Growing Bamboo Cutting in Water?

My friend gave me a branch from her bamboo plant. I first had it in water, then it seemed the leaves were turning yellow and it ended up dying. So I am now trying another branch in gravel in a little amount of water. My bamboo plant seems to just sit and never grows. I want to do a twisted plant, but cannot have success in growing them. Can you help? What am I doing wrong?

By Pat H from Ragland, AL