Seductive, intriguing and mysterious – such words can be used to describe many things, but a plant? Come on!

Believe it or not, one of the hottest gift ideas this holiday season is a unusual little stem officially called Dracaena sanderiana, affectionately known as lucky bamboo.

Tiny pieces of Asian influence are sprouting in homes and offices across the Miss-Lou. And their owners are hoping the sprouts will do some good.

Some people say lucky bamboo is called “fu gwey zhu” in Chinese. Translated, fu means wealth and rich; gwey means power and honor; and zhu means bamboo.

In Asia, it’s a symbol of good luck, believed to bring its owner success, wealth and a long life.

Americans have in recent years adopted the sturdy plant and made it a popular gift item.

“When we first saw it introduced, our flower growers talked about it, but nobody knew much about it,” says Brenda Zerby, owner of Moreton’s Flowerland. “It started about a year ago.”

“It’s a little gimmicky, but it’s like anything that you see, a turn in furnishings such as in home dcor,” she says. “At first, it’s a little different. That Asian influence is very big.”

What is it?

Lucky bamboo isn’t really bamboo at all, it actually has more in common with the corn family than with bamboo.

The plant is sold in a number of shops in the Miss-Lou and is sold in arrangements and as loose stalks.

Small stalks can cost as little as a few dollars and the price of arrangements varies depending upon the vase or pot used.

“Putting them in clear glass is very big,” Zerby says.

Others use pots and vases with an oriental motif.

Lucky bamboo comes in two main varieties – straight and curly.

The straight variety is less expensive. The curly bamboo is more expensive because of the process involved in creating it, Zerby says.

“They elongate the stems by shading them and turning them periodically,” she says. “It takes about a year and a half.”

‘Perfect gift’

“The gimmick, I guess, is that it will root in water,” Zerby says.

And that’s about all it takes to sustain the plant.

“It’s the perfect thing to get for someone,” says Darby Short, owner of Darby’s Gifts and Decorative Accessories. “Even for people who normally kill plants.

“They’re wonderful,” Short says. “There’s no maintenance to it. It is definitely a thing this year.”

Zerby compared lucky bamboo’s popularity with the craze in betta fish a few years ago. The tiny fish became hugely popular all across the country.

“Betta fish it’s seen its life,” Zerby says. “Now this, this is something that’s so low maintenance.”

Zerby said the only real maintenance is making sure the plant has water. The water should be changed every 10 days or so, she said.

Short said “lots of locals” had purchased the plants.

From offices to homes, the green stalks are popping up all over.

Kevin Carlock of Natchez said he loved the lucky bamboo he recently received as a going-away gift from the staff at Natchez Pilgrimage Tours.

“It’s one of the most prolific plants in the world,” he said.

Zerby said she recently had a use the plant in an unusual, but sweet manner.

“We had a bride recently that gave the lucky bamboo as her bridal favors,” Zerby says. “She had a little saying on it that implied we were so lucky that we wanted to share a little luck with you.”

Does it work?

A name such as lucky bamboo begs the question: Does is work?

Zerby said she hasn’t felt especially lucky, but “who knows.”

Lucky bamboo is also popular with people who practice feng shui – the Chinese art of arranging one’s belongings to enhance positive energy.

“It can’t do any harm, so why not?” she said. “I’m not going to turn all of my furniture one way.”

Short was more optimistic about the mystical powers of the plants.

“I think that the Chinese have believed it for hundreds of years,” she said. “I just about believe in anything that’s positive.

“It’s a great gift, especially when you tell people it brings harmony and prosperity,” Short said. “They say give me a dozen.”