Black Mold in the Water of a Potted Bamboo

Causes of Mold

• Black mold, among other types of mold, grows in warm, wet environments where it has access to moisture and nitrogen. A bamboo planter, whether the bamboo is grown in water and rocks or in more traditional potting soil, is an ideal environment for the growth of black mold. Stagnant, unchanged water contributes to an even quicker and more ferocious attack from mold, because the mold is unchallenged and not treated by the addition of new, clean water.

Effects of Mold

• As mold grows, it weakens the bamboo and stops it from producing new growth and leaves. Over time, black mold kills the bamboo plant by poisoning the water and causing the bamboo plant to lose access to nutrients in the water or potting soil. Bamboo plants exposed to mold are likely to die if they do not receive treatment and proper care from a gardener to kill the mold and restore the growing environment to a healthy condition.

Controlling Black Mold

• The bamboo plant will die if it continues to grow in the same container. Remove the bamboo plant and transplant it to a new pot or planter that has been treated with a fungicide or mold-killing agent to take care of any spores on the bamboo plant. Wash out the original bamboo planter with hot soapy water and a fungicidal chemical to kill the black mold growing in the pot. Dispose of the water as soon as black mold is noticed.

Preventing Black Mold

• Keeping bamboo plants free of black mold is key to a healthy and long-lived plant. Change the water in the planter regularly to remove any spores of mold that could potentially begin growing in the pot. Use a planter that drains water if the bamboo plant is growing in soil. Empty out and clean rocks in bleach if the bamboo plant is growing in water and rocks. Regular cleaning of the bamboo's growing environment helps stop black mold from becoming a problem.