If your plant has a soft trunk, droopy or yellowing leaves or brown, mushy roots this is a sign of rotting. Never let a yucca plant sit in a tray of water. Yucca Plant Care Guide 2020 Water. However, some species have blossoms that are purple, green, or even pink. The stems are very short, and mostly at the soil surface or underground. A spray of dish soap and water will control bugs and mites. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, Hot, arid parts of the Americas and the Caribbean. After both yucca plants bloom, a brown flower stalk is left behind. Yucca occasionally needs to be pruned back when it grows too tall for the space. Over time, most species of yucca will grow into room-devouring monsters, but this takes long enough that they provide years of durabl… It grows as a shrub or small tree and can grow up to 16 feet tall but is relatively slow-growing. If you kill a yucca, it's probably due to overwatering. Propagating a Yucca Plant If you wish to produce more yucca plants, take the top half from pruning the yucca and use a marker on the trunk to indicate where the leaves are. Repotting larger yucca plants can be difficult, so larger plants can be refreshed with new potting soil by digging out the top two inches of the container and adding new soil. Always use fresh potting soil. Under the right conditions, yucca is not difficult to grow. By using The Spruce, you accept our, How to Grow and Care for Chinese Money Plant, How to Grow and Care for String of Dolphins. Yuccas are often grown in pots both indoors and outdoors. Larger forms gradually loose the lower leaves to expose a trunk. Yucca plants are highly susceptible to stem and root rot caused by over-watering. Avoid letting the plant sit in a puddle of water after watering since this will encourage further decay. There are no branches on yucca cane. The salts in the fertilizer can burn already unhealthy roots. Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Place the plant no more than 3 to 5 feet away from a window that receives ample sunlight and it should begin to bounce back. A tropical plant and member of the agave family, Yucca glauca is a woody-stemmed plant with long and narrow leaves in rosettes at the ends of stems or branches. Allow time to pass before watering again. Native to the deserts of the southwestern United States and Central America (though they’ve been known to range as far as Canada and parts of the Caribbean) yucca plants prosper in arid and moistureless climates. The best conditions for Yucca include a sunny corner with relatively low humidity. ", The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Yucca plants are coarse, and may be best combined with lighter, fine textured foliage. As far as houseplants go, yucca probably eclipsed by the similar-looking Dracaena genus, which is often mistaken for yucca. If leaves are droopy and yellow, it is not always a sign of over-watering. The potting mix doesn't need to be specially formulated or rich; in fact, this isn't a good idea for low-maintenance yuccas. Cut the trunk right above the area that is experiencing the rotting. After an extended period of time, you may find that they will be in need of some attention. There is evidence that … Weeding out weaker plants with unrelenting heat and unfamiliar fauna, only the strongest emerge from the desert, and the resilient yucca plant is proof. Yucca is highly sensitive to water-logging. Yuccas don’t need a lot of water. The leaves are about 4 inches wide, and they are thick and leathery, with a smooth surface. Yucca naturally grows in sandy, dry deserts. The Yucca plant comes from southern Mexico and requires direct sunlight. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker. If your plant has a soft trunk, droopy or yellowing leaves or brown, mushy roots this is a sign of rotting. are considered evergreen perennial shrubs and grow well outside in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness 5 through 10. Both plants are salt tolerant and work well in coastal plantings. Trimming is rarely needed other than to remove dying leaves from a yucca. Keeping this plant in a low light area can promote rotting, which these plants are susceptible to. If you kill a yucca, it's probably due to overwatering. The roots of the yucca plant are not edible. Over time, yucca plants will typically lose their lower leaves (in nature, they droop, forming a skirt around the trunk), giving the plant a pleasant "tree-like" appearance. Excess soil from re-potting will only add moisture to the root area, thus promoting rotting. Water – A common cause of yellow yucca leaves is too much water. Native to Western Texas and Northern Mexico, this tree-like yucca is an ornamental and slow-growing evergreen, perfect as a xeriscaping plant.Known to be one of the toughest trunk-forming yuccas, Yucca rostrata is drought-tolerant and a popular garden attraction in the UK, US, and Canada. Most Yucca plants that will be used for garden and home decoration are of the brush variety. They are especially easy to overwater, and soggy stems are a sign of too much water. The plants form a dramatic, shimmering … Yucca plants being placed in the garden need little to no care at all. The root of the non-flowering plant is used to make medicine. Started with one but now have many large clusters. The roots should be light in color, not brown. Occasionally, it can mean that the plant has been under-watered. Just go for a bag of inexpensive potting mix that you mix with coarse horticultural-grade sand and perlite to promote drainage. Jon VanZile is a Master Gardener and the author of "Houseplants for a Healthy Home. Inside, though, plant the yucca in a loose, well-drained potting mix. Tip: Spider mites are a common problem with indoor yuccas as well. Sueanne Dolentz has been writing since 1999, and holds a degree in creative and professional writing. Yucca can still boost health in people with diabetes. Yucca thrives in full sunlight, so they're perfect for that west-facing window where everything else burns up. Shrub yuccas, like the hairy yucca (Yucca filamentosa), are low-growing spiky plants that form rosettes of thick fibrous leaves that sprout from a central point. The Yucca plant is a hardy plant that requires minimal maintenance. Over time, most species of yucca will grow into room-devouring monsters, but this takes long enough that they provide years of durable service as a houseplant. Sedum, Ceratostigma, Coreopsis and many types of grass provide an excellent contrast with the spiky leaves and bristles of the Yucca plant. Yucca plants do not do well in drastic temperature changes. Since it’s a desert plant, it’s very drought-tolerant, and the only thing that’s likely to kill it is overwatering. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Then, re-pot the rooted end of the trunk. Growing yucca in low light will lead to fewer flowers and thinner growth for the plant. The easiest way to propagate yucca is with offsets of older plants. Yucca is relatively slow-growing plants that should only need to be repotted every other year. Water sporadically in the winter. If you notice the tiny red mites on your plant, take your potted yucca outdoors or into the shower and spray well, including the underside of the leaves. Yucca plants are characterized by their dense, closely-formed rosettes that contain multiple thin, closely-spaced leaves. You … As far as houseplants go, yucca probably eclipsed by the similar-looking Dracaena genus, which is often mistaken for yucca. It doesn’t need rich soil or a lot of plant food, and its leaves are so tough that it’s resistant to pests. Divide the plant during repotting or carefully slice away the offset and pot up into a separate container. They do well slightly pot-bound, as long as they don't become heavy enough to tip over their containers. Yucca can be evergreen perennials, shrubs or trees, with dense or loose rosettes of stiff, sword-shaped leaves and tall panicles of bell-shaped flowers. No soil amendments are necessary for these tough plants. The leaves are in a basal rosette on younger plants and are sword-shaped with sharp tips. Keep the temperature as consistent as possible and promote good air circulation. Yuca, also commonly known as Cassava, is a plant with edible, starchy tubers/roots that tapioca and cassava flour are made from. Yucca grown indoors will likely not flower or bear seeds. Sometimes the problem means that it is high time you repotted the Yucca plant. They tend to thrive on a little neglect, rather than too much attention. Red yucca is not a true type of yucca plant and is identified by spineless leaves that turn reddish color in cold weather The red yucca plant can be identified by its grass like leaves and pinkish flowers that grow on tall narrow spikes. Repot the rooted end of the trunk, and water it well. It is a popular houseplant but is susceptible to various Yucca plant diseases, some of which are summarized below. , making sure to have the end that previously had the leaves can sometimes sharp. Or yellowing leaves or brown, mushy roots this is not always a sign of.. Shrub or small tree and can grow up to 16 feet tall but is relatively.... Root of the non-flowering plant is a sign of too much water leathery, with smooth... 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