What kind of home care does a yucca need?
In the southern regions, yucca, a native of Central America, can grow in open ground, but in the middle lane it lacks warmth, so it can only be found in interior design. Caring for yucca at home should be based on the habits and preferences of the plant, laid down at home.
In nature, yucca is completely or partially leafy, large shrubs. If the foliage from the lower tiers of a plant dries up and falls off, the yucca is very similar to a palm tree with a bare, lignified trunk and a bunch of hard leaves at the top. However, it is wrong to consider this, belonging to the agave family, a palm tree.
Yucca has dense, sticking out in different directions or slightly drooping leaves, pointed lanceolate. The edges of the leaf blades are covered with long, hard hairs. In nature, the length of such a leaf can reach up to a meter, in indoor varieties the leaves are more modest and often do not grow more than 50 cm.But in a room yucca, as in the photo, the leaves can be not only green, but variegated, decorated with bright yellow or white stripes.
Getting into the house as a small enough plant, the yucca in a few years turns into a large bush or tree that requires special treatment and care.
How to care for a yucca to keep its compact shape, small, room-friendly size? What needs to be done to make the plant feel like at home?
Read also the article: streptocarpus - care and cultivation tips secrets!
Features of yucca care at home
As a houseplant, varieties are most often grown that are naturally accustomed to an arid climate and an abundance of sun. Such specimens can withstand temperature fluctuations, are not afraid of dry room air, and are unpretentious to the composition of the soil.
And yet, such a hardy plant has weaknesses. For yucca, the main danger is excessive wateringespecially when combined with cold indoor air.
If you doubt whether you need to water the yucca, it is better for a florist to postpone the procedure for a day or two. The plant will tolerate short-term thirst without any problems, but it will immediately let you know about excess moisture.
The frequency of watering and the amount of watering moisture depends on:
- from the season;
- on the temperature and humidity of the air in the room or in the garden, where the plant is taken out for the summer months;
- from the size of the flower of the room yucca, as in the photo;
- on the volume of the pot and on the ability of the soil to evaporate water.
From spring to autumn, the soil is frequently and abundantly moistened as the substrate dries out to a depth of 2–5 cm. Then watering becomes less frequent and sparing. The colder it is in the room, the less water the plant consumes. Therefore, yucca care at home is constantly being adjusted. Irrigation moisture should not penetrate into the sheet socket. It is better not to pour water between the trunks growing closely in the same pot. In both cases, there is a risk of decay, which threatens the loss of a flower.
Watering is combined with dressing, which are held from spring to autumn. It is especially important to support the plant during the flowering period.
Dry air is not terrible for yucca, but to maintain the purity of the leaves and improve their breathing in hot weather, the crown can be wiped with a damp, well-wrung out napkin. To avoid burns, after such a procedure, the yucca should not be exposed to the sun.It is more correct to arrange the "washing" of the flower in the evening, because the crown will dry well overnight.
Yucca loves light, warmth, but cannot stand the cold wind and draft. To make it easier to care for the flower at home, yucca is found on the south window.
Large specimens are placed near the window. Plants also like this partial shade. The main thing is that direct sunlight falls on the crown for at least three hours a day, and the plant does not suffer from excessive dampness. In the summer, the pot is taken out to the balcony or veranda. If the year is warm, and the owner of the flower is not afraid of its growth, then the yucca can be planted in the ground.
For a room yucca brought out into the fresh air, as in the photo, a temperature of about 18-25 ° C will be acceptable. But when night temperatures drop to 12–16 ° C, it is better to return the pot to the house. The minimum allowable temperature for this crop is +8 ° C.
Also find out:how to roast chestnuts in the oven?
How to transplant a yucca at home?
A transplant for yucca, as well as for other indoor crops, is a serious stress. Therefore, it is worth carrying out such a procedure in two cases:
- when the root system has grown so much that it took up the entire pot, leaving no space for the ground;
- when the plant needs urgent help due to root decay or other mistakes made when caring for yucca at home.
In the first case, small plants are transferred into a pot of a slightly larger diameter, in which drainage is pre-filled. Empty places are filled with fresh substrate, simultaneously renewing the top layer of the old soil.
But how to plant a room yucca, in the photo, and care for it, if the plant already takes up a lot of space, and the owner does not want to allow further growth?
To limit growth, the pot is not changed. And before you transplant the yucca at home, the root system of the plant is cut off by about a quarter with a clean sharp knife. Places of cuts are processed with ground charcoal. New drainage and soil are poured into the pot. And then the plant is planted. Be sure to pour fresh substrate on top. The annual addition of new soil is also limited in a situation when the plant is already too large for transplanting.
After transplanting, the yucca is not watered for two days at all, and then the soil is very carefully and moderately moistened, waiting for the surface to dry.
Yucca grows well in a ready-made commercial substrate, but you can make the soil with your own hands, mixing sand and leafy soil in equal proportions. To provide nutrition, half the amount of humus is added to them.
Reproduction of yucca at home
As it grows, the trunk of the yucca becomes bare, and it becomes like a room palm. The higher the tree becomes, the faster it loses its decorative effect. It is becoming more and more problematic to maintain and care for him. How to return the plant to an acceptable size and former attractiveness?
It turns out that if you cut off the top of a yucca with a bunch of leaves and trunk fragments of at least 10 cm, you can rejuvenate the old plant and get a new one. At the same time, caring for yucca "palm", in the photo, at home is not at all difficult.
The operation is performed in the spring, when the growth period begins. The plant is well watered beforehand. And after a couple of days, the top of the yucca is cut off with a sharp knife. The remaining tree stump can be trimmed to the desired height. When the weeping cut dries up a little, it is treated with garden pitch.
The pot is transferred from the shade, where the plant will spend about two months. However, the yucca does not need to be watered. Without a crown, a plant cannot consume water, which only becomes a source of disease and rot.
In the warmth on the stem of the yucca, the buds that have been sleeping before will soon become noticeable. When new rosettes of leaves develop from them, the plant is transferred to the light and the usual care of the yucca at home begins.
The tip is not thrown away, as it is an excellent planting material for the rapid multiplication of yucca at home. The lower leaves from the top are neatly torn off, and then the cutting is dropped into wet sand, covered with a bag or film and placed in a warm place.It takes no more than a month for rooting, and then the top with its own roots is transferred to a pot, where the yucca is to grow further.
Good day! My yucca is dying. In my opinion, I flooded it. All three branches are bare, the leaves fall and turn pale. Please, advise - what needs to be done and can she be saved?
Judging by your description, the plant is affected by a false shield. If you do not take timely measures, the flower may die. Treatment of the disease is carried out with Actellik. They wipe the leaves of the flower and spray it repeatedly. Of course, watering needs to be adjusted. If the soil is too wet, you need to take a break from watering. After that, water the plant with iodine solution (for 1 liter of water, 2 drops of iodine).
Thanks for the answer. I ruined the flower. She cut off the ends of the branches - the trunk is white, and began to cut it below - the trunk is black. Should I throw it all away? And what is a false shield? It's a pity yucca - oa lived with me for 8 years!
These are plant pests. Your other plants, if any, in this room are now threatened. It is necessary to carefully examine everything and carry out treatment for prevention.
And outwardly, how is it expressed?
If you carefully examine the plant, then on the trunk and the lower part of the leaf you can find small growths-spots. First, the leaves turn yellow and fall, and then the plant may die. Apparently, you have overlapped two factors - pests and excess moisture.
Thank! I have many different colors, I will examine everything. What plants are most susceptible to these pests?
Scabbard and false scabbard stick to the plant and drink the juice. Almost all plants are under threat. The parasite must be scraped off, and the lesions must be rubbed off with vodka, and then washed with soapy water.
Thank you for your advice! Can I ask you a question about aloe?
Yes, please ask.
I have aloe - it is at least 15 years old. There are branches already with a tree trunk. And this year a lot of young shoots have appeared. It would be necessary to transplant, but I'm afraid when I separate, I will destroy the old shoots. And I use them for honey. goals. What do you recommend?
At this age, aloe can discard flowers. I would just transfer to a larger pot with fresh soil added. This will make it possible to preserve the entire plant. Old for medicinal purposes, and young shoots can grow. Of course, this is only possible if the old barrel has no problems. It is possible to separate a young sprout without problems only if it has its own root.
Thanks, I'll try to do this. I am very pleased to communicate with you.
Good day! I also want to ask you about aloe. I transplanted it into a larger pot. But I had to cut off some old branches. Can they be rooted? And how much stem should you leave?
Try to root. You just need to cut it to the place of active sap flow. A trunk that is too dry will not root. Treat a fresh cut with a root root and immediately plant it in moist soil. Use a clear bag to make your plant a hat.
Thank!
Good evening, advise I bought a yucca and planted houses in the garden for 3 years now, but I don't see any changes, that is, it sits in one place what can be done
Possibly improper fit or poor seating. Read the articles on our website to find the cause yourself.If everything was done correctly, add top dressing under the plant. You need growth stimulants. It would be nice to check the root system, perhaps the problem is in it.
Hello,
Is it possible to determine from the photo whether my flower is sick and what are these light spots (stripes) on some leaves?
I water once every 7 days (about 0.5 liters of water.
1. What can be done to improve health?
2. Can the leaves at the bottom of the trunk be cut?
Thank.
Perhaps the spots appeared from a lack of light, and the trunk itself is very elongated. Unfortunately, it is not very clear in the photo whether there are side branches. If the yucca is growing in a single stem, it would be better to cut off the top to stimulate the emergence of lateral shoots. Severely damaged leaves can also be removed.
Thank you Olga, the flower stands in a very bright place, there are no lateral branches. Perhaps you can see it better in these photos. In my other room it is exactly the same and everything is fine there ...
Unfortunately, the photo is not attached to the comment. As for the spots on the leaves, if everything is in order with the lighting, the plant can be damaged by pests. Examine the leaves carefully, especially the back side. In addition, small insects can inhabit between the roots. Try replanting the yucca by completely replacing the soil. At the same time, you can cut off the top so that the trunk throws out the side shoots, and if desired, the cut off part takes root to get another plant.
It is advisable to calcine the new soil before use, and rinse the yucca root system in a solution of potassium permanganate. If you find rotten roots, they must be trimmed to living tissue. Sprinkle the cut points with crushed charcoal. Activated charcoal tablets are also suitable. After transplanting, the yucca can only be watered on the third day.
Thank you Olga, I will try to do everything that you advised and attach a photo, which for some reason was attached the last time.
The brown ends of the yucca, what to do?
Hello!
My palm is dying, I stopped holding the trunk, I strengthened the plant, put up supports. So now the leaves are bent. And she looks very bad. How can I save it or can I cut off the top as described above to rejuvenate the plant?
She has been growing with me for a long time, she is 13-14 years old.
Your yucca is of considerable age. Probably, it's true, it's time to rejuvenate the plant, especially since it looks bad. You can, of course, try to remove the palm from the pot and inspect the root for rot or pests, if you can do this without breaking the plant even more. I would not risk it and just cut the top off.
Good day. I have such a flower growing in my room. Similar to yucca in descriptions. Tell me - is there an allergy to it? From time to time I begin to choke from severe nasal congestion and cough suffocates - my son says that an allergy to the flower is possible. Then why in periods, and not constantly? If so, then most likely you will have to give it to someone. I would be grateful for your answer.
Your plant looks more like a fragrant dracaena - it is not allergenic. But yucca, according to various sources of scientific literature, is quite capable of producing phytoncides, which provoke the manifestation of an allergic reaction in sensitive people. In any case, such plants are not recommended to be kept in the bedroom and children's room. The best place for flowers is a living room or hall, where there is a possibility of ventilation.
We gave the cut off top of the yucca to "good hands". Good root, rooted in water. Only now the barrel is twisted like a serpentine. Is it possible, when planting in a pot, to deepen the plant, thereby giving it an upright position?
You can try, of course. But there is one caveat - will not water get inside the outlet during watering if the yucca is too deep? Indeed, in this case, the plant will quickly rot and die. Perhaps, before rooting, it would be necessary to cut the curved trunk to a level place (if possible)?
Good day! But I have a yucca in such a state as in the photo for 7 months already. At first there were 3 trunks, two of the smaller ones died apparently due to overflow. Then I transplanted the last trunk, and in this state she froze. The leaves are curled up, all 4 processes in the lower part have turned yellow. How would I bring her to life?
The plant lacks nutrients. The next time you water, add iodine to the water (2 drops per 1 liter). Spray the leaves with a solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide 1 tbsp. l. per liter of water. Set sprayer to mist spray. Your plant should like it. One week after treatment, start feeding with nitrogen to grow the crown.
Thanks for the advice! But to spray only once?
You can spray with hydrogen peroxide every 10-14 days. Just make the fog.
Hello! I have a big Yucca, she is already 8 years old. I don't know what to do with it - it falls. I transplanted it several times, put the trunk in the pot evenly, but very quickly the trunk begins to roll to the side. Maybe cut one branch?
I would cut off that large branch that pulls the bush to the side, especially since it looks one-sided. And so it will become easier for the yucca (it will stop falling over), and the shape can be corrected.
Good day. We were the first to buy a yucca! Tell me how often it should be watered? What kind of water? Do I need to spray the leaves? And can she stand not by the window, but just in the corner? Thank you in advance!
If there is a window in the room where the yucca is and the room is well lit, you can leave the pot on the floor. The main thing is that there is no draft, especially in winter. Watch the flower whether it likes the place or not, although many yuccas do well in partial shade. As soon as the leaves begin to brighten, immediately move the pot closer to the window.
As for watering, it should be carried out with settled water at room temperature, as soon as the topsoil dries out by about 5-7 centimeters. The main thing is not to flood the flower, he does not like this. You can spray the leaves, but it's best in summer. In winter, it will be more expedient to wipe the leaves with a damp sponge, and if it is cool in the room, then do not do this at all.
Olga, thanks for the answer. I am attaching one more photo. Dragged Yucca to another room and leaned against the wall. Here is the side that pulls against the wall. If I cut this branch, can I root it? Very big. And it’s a pity to spoil a beautiful tree.
You can, just choose a young top for rooting. The whole branch is too big.
Now I cut the trunk of Yucca poses 20 cm, and before that it was about a meter, I wonder what this thick short stem will give?
Yes, with good care, new shoots will soon appear.
Good day! Tell me what is wrong with my yucca and what can be done at this moment?
Full-length photo)
Your yucca does not branch, it grows into one trunk. You will have to say goodbye to the old plant - it is already too high and the trunk is old. Better to rejuvenate it by cutting off and rooting the top.
But the dracaena that stands next to it can still be formed by also cutting off the top.Since the stem of the dracaena is strongly deformed (lopsided), it is better to cut the cut in the place where it begins to sharply go to the right side. The rest, although it will be short, is more or less even. Over time, several buds will wake up on it, and the plant will turn into a compact bush with a lush crown.
When is the best time to cut, can you now or wait until spring? Thank.
Dracaena is formed in the spring, when it is actively growing. I cut my flower a little over a month ago, so the buds are already beginning to appear. In the spring this process is faster, but from personal practice I can say that pruning is possible in the fall.
Hello! At work, the boss cut off the top of the yucca (as it seems to be called), which was already 10 years old, and said that if it did not sprout soon, he would throw it away.
Tell me, is this even possible? Can we hope for her "resurrection"?
And how to take care of her now? I try to water it in my shift, that is, every two days.
I will be very grateful for the answer!
Yes, the plant can give new shoots, only now it will take more time. After all, there is a dormant period for almost all plants. Try not to flood the remaining barrel. Stimulate the plant by feeding it with fertilizer.
Thank you very much for your answer!
Good day! I ask for help! My Yucca got really bad ((she bent down and put a support.
The poor thing just needs to be rejuvenated - the branches are too elongated, bald and crooked, moreover. Nothing will grow on the bare trunk below, so cut these two branches at different heights (the tops can be rooted). Sprinkle the cut with activated charcoal and put on a transparent bag, tying it. When the kidneys appear, you can remove the bag. To prevent the yucca from stretching and growing even, it needs good lighting.
Good time. Here is the answer about the top cut. But where to cut and what is considered the top? And maybe in my case something else needs to be done? Thanks in advance.
In this case, the "top" does not mean the uppermost part of the shoot with leaves (unless the bush is very small). In adult plants, especially if they have a tall, bare trunk, most of it is cut off.
Unfortunately, the photo does not show the whole flower in its entirety, in order to say exactly how much to cut off and how much to leave. If there are multiple branches, they are usually cut at different heights to give the plant a beautiful shape. For example, in an adult bush, you can leave 10-15 cm in height on one shoot, and 15-20 cm on the second. In any case, I would cut that curved twig to a level place, at least so that it does not spoil the appearance.
Thank. How do I understand to cut in the spring?
Yes, it is better to cut it in spring. Only the stems of your flower, it turns out, are not as big as it seemed in the first photo. The two smaller ones are too early to trim, but trim the tallest and curved ones a little in the spring. For now, just move the pot to a well-lit place to avoid stretching, otherwise you will have to cut everyone.
Thanks for the help.
Hello. Please tell me if it is necessary to pour drainage on top of the soil? For decorative purposes, so to speak? Concerning the yucca.
This is not drainage, but soil mulching. Yes, you can mulch, which helps to retain moisture and prevents weeds from growing.
Thank!
Hello! My Yucca is very bad, the leaves turn yellow, then dry up.I do not know what this is connected with. Help with advice, please ..
And pests are not visible? Maybe you fill it up? In any case, it is better to check the roots - if they are rotting, and treat them with a fungicide. The land is also better to change.
I don't see any pests. He ripped open the earth ... somehow everything is dry ... The roots seem to be normal, do not rot. Maybe the other way around - insufficient watering? Although I water as before once a week as standard. I will treat it with a fungicide.
Yes, and the leaves can dry out from a lack of moisture, especially since now it is just the heating season and the air in the room is also dry. If your room is too hot and the battery is close, you may need to water it more often (my dracaena, for example, dries quickly on the windowsill under the battery).
Check the soil before the next watering - it should not stick to your fingers, but you should not allow the soil to completely dry out to the bottom of the pot. Tear off the bottom leaves that are drying out. Observe developments after adjusting watering.
How to return the plant to an acceptable size and former attractiveness? Recently, the lower leaves turn yellow more and more often, as a result they dry out (Although new leaves are growing too. Please advise. I thought about replanting the yucca (that is, changing the soil), but maybe it is worth waiting for spring? But in this case I can completely lose plant.
Leaves often turn yellow in winter if the flower lacks lighting or if the room is too hot. Try moving the yucca to a different location. Was her trunk always so grayish? Check for defeats. You can also carefully pick up the ground to look at the roots. If the plant rots, there is no point in waiting for spring, and the transplant will have to be done now. Do not forget to treat it with a fungicide in this case.
View from the other side.
Apparently, there is not enough light, since we have 20 degrees at home. and humidity 60% It will be darker elsewhere. The trunk has always been like this, at least I don't remember the other) I dug the ground a little yesterday: the roots are like roots, although they are rotten, I don't know). Maybe, given the humidity in the apartment, you shouldn't do mulching when replacing the soil?
Good evening! Please tell me one more thing. I noticed that the yucca stands loosely in the ground (apparently, the child still touches the trunk) ((() Could this be the reason for the death of the flower?
If you pull the trunk and cut off the roots, the flower will lose its nutrition, then it will begin to disappear, like any plant torn from the soil. The roots can also rot, then the trunk will also begin to wobble and will disappear over time.
Thank you very much for your responsiveness! Still, it would be more correct to transplant it now.
Good day! Can you please tell me what's wrong with my Yucca? She thought she died, but she let the shoots from below. The twig is barely alive, and I cut the second one.
Perhaps after pruning, you watered it too often, and at first after cutting, watering is limited - the flower no longer has a crown, and it has nowhere to spend its usual doses of water. But does she have enough light, the leaves are quite pale? I would cut off that very crooked branch to allow a new shoot below to develop. Besides, suddenly something else will appear ...
Hello, she began to fade long ago, at first the leaves began to turn yellow, and then they became completely sluggish. I probably flooded it, I thought it wouldn’t get better, because I was in such a sluggish state for a long time. Recently, shoots came out and I decided to cut off one branch. Can you please tell me, cut the second branch just under the trunk?
It is so all twisting, it would be better to remove it to zero, it will not be smoother anyway, but only spoils the whole view.
Hello, I ask you for advice. My yucca is about 12-13 years old. She has grown to the ceiling. And the lower leaves die in large numbers. I attach a photo. About 2 weeks ago, new yucca shoots were discovered in the pot. Please tell me what to do with the large yucca so that the leaves don't die. And what to do with the "kids", can they be planted? Thank you in advance for your response. In the next comment I will attach a photo of the processes. It is not possible to attach multiple photos.
Unfortunately, falling of the lower leaves and exposing the trunk is a natural phenomenon for an old plant. All yuccas “go bald” with age at the bottom, keeping a green bunch at the top, and below the leaves will no longer grow. To avoid this, you need to periodically cut the bush, then the lateral sleeping buds will wake up. Cut off the entire trunk, leaving no more than ¼ of its height or less. The apex can be rooted. Young sprouts, if desired, can be left in the same pot and then you get a lush bush. Or, separate them into their own dishes, but a little later, when they are still growing up. You can find out more about yucca care and pruning by following the link https://myvilla.cosmetius.com/en/yukka-ukhod-v-domashnikh-usloviyakh/.
Thank you so much for your answer)))
Hello. I attach a photo of the processes. Can you plant them?
Hello. Tell me, please, do you need to seal or seal the cut of the main trunk?
Many people advise to pour paraffin, but I just put a bag on my dracaena and left it until the kidneys hatched under it. Then the cut itself tightened and dried.
And tell me, please. Is it possible (and is it necessary) to cut the trunk if it is slightly less than 20 cm from the ground to the crown, is curved slightly in the middle.
It all depends on how crooked it is. If not very much, you can leave it and let it grow a little more. Can you show the photo?
Good day! Our yucca leaves in the last month wilted and brightened, the impression that they have become lethargic. During this period, he made root dressing with Pokon fertilizer (for strong and beautiful leaves) and began to water more often. You can somehow help the plant.
Most likely you overdid it with fertilizing and watering. My recommendations: urgently transplant the plant into new soil and restore the previous watering regime. Repotting will help remove excess fertilizer.
thank
Good afternoon, at work they wanted to throw her out, I decided to pick her up now I don’t know how to help her. Tell me how best to deal with her?
One more photo
Poor palm tree, how has it twisted! I would cut all three trunks, leaving no more than 1/3 of their height, or even less. You need to cut to the point where the trunk begins to bend. You can make different heights, so it will be even more beautiful, and over time the bush will release side shoots and become lush and beautiful again.
Good day! As you recommended on March 26, I transplanted the yucca into a new soil, poured water with iodine (1 drop per liter), restored the previous irrigation regime. Everything was fine, but such white spots appeared. Tell me what can be done?
Perhaps it is spotting. Treat with fungicide, monitor watering, avoiding waterlogging of the soil.
thank
Fungicides are quite a long list, you can recommend something specific.Thank you in advance.
You are right, there are a lot of them, usually they are guided by the selection presented in the local store. The most commonly used are Fitosporin, Fitoverm, Fundazol, and also Trichodermin, Glyocladin…
Hello, please tell me what to do with the plant. None of the trunks hold foliage, the leaves on the lower branches are weak and yellow. Whether to trim, if so, where. Whether to plant, it feels like the roots are climbing out of the pot. Because of the lack of light, are the lower branches curving so?
As for me, there is no point in leaving such a plant - it has grown old and lost its shape for a long time. It would be more correct to rejuvenate the yucca. One thing is not clear: is it one bush or two? In the second photo (where two shoots with leaves at the top go from the trunk), you can still try to return to its former forms. Cut these two bare sticks to the desired height, preferably to where they begin to curve. Over time, the yucca should start up new branches. Well, the bush that is completely crooked cannot be straightened. It is best to cut off the young green tops and root them. Although, you can also leave the stump, only even - maybe something will grow on it.
This is one bush, it diverges almost immediately near the ground into 2 large hemp. And you need to cut the branches, and not the massive main trunk? As for the crooked bush, I didn't quite understand, there is no way to save it?
By "sticks" I meant a bare and crooked trunk. In order for the yucca to grow even, it is advisable to cut off everything that is above the place of curvature. As for a crooked plant, what is the point of leaving it as it is now? But you can cut off young smooth tops and root it.
More photos
One more photo