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___ Lucky Bamboo

Lucky Bamboo (in Chinese 富贵竹, botanical name: Dracaena Sanderiana, also sometimes called money tree.
 

Lucky Bamboo

The Lucky Bamboo incorporates the symbolism of bamboo, such as flexibility, strength and suppleness. Also known as Dragon Tree or Ribbon Plant, the Lucky Bamboo is a Feng Shui sign. As the name suggests, the plant symbolises good luck, and since one seems to be lucky when money is involved, the plant also symbolises income. As bamboo can grow fast, so should the money pile up.

During Chinese New Year, one will see numerous Lucky Bamboo combined with lucky charms. It is believed that a combination of the Dragon Tree with signs of the Five Elements will intensify the positive powers.
Red or golden ribbons are commonly found attached to the plant.

A Lucky Bamboo with a red ribbon and an attached peanut would enhance, exponentiate its meaning within the objects and translate into something like:

lucky bamboo- luck, money, quick achievement
bamboo- youth (spring of ones life), suppleness, strength, endurance, flexibility, longevity, green colour- growth, spring, hence new and strong beginnings
red (colour)- good luck, expansive, blooming, reaching upwards, celebration, happiness, joy, vitality
fire, red (Five Elements)- good luck, money, respect, recognition, protection, vitality
peanuts- health, long life, birth of prosperity, continuous growth, multiplication in wealth and good fortune, stability

Apart from the symbolism attributed to the twig of the money tree, where to place the twig as well as the number of twigs one has or gives away as a present is important as well.
According to Feng Shui beliefs, indoor plants should be placed in the Southeast corner to increase wealth, 2 twigs stand for love, 3 twigs for happiness, 5 twigs for health, 8 twigs for abundance, 9 twigs for all over good fortune and happiness.
It is said that the Lucky Bamboo is luckiest when received it as a gift.
 

lucky bamboo
Lucky Bamboo with Good Luck Charms, China Town, Bangkok
Photo © Valeska Gehrmann
 

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