture that gave lucky bamboo its place of honor.

"The pairing is not about contrast but about conversation. The plant’s vitality animates the vessel, while the vessel grounds the plant in tradition. Together, they create a balance that honors the past while feeling fresh and alive in the present."

When speaking with Dane on the phone about all things lucky bamboo, he explained that when it comes to plant styling, he likes to make something common look "uncommon".

If you have a pre-potted arrangement, what he likes to do is separate the spirals, cutting off anything that's wrapping them up, and break it apart, replanting it together so that the spirals are just missing each other: "they kind of dance with each other, and I think it gives it a little bit more of an interesting form."

Dunelm

Traditional Stone Vase

This Concrete Effect Traditional Stone Vase is also available in Pebble Stone and Bitter Chocolate colorways and in both small and large sizes for a classically stylish addition to your space.

H&M

Large Terracotta Vase

This large vase in glazed terracotta is a new addition to H&M Home's plant pot collection and I'm more than a little bit in love. The styling featured here is gorgeous but it would look equally chic styled with lucky bamboo spirals, too.

Denique

Denique Rustic Ceramic Tall Floor Vase

Available in medium, large and tall options, the rustic design of this hand-painted ceramic vase gives it an authentic vintage appeal. Style it on the floor, on a mantel or on a sideboard for an effortlessly chic look.

How to Style Lucky Bamboo Spirals in a Vase

Let the bamboo spirals themselves do the talking in your arrangement. (Image credit: Beards & Daisies)

Jo Lambell, founder of Beards & Daisies, thinks lucky bamboo spirals are a great choice of plant to style in the home, as the interesting shape of the spirals themselves does a lot of the styling work for you — plus they are a low-maintenance plant, which is always a big plus!

"They instantly add a sculptural, modern touch without needing much care," says Jo. "They work in all kinds of spaces — minimal, modern, or even more traditional — and they carry that extra layer of symbolism around good luck and positive energy, which people love having in their homes or workspaces."

"They really shine in glass vases because you can see both the spirals and the roots," Jo explains, who prefers styling lucky bamboo spirals in water, finding they look fresher this way and that their shape is kept visible.

"I like keeping it simple, either two or three stems in a tall, slim vase, or a small cluster (odd numbers always look better)," Jo says. "Mixing different heights makes the arrangement feel more dynamic. Sometimes adding pebbles to the base can give it that clean, natural aesthetic."

This is how I have styled lucky bamboo spirals in my snug (I have another 3-stalk arrangement in my kitchen as well) — I love my Amber Glass Vase from H&M (which is unfortunately currently out of stock), but I also think this Fluted Glass Vase from Dunelm is incredibly chic. (Image credit: Future / Debbie Black)

Dane also finds that lucky bamboo will probably last longer in water, where you have more control than you do with a soil medium: "You can see when the water’s gone, so you refill it, and you can see if the water is murky, so you can dump it and refresh it," he explains.

"You can always add fertilizer, so I think it can live [in a vase] for a very, very long time. I’ve had hydroponic bamboos last forever."

Hydroponic gardening can be as simple as a vase or jar with a plant rooted in water.

H&M

Tiered Glass Vase

Also available in a transparent option, this Tiered amber glass vase from H&M offers timeless appeal with a contemporary take on the retro 70s trend — perfect for larger stems like those of lucky bamboo spirals.

H&M

Stoneware Vase

With its organic shape and textured finish, this stoneware vase with a reactive glaze from H&M is a unique and stylish vessel for your lucky bamboo spiral stems — perfect for styling on your coffee table or mantel.

The White Company

Coombe Frill Vase

With an Art Deco design appeal, the frilled edging of this vase will provide a striking contrast to the upright stems of your lucky bamboo. Handcrafted in Poland from lead-free crystal glass, it is both unique and classically stylish.

Top Tips for Your Lucky Bamboo Arrangement

"A narrow vase emphasises their height, while a shallow bowl with stones feels more modern and zen," says Jo Lambell, founder of Beards & Daisies. (Image credit:  The Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland)

Monique Kemperman, plant expert for The Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland, has listed the following top tips for making the most of lucky bamboo spirals in your indoor garden:

1. Keep it fresh — "Give the trunk a gentle clean every three weeks to keep bacteria at bay."

2. Let there be light (but not too much) — "Lucky bamboo loves a bright spot, but avoid harsh, direct sunlight."

3. A sip, not a soak — "Rest your plant on a shallow layer of filtered water."

4. Refresh weekly — "Change the water in its vase or pot once a week for happy, healthy growth."

5. Warm, not hot — "This plant enjoys warmth, so feel free to turn up the heating, but never place it right in front of radiators, heaters, or air conditioning units."

6. Trim with care — "Prune side branches with clean, sharp secateurs to keep its shape sleek and graceful."

7. Finding their perfect home — "Lucky bamboo is the perfect addition to a side table, coffee table, or tucked onto a bookshelf, to add a calming, stylish touch to the heart of your home."

The Meaning of Lucky Bamboo Arrangements

"With its graceful, sculptural stems and lush green leaves, it’s long been cherished as a symbol of prosperity, positivity, and of course, a generous dose of good luck," says Monique. (Image credit:  The Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland)

Lucky bamboo is actually not really bamboo — stemming from the Dracaena Sanderiana of the lily family — but it has a strong connection to Feng Shui principles.

According to GardenersDream, the number of stalks in your lucky bamboo arrangement dictates its meaning:

* Two Stalks — Love

* Three Stalks — Fu (happiness), Lu (wealth), and Soh (long life)

* Five Stalks — The areas of life that represent wealth (e.g., spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, and intuitive)

* Six Stalks — Good luck and wealth

* Seven Stalks — Good health

* Nine Stalks — Great luck

* Ten Stalks — Perfection

* Twenty-One Stalks — Powerful Blessing

* Note there is no 'four stalk' arrangement, as the word for 'four' in Chinese is close to the word for death.

GardenersDream

Lucky Bamboo — 25-35cm

Available in 25-35cm, 35-45cm and 45-55cm options, with discounts for 3+ and 6+ sets.

B&Q

40cm Lucky Bamboo — Indoor Spiral Stem (5 Stems)

Available in 30cm, 40cm, and 50cm options, with collections of stems on offer, too.

Plant in a Box

Lucky Bamboo Spirals — Set of 6

This is the set of stems that I bought for my lucky bamboo spiral arrangement I featured earlier — I have three stems in a vase in one room, and the remaining three in another, and I love them.

Now that you know how to style this lucky plant in your space, it's also important to know what plants to avoid — our wellness writer Amiya Baratan gives the lowdown on the bad luck plants to keep out of your home at all costs.