As Yucca grows older, when its trunk becomes bare, it becomes like a tree - indoor Palm. At the same time, its decorative effect is lost, and it becomes increasingly difficult to care for it. The question arises: how to return a flower to its usual acceptable size and former attractiveness? To do this, you can use our tips and one of the ways to propagate Yucca at home. In addition, in the article we will talk about common problems in growing Yucca, treating diseases and controlling pests.
If you cut off the top of Yucca with a bunch of leaves and part of the trunk (at least 10 cm), you will rejuvenate the old plant and get one or more new ones. This operation is best carried out in the spring, when Yucca begins to grow. You should first water the plant well. After a couple of days, the top can be cut off. Use a sharp, clean knife or pruning shears. If the remaining stem is too tall, you can cut off another part of it so that the old flower has a stem of the desired height. Let all the sections dry a little (about 20 minutes), and then treat them with crushed activated carbon or garden varnish.
Move the old pot with the stump to a slightly shaded place for a couple of months and do not water it - having lost its crown, Yucca will stop using water. Overwatering can lead to root rot or other diseases. When the side buds begin to wake up on the stem, when new rosettes of leaves begin to appear from them, then the flower should be brought into the light, watered and then cared for according to all the rules.
Reproduction by flower tip
We did not forget the cut off top of the flower. This is magnificent planting material for rapid propagation of Yucca. To do this, cut off the lower leaves with a clean knife or scissors. Place the end of the cutting into a pot with damp coarse sand (perlite, vermiculite) and cover the entire structure with a bag to create a greenhouse effect.
You can also root Yucca in water. It will take about a month for rooting. All this time, the cutting should be in a warm place with diffused lighting. When the top has acquired its own roots, it should be transplanted into its own pot with suitable soil, where the young Yucca will grow further.
Reproduction by part of the trunk
From the trunk of an adult Yucca, after the top is cut off, another part is usually cut off for propagation if there are dormant buds on it. The sections are dried in air for about 20 minutes, then sprinkled with activated carbon or lubricated with garden varnish. Place this stem in a container with a lid, in wet sand, horizontally, and compact well. New rosettes of leaves will form from the awakening buds. How many buds wake up - so many new shoots you will get. All that remains is to carefully separate them, dry the sections and treat them with activated carbon, and then plant each shoot in a separate pot.
Reproduction by daughter lateral shoots (cuttings)
If you choose this method of propagation, then carefully separate the daughter side shoot from the adult plant. For rooting, it can be placed either in a jar of water, where you put an activated carbon tablet to prevent rot, or in a container with wet sand, after pre-treating the cuts with the same crushed carbon. When roots appear on the shoot, you can transplant it into a pot with prepared soil.
Propagation using seeds
This method of propagation at home is used very rarely. As a rule, it is not possible to collect your own seeds, since indoor Yucca blooms extremely rarely. But, if you got seeds somewhere, you can try - Yucca seeds usually germinate well. First prepare the planting container. It is good to use a container with a lid for this purpose. Fill it with a mixture of sand and turf soil in equal parts, moisten it. Spread the seeds on the surface, slightly deepening them into the substrate. Close the lid. Place the container in a bright and warm (25–30 degrees) place. Ventilate the container every day and, if necessary, moisten the substrate using a fine spray bottle with warm, settled or boiled water. Expect the first shoots in a month. Then start transplanting seedlings from separate pots.
Yucca diseases and their treatment
Indoor Yucca is quite hardy, rarely gets sick, and endures ailments with steadfastness. It’s just important not to miss the moment of defeat. The health of Yucca is usually judged by its leaves. Any change in their color or shape should alert you.
If the leaves are covered with large light brown spots, you may have been too carried away with watering and spraying the flower. Due to waterlogging of the substrate and air space, a fungus has settled on the Yucca leaves. All leaves affected by the fungus must be removed. Treat the plant with some fungicide against fungal disease(Topaz, Maxim, Cabrio). Move the pot to a room with lower humidity. Stop spraying the flower and the air around it.
If the fungus has infected not only the leaves, but also the stem of the Yucca, most likely the plant cannot be saved. You will have to get rid of it so that the disease does not spread to other flowers in your collection.
If the tips of the leaves of a seemingly healthy Yucca dry, this is a signal that the plant does not have enough moisture when watering or there is dry air in the room. Adjust watering, if necessary, start spraying the room and flower.
If brown spots appear on the leaves, dry and brittle to the touch, this is a reason for more frequent watering in the hot season. It seems that you often forget about watering and dry out the substrate too much. Watering the plant is necessary after upper layer the substrate has dried out by 5–7 cm.
If there are spots on Yucca leaves light color, then this is a signal of an excess of sunlight. You should move the pot to light partial shade or shield the flower from direct sun with blinds or a curtain.
If the Yucca leaves droop and begin to lose their elasticity, their ends begin to curl and wither, your beauty may be freezing. Rearrange it to more warm room, or find a place in the same room, but closer to the radiator or away from the window glass.
If the lower leaves of Yucca turn yellow and dry, and the upper leaves continue to grow actively, then you should not worry - this is a normal process. The life of Yucca leaves lasts two years, then they die. Damaged lower leaves should be carefully disposed of (not torn off, but cut off) to maintain the decorative appearance of the flower. Due to the falling of the lower leaves in its natural environment, the Yucca becomes exactly like the Palm tree.
But, if the plant begins to shed many lower leaves at once, pay attention to its care. Perhaps the flower is in a draft, or the room temperature is too low.
Pests
Conclusion
Diseases and pests appear on Yucca only when they stop caring for it. If you create a good microclimate in your home and provide Yucca with the necessary comfort, then you will protect her from all troubles and troubles. (You can find out how to do this correctly in the article:). And she, in turn, will effectively decorate the interior of the house and protect the owner from the evil eye and negative emotions.
Let’s find out in more detail what diseases yucca is susceptible to.
Diseases and treatment
They are mainly related with non-compliance with the watering regime Yucca
Watering in winter during the dormant period has an extremely detrimental effect. Excessive dryness of the room also contributes to weakening of the plant.
Why does the palm tree turn yellow and the leaves and their tips fall off?
Why do yucca leaves droop? What to do if room conditions Do the lower leaves turn yellow, dry out and fall off? When a plant begins to turn yellow, this does not mean that the reason lies in the disease.
It could be due to natural process ridding a false palm tree of foliage. This is necessary for further active growth.
In the case where it is the lower foliage that is shed, this may mean that excessive or insufficient hydration. Find out the recommendations on how to properly water a false palm tree and correct the situation.
Well, if the roots were not damaged, then there is a better chance of resuscitating the yucca.
Brown spots on leaves
If When leaves fall, they have yellow spots, which then become oval in shape and change color to brown, this means that the plant is affected by brown spotting.
To cure it, you need to figure out whether you cared for the yucca correctly, and then treat it.
Causes of drying out
Why do yucca leaves turn yellow and dry? What to do, how to care for the palm tree to prevent this from happening? How to save? When there's not enough light, the plant also appears yellow at the tips of its leaves and they begin to dry out.
For the normal process of photosynthesis, it is advisable to provide it with bright lighting with scattered rays, but in no case direct, so as not to provoke the appearance of burns.
Impact of temperature
An alarming signal when growing a false palm tree at home is if Yucca leaves curl.
Low temperatures have a detrimental effect on the life of the plant, because it comes from the subtropics and absolutely cannot stand the cold.
Under the influence of low temperatures the leaves at the edges become brownish and gradually curl up. There are times when the temperature drops at night and the sensitive yucca freezes overnight. In winter, it is better to remove it from the windowsill in the evening until the morning, until it gets warmer.
With severe hypothermia, foliage can fall off en masse. The false palm tree does not tolerate drafts well. It is better to take care in advance that the flower is warm and cozy, especially in winter.
Pests
false palm quite disease resistant and is rarely attacked by pests. But if the disease has already affected the foliage or stem, it is better to immediately take the necessary measures.
To do this, it is advisable to know what pests we can deal with in order to respond in time and cure the plant, and not throw away the yucca and the pot from under it.
Spider mite
Appears when living conditions are not suitable for the plant and it weakens - from excessive dry air or due to heat. He settles on back side leaves and feeds on its juices. By sucking the juice from the false palm tree, it makes it weaker and contributes to wilting, because the flower then receives almost no nutrients.
Light spots and yellowness appear on the affected foliage; they are entwined with a thin web, causing the yucca to gradually dry out.
It is quite difficult to see the spider mite itself on the leaf, but from the above signs you can easily determine that it is the one that is infecting the plant.
Shield aphid or scale insect
It mainly affects plants of the agave genus, including yucca. She settles on the foliage. Dangerous because reproduces rapidly and is well adapted to the home microclimate.
On early stage diseases, it is problematic to notice shield aphids on the plant. When it becomes an adult, it is covered with a waxy shield. The larvae mature underneath it.
Damaged plant stops growing and withers. This is caused by the fact that the scale insect begins to eat the leaves, and if the necessary measures to eliminate it are not taken in time, the false palm tree will die.
How to save a palm tree from death?
How to revive yucca? A timely response will allow the yucca to be revived. It is important to know what to do if it is affected by fungal diseases or pests.
Resuscitation from fungal diseases
If the problem is fungi or bacteria, get rid of affected areas of the plant, and treat healthy foliage with a systemic fungicide. We reduce watering and do not spray at all.
These are productive measures for the first phase of the disease. When the disease is already actively progressing, the plant cannot be helped. It needs to be thrown away. We also throw away the pot from under the dead flower.
Fighting spider mites
Start spraying and rinsing the foliage, mainly its reverse side with a low concentrated solution of tobacco, onion peel or chamomile infusion, garlic infusion. We wash the leaf, starting from the stem and ending with the edge of the leaf. We repeat the procedure until the tick is completely destroyed.
Rescue from scale insects
The best assistant will be laundry soap.
Dip a cotton swab or cloth into its solution, wring it lightly and use it to remove pests.
At the same time, we spray the larvae with a solution of tobacco mixed with kerosene or alcohol.
You can use store bought ones insecticides– fitoverm, actellikom.
If the yucca has suffered from improper care
You can try to revive the plant. First of all change the soil. We clean the root system from dead and rotten areas. We disinfect the roots with a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, and then dry them and replant them in new soil. No earlier than 15 days later it is allowed to feed the false palm tree.
Yucca belongs to the Agave family, although this plant is very similar to a palm tree. This family includes over 45 species, but no more than 7 species are cultivated as indoor decorative plants, and several more can be found in gardens and parks. Yucca is popular among gardeners due to its graceful trunk, the top of which is decorated with a mop of beautiful long leaves of emerald color.
These evergreen plants are native to North American countries. In its homeland, yucca is cultivated not only as ornamental plants. serves as a source of fiber from which clothing, bags, ropes and baskets are made. And from the roots of the culture, local residents have adapted to extract natural red dyes, and parts of the plant are often used by traditional healers. Yucca leaves contain starch, so they are often used in cooking.
Tree-like trunks of yucca, with one or several growth points, can be crowned with drooping or erect narrow long leaves. With the help of proper pruning, the trunks can be given fancy shapes and the desired branching. Yucca can bloom and bear fruit only in natural conditions, where they are pollinated by special butterflies. Blooms decorative varieties you can wait extremely rarely and only from hybrids.
If favorable conditions are created and tireless care is provided, domestic yucca can bloom only after 6-7 years. This event happens in the summer. But experienced gardeners learned to stimulate the formation of flower buds in adult plants by creating cool conditions in winter. The temperature at this time should not exceed 14 degrees. Yucca flowers resemble small white bells and are collected in panicle inflorescences.
Ornamental plant species do not grow fast, but some specimens can reach four meters in height.
All decorative types of yucca have common characteristic features that distinguish them from other plants:
- the crop grows like a shrub or tree with a powerful trunk
- emerald leaves of a dense and hard texture, usually monochromatic, but sometimes diluted with white veins
- leaves, up to a meter long, are collected in rosettes
- panicle inflorescences are formed in the middle of leaf rosettes
After flowering, fruits are formed on the plant - these are berries, which over time turn into seed pods. In indoor floriculture, you can most often find two types of yucca:
- Elephant palm, often called false palm. It is a shrubby plant with long, pointed leaves. Elephant yucca gets its name from its trunk, which thickens significantly with age and resembles an elephant's leg. This species is native to arid regions with few pests, so the plant is characterized as unpretentious.
- Aloe leaf - with leathery, hard leaves reminiscent of aloe leaves. This is where its name came from. To grow this species, you need to make some effort. The crown of an adult plant is spherical and crowned by a thick cylindrical trunk.
All types of yucca have a positive attitude towards fresh air, so in the warm season it is preferable to place the plants outside. A place should be chosen with abundant but diffused sunlight.
- Lighting. Yucca needs plenty of light, but direct light Sun rays have a detrimental effect on plants. Miniature false palm trees should be placed in western or eastern rooms near the windows. If necessary, the length of daylight is increased through artificial lighting.
- Temperature regime. In the summer, the temperature of the plants should not exceed 25 degrees. If the yucca overheats, then it is placed in a cool place and sprayed, and after a while it is returned to its place. In winter, yucca is comfortable at a temperature of 11-13 degrees.
- Irrigation. Ornamental palm trees should be watered taking into account the size of the plant itself and the pot, as well as the temperature and humidity of the air. In summer, abundant watering is needed. The soil should not dry out more than 2 cm. On average, watering is carried out once a week with settled water room temperature. In autumn-winter, watering is reduced.
- Spraying. Spraying is carried out to prevent spider mites, but excessive waterlogging can lead to worsening decorative look plants. Therefore, this procedure should be carried out carefully and in small quantities.
- Priming. For yucca, a ready-made soil mixture for dracaena and palm trees is suitable, which contains microelements necessary for the normal development of plants. You can also prepare the soil at home by mixing two parts of turf, leaf soil and sand and one part of humus. This composition is optimal for young plants, and for adult specimens a mixture of turf and leaf soil, to which sand is mixed in a ratio of 3:2:1, is suitable.
- Feeding. You need to feed yucca once a month during intensive growth. Suitable as fertilizers. Solutions are used for spraying internal sides leaves.
- Crown formation. In order for the yucca trunk to begin to branch, it should be trimmed. The procedure is applicable for young and healthy plants, no higher than 35 cm. In the second half of spring, two-thirds of the yucca trunk is cut off. But you need to make sure that leaves or buds remain on the main stem. Sections should be disinfected to prevent infection. Over time, new shoots will grow from the remaining trunk, and a new plant will grow from the cut top.
The main problem when growing homemade yucca is the loss of decorativeness. The leaves of the plant may turn yellow and dry out, but this is not always a consequence of the disease. If only the lower leaves dry out and die, then this is a natural development process. And when there is intense leaf fall, you should find the cause of the problem and eliminate it.
A miniature palm may lose leaves due to improper care or pest damage:
- The leaves of the crop turn yellow and dry out due to an excess of light, low humidity air or improper watering.
- Due to excessive lighting, dry spots form on the leaf blades, so the plant should be protected from active sun.
- When overwatered, the leaves become covered with brown spots.
- If the edges and tips of the leaves dry out, then the air in the room is not humid enough, there are drafts, or the palm tree does not have enough watering.
- When overcooled, the leaves of the flower begin to curl and their edges darken.
- Lack of lighting leads to yellowing of the leaves, and the shoots of the flower become elongated.
- Formidable enemies of the false palm are scale insects, spider mites, aphids and thrips.
The first step is to replant the affected specimen and completely replace the soil mixture. The roots are cleared of soil and damaged areas are removed. After this, disinfection is carried out with a manganese solution. After drying the roots, you can plant them in new soil. Feeding the false palm should be postponed for a while.
How and how to treat the plant:
- If the plant has suffered from fungal diseases, then the damaged areas must be removed and treated. During treatment, you should not water the plant. These measures are effective if the disease is at an early stage. In case of extensive infection, the flower is thrown away and its pot is carefully treated.
- When attacked by spider mites, palm leaves are sprayed and washed with tobacco, onion or garlic infusion. Procedures should be carried out systematically until the pests are completely destroyed. If such measures do not give the expected result, then you need to resort to help fungicidal drugs. Heavily damaged parts of plants must be removed, and if large quantities pests, the crop will require replanting.
- When attacked by scale insects, use a strong soap solution. Each leaf must be thoroughly wiped with a cotton pad soaked in the solution to remove insects. Afterwards, spraying is carried out with an alcohol tobacco solution or insecticidal preparations are used.
With proper care, yucca can delight its owners for many years. Captivating with its unpretentiousness and decorativeness, the mini palm tree is gaining increasing popularity in indoor floriculture. In addition to decorative qualities, the plant also has a number of useful properties, one of which is indoor air purification.
More information can be found in the video:
People often ask how to distinguish yucca from dracaena? There are species of dracaenas that look very similar to yucca, for example, Dracaena aletriformis Dracaena aletriformis or the species Dracaena massangeana (not variegated). The differences are:
- Yucca has small teeth along the edge of the leaf: noticeable roughness along the edge of the leaf, if you draw from the tip to the base
- Yucca leaves are stiffer, denser, and on young tops they stick out straight up
- The edges of yucca leaves are usually straight, while those of dracaena are often slightly wavy (the leaves themselves are softer)
- in yucca, the top of the leaf ends in a prickly spine
- Yucca's roots are reddish, sometimes quite intense in color; dracaena's roots are always white
- with the same crown size, the yucca's trunk is always thicker than that of the dracaena
How to care for yucca
Question: Tell me how to care for yucca, different sites advise differently: will it grow a trunk, or only leaves?
Natali: Yucca loves sunlight, personally, I have it on a south-facing window sill, which is not shaded by trees. In winter there is always not enough light and a south window is just right. But in summer, sometimes shading may be required during the hottest hours - at noon on a sunny day. You should not place a yucca in the center of the room at all; if it is large and grows in a tub or large pot on the floor, then it should be placed by the window. It must be watered so that the soil is not wet; the top layer of soil must dry out. Water should not remain on the tray, but spray very well 2 times a day, but only in hot weather, or if there is a battery nearby. At other times there is absolutely no need to spray.
Yucca is too susceptible to overwatering - it rots easily, so make drainage at the bottom of the pot and it is high enough, with a layer 2 fingers thick.
Yucca leaves have dropped
Question: My yucca leaves don’t stick up as they should, but hang down a little (like dracaena), I spray them and water them after the soil has completely dried out!
Natali: If your yucca is large, that is, the leaves are long (more than 20 cm), if it feels good and there are no signs of ill health, then such drooping of the leaves is normal. They droop as if from their own weight. However, if short leaves (up to 15-20 cm) droop, especially if they are limp, then this is due to excess moisture in the ground. It just seems to you that you are not flooding, but try to dig up the ground and touch the inside - how wet it is there. In rare cases, in the heat, the leaves may droop from drying out. Therefore, you need to rely only on the dry or wet state of the soil inside the pot.
Question: A week after the purchase, the leaves of the yucca began to dry out, then the leaves began to wilt and dry out. For some reason the small shoot just fell off, even though it was green. What am I doing wrong?
Natali: Most likely, your yucca suffered from systematic waterlogging. Yucca leaves are dense, so they look like they are drying out when overwatered, but this is a deceptive impression. Replant, inspect the roots, if you have no drainage in the pot, do it. Just replant before watering, when the soil is dry. Firstly, this makes it easier to scatter the old earthen ball, and secondly, check whether the plant has been flooded - normally, the soil should be dry before the next watering. Make the drainage high - about three fingers high, this will better protect yourself from overflow. Do not compact the new soil too much - it will settle on its own. If the lighting is good, then the yucca can be sprayed less often, every other day, every two. Yuccas suffer much more from lack of sun in winter than from dry air!
Irina-gorsh: I advise you to carefully feel the barrel. A big problem- softening of the trunk, alarm signal. Look deeper into the soil, maybe only the top layer is dry, and the bottom layer may not have time to dry out. I have a yucca in a small pot, and I water it once a week and then sparingly, yuccas often suffer from overwatering.
sweety: When the leaves of my yucca began to droop, I changed the watering regime - practically did not water at all! I spilled it with phytosporin-m (diluted the paste). But first I replanted it in fresh soil for yuccas. I cleaned the roots, but did not wash them - I rinsed them in a bucket with diluted phytosporin. I made the drainage 10 cm (I have a high pot). After transplanting, I didn’t water it for a week.
Question: At first the yucca leaves were lush green and stretched upward, but now they are limp and pale. But recently the baby fell off. The shoot rotted right on the trunk. What can be done?
Pukhlik: Dry the earthen lump! Take the flower out of the pot onto the newspapers, and change its “diapers” if it’s overflow, and I think it definitely is.
Elena: An additional reason is the lack of light - if there is little light, overwatering occurs faster, more often, since with a lack of light, the processes of photosynthesis and growth slow down, metabolism slows down and the need for moisture decreases, and you continue to water as if it was “working” in the light.
Yucca has a void in its trunk
Question: When replanting the yucca (due to waterlogged soil), I discovered a large void on the trunk under the bark. A month or a little more has passed, and now the lower leaves are turning yellow and at the same time new healthy leaves are appearing.
Irina-gorsh: If new leaves grow healthy, it means it is not bending. If the conditions for the yucca are normal (in short: cool in winter, more light, including sunlight, and infrequent watering), everything should be fine. In the future, if you are flooded, do not immediately grab the transplant, especially in winter. Depending on the root system, it is enough to take a stick selected according to the width (the thinner the better) and pierce it to the base of the pot in many places. The soil will dry out quickly and will “breathe” within a day. It’s another matter if the root system has already begun to bend, and external signs“there is something wrong” with the plant, then when replanting, remove the “dead” roots without touching the “live” ones and plant in another soil.
Question: I felt the trunk, well, it seemed to be hard near the ground, but in those places where the buds had died, it was not so soft, it seemed empty.
Berry: If the trunk is hard (even with an air gap) - not all is lost, the main thing is that there is no rot, that it is not soft. You need to provide it with good light and observe.
Natali: The bark of the yucca becomes looser or dries out due to changes in humidity, in this case the soil. If the soil is always evenly moist, then swelling will never occur; the bark fits tightly to the core of the stem. In one case, the bark will swell, if the yucca is heavily flooded, there is rot underneath and the plant dies. In another case, the bark begins to peel off, but the soil has time to dry out, rot does not form or dries out, the trunk develops, but the void remains. There is always an alternative - cut off the tops and root, grow a new plant.
Yucca - reproduction
Question: My yucca is dying from waterlogging of the soil, I’m trying to propagate it: I rooted two offspring in a pot (without roots), covered it with polyethylene. I don’t know if it’s possible to make cuttings from the trunk and also root them?
Anna: Simply place the cutting (cut off top) in a jar of water. Do not pour a lot of water so that the trunk is covered by no more than 1 cm, so as not to rot, and add water periodically (it evaporates). In a week, the yucca will have roots. Wait until small lateral roots of about 3-4 cm grow and plant in the ground. The main thing is, don’t overfill it in the future. But in winter, yucca needs additional lighting to root!
Alice: Yucca propagates vegetatively quite easily, but only if it is light and warm, and the biorhythms of the plant are on the rise. Try not to just prune your yucca in autumn or winter, best time for breeding - from late January to June. It is also possible in July, if there is no heat. If the temperature is above 27C, this is also not good; the cuttings will not have enough strength to absorb moisture due to rapid evaporation by the leaves. Therefore, if you cut a large branch of yucca for rooting, you need to tear off some of the leaves, leaving 4-5 at most.
How to save yucca
Question: I flooded the yucca and it began to rot. How can you save what is left?
Veta: If the roots are rotten, then just try to re-root the top.
Freya: In any case, remove it from the pot immediately! If there is at least something left of the roots, cut off all the rotten ones, sprinkle the living remains with charcoal, dry them, plant them in suitable soil, and drain them well. The soil for planting is dry, do not water immediately. On the second day, water (not too much) with water containing heteroauxin or zircon. Cover with a bag (only fix the bag on the stem, not the pot!) If the roots have all rotted, try to root the top, as mentioned above.
Question: Yucca leans heavily to the side and has to be propped up with a stick. I thought the roots had rotted, but I don’t know. Moreover, its bark does not fit tightly around the trunk. But new leaves appear normally.
irina-bahus: If you don’t like the tilt at all, try tying it to a stick and gradually straightening it. But first, look at the barrel. It should be solid. You need to really water the yucca carefully, and under no circumstances overwater it. It's better to let it sit dry. It is not necessary to spray it. But if the soil is wet, you can remove it from the pot, dry the soil a little and put it back. At the same time you will see the roots.
The tips of the yucca leaves dry out
Question: The ends of the yucca leaves dry out, this is due to lack of moisture, right?
svPooPs: Dry ends - lack of moisture only if it is hotter than 26 degrees. Then you can and even need to spray once a day. But I spray mine much less often and she doesn’t complain. The main thing is not to flood it. Water once every 1.5-2 weeks to ensure the soil dries out. Dry leaves at the bottom are normal. But there are dry ends from overfeeding with fertilizers, if the soil has become alkaline (that is, hard water and fertilizers), and if the leaves hang over the battery, from which hot air comes.
Question: In a year and a half, my yucca grew by only 1-2 leaves. And they write that she fast growing plant, and some produce up to 2-3 new leaves per week! What am I doing wrong?
IrinaP: One of the reasons is the small pot. After purchasing a plant, have a good habit of not waiting too long to replant, a maximum of two weeks. Shop land is not the best best soil for yucca, peat is very hygroscopic. Systematic waterlogging of yucca goes unnoticed for the time being, the plant simply fights with all its might to prevent the roots from rotting and the growth of an insufficiently powerful healthy root mass. Make up your soil: take garden soil (calcine it in the oven), add coconut substrate and, for looseness, about a fifth of the volume of the pot. Yucca needs to be watered once every 1-1.5 weeks (approximately).
Ferret: If the yucca sits in a small pot, it needs to be watered every day, but the soil should have time to dry out. These are in large pots and watered once a week. But there is no need to delay replanting; after purchasing, replant in a week! And feed after transplantation in 2-3 weeks. But don't overdo it.
irina-bahus: In general, it is believed that yucca loves free pots. In any case, its root system is very powerful. But another reason for the slow growth of yucca is lack of light. This is a southern plant; in addition to feeding from the pot, it needs good light.
Yucca - leaves turn yellow
Question: The leaves of the yucca are turning yellow - at first the leaves began to lose color and became very light. They don’t dry out, don’t get wet - nothing, they grow as usual, only very light in the rosette. I haven’t changed the place - it’s been standing on the north window, without sunlight on it for five years now. And only now it is getting brighter.
Natali: Option two:
- The first is the lack of light. At first the yucca was small, and there was enough lighting for the entire bush. Over the course of five years, she grew up, stretched out in height, and there was not enough lighting for her. The best way To confirm this, move it to a bright place; the leaves darken and grow larger in just a week.
- Second - if the leaves lighten from the inside of the rosette, and with yellowness, perhaps it is being flooded - dig up the soil and try to determine the moisture content of the soil inside the pot; by the next watering it should be dry.
Leah: And my yucca turned yellow in the shade, it stood in the far corner of the room, and as soon as it was moved to the windowsill, the lightening stopped, and it turned green again. I have a south side, although the balcony is glazed, but it is still very bright, and all summer it stands on the balcony with light shading, growing and making me happy.
Question: The young leaves of the yucca turn yellow, first one, then dry up, and then the whole shoot. It stands 2 meters from my window (in the summer glassed balcony), I water it as it dries (every other day in summer). I fertilize rarely, about once a month (Pokon green generator, I think). The pot is approximately 25 cm in diameter, the trunk is about a meter high. All the young shoots that were there when purchased have already fallen off. There was one left on the large trunk and one on the small one. But new little ones don't come out. When replanting in the spring, I discovered that the trunk was deeply buried in the ground (7-8 cm), I dug it up a little. Now she leans over and doesn't hold well in the potty. Maybe this is the case and we need to bury it back?
Freya: The southeast is good, but 2 meters from the window is a lot, there is no additional lighting at all rare plant It will feel good, but yucca is clearly not one of them - it is not a “lower floor” plant that is content with what it gets. As a representative of rather arid regions, it is accustomed to growing in direct sunlight. To begin with, move it closer to the window, if not on the windowsill, then as close as possible! It may simply not “pull out” young shoots due to lack of nutrition, caused, of course, by lack of light.
Natali: Yucca should be on the south window. It doesn’t have enough light, which is why the leaves turn yellow, but most likely you have not one reason, but two - also constant waterlogging. The trunk can be buried in the ground, but to prevent rotting, dig it out of the ground, and to prevent the trunk from tilting or falling, tie a support. One important point: Yucca on healthy strong roots will never collapse or fall. If it tends, the roots are weak, they were flooded, there are not enough of them. You can temporarily press the trunk with a couple of stones, but the main thing is to create conditions for the growth of new roots, which will support the trunk themselves.
How to water yucca
Question: The yucca leaves have turned light green and are drooping and withering. Stands on the floor near the balcony on the south side. I spray 3-4 times a week, I water rarely, because... I'm afraid to fill it again, about once every 2 weeks. I recently fed it. The trunk is solid.
Natali: There is a catastrophic lack of light, if you don’t move it to a sunnier place, it will die like a freak. Watering may be too infrequent.
irina-bahus: Is watering once every two weeks not enough? It is better to navigate not by the number of days, but by the condition of the earth. I water when the soil on top dries out (well, at least once a week). You can also measure the acidity of the soil - suddenly it is sour, sometimes the lightening of the leaves indicates that it is necessary to spray with iron chelate. And one more thing: under balcony door It's usually drafty, maybe put it on the windowsill for now?
Natali: To resolve the dispute - whether to water a lot or a little, I will say right away that it depends primarily on the density, porosity and moisture capacity of the soil, as well as on whether there is a lot of free soil or roots in the pot. You need to adapt to your microclimate in the apartment and the ability of “your” soil to absorb and evaporate water. Even if two plants were planted in the ground from the same bag, the watering would still be different. Some people have a larger pot or drainage holes, others have a higher temperature in the room, more leaf mass (evaporating surface), etc.
If the roots occupy more space in the pot than the free soil, then you need to water more abundantly than if the roots occupy only a small space in the pot. And of course, for plants that do not tolerate overwatering, the soil should be checked not from above, but in the depths of the pot. Just to the depth of a finger - i.e. approximately 10-12 cm, if it is wet, do not water! Since this is technically difficult to do, I suggest determining by the weight of the pot - just remember how much it weighs approximately when the soil inside is dry.
And you also need to distinguish dying leaves:
- if they just wilt, it’s most likely due to waterlogging,
- if they curl lengthwise like a tube, then there is either not enough moisture or light.
Yucca easily tolerates fairly dry air, but will get sick if it does not have enough light. Never spare light for it - feel free to place additional lamps in the fall and winter, and in the summer on the south window. When lighting decreases in the fall, the need for watering is also sharply reduced. Everything is so subtly connected that experience comes not over months, but over years. Forget about fertilizers altogether if you are new to floriculture, just replant annually. There are as many holes at the bottom of the pot as possible, drainage of at least 2 cm. Measuring acidity will most likely not give you anything, since yucca is not as demanding of it as, for example, gardenia or azaleas, and the soil composition for palm trees is quite suitable in composition. But there is no need to allow the formation of salt deposits on the soil surface.
Yucca from the store, what to do next
Question: 2 months ago they gave me a yucca, I was afraid to replant it in winter. The leaves began to turn yellow, and not the lower ones, but as needed. They turn yellow and then dry out. Recently transplanted. The root system was good, not flooded, not overdried, only the roots were intertwined: it was cramped for him. What with her?
Elena: Yucca is very light-loving and the leaves may turn yellow due to lack of light. Therefore, after purchase, yucca needs to be determined by permanent place on a sunny windowsill, but give it the first two weeks to adapt: do not replant and shade from the hot sun at midday. When the yucca adapts to your microclimate (combination of temperature, air humidity, lighting), you need to transfer it (without disturbing the roots) into a larger pot, always with drainage at the bottom. And again leave it alone for a month and a half, only then can you start feeding. All this time, keep an eye on the plant; after all, you can bring pests and diseases from the store. If there are any stains, pour phytosporin several times. While it is still adapting, you can spray it with stimulants and growth regulators.
irina-bahus: It could also be an adaptation. Young yucca leaves are always more light green than old ones; they then turn dark green. Now, when there is little light, it is better to place it on the windowsill, in the most illuminated place. And water less often, and it’s also good to loosen the soil so that the roots have air. And, of course, two days is not enough time to draw conclusions; we need to observe. By the way, those sheets that have begun to turn yellow will still dry out, so you don’t have to react so sharply to this.
How to increase a plant's resistance to stress? What to do if problems could not be avoided? How to recognize approaching trouble? Let's talk about everything in order.
A healthy yucca is distinguished by a strong trunk, bright and juicy foliage, and excellent shoot turgor
The evergreen indoor yucca is endemic to Central America, a region with a hot and dry climate. This could not but affect the formation of the annual cycle of its life activity, one of the stages of which is a period of pronounced dormancy.
When the plant goes into “sleep,” which occurs around the end of October and lasts until February–March, it sharply reduces its consumption of moisture and nutrients and stops growing. Accordingly, the watering and fertilizing regime needs to be adjusted. What if you don't do this? With a high degree of probability, diseases will not be long in coming, and yucca will already need not only preventive measures, but also their treatment.
The health of yucca is determined by a combination of factors such as light, humidity, and temperature. What should they be like during the rest period?
- There should be a lot of light. If in summer yucca is recommended to receive diffused sunlight and keep it at some distance from the window, then by winter the pots can be moved closer to the light source, for example, as in the photo below.
- The optimal winter temperature is 10–14° C. It is undesirable for it to fall below 8° C or rise above 25° C.
- Watering is reduced to 1-2 times a month.
- Feeding is suspended until spring.
It happens that it is not possible to lower the temperature to optimal parameters. In this case, the earthen ball will dry out faster, and you can water the plant a little more often.
But the most great harm Yucca is brought on by a combination of low temperature (for example, the pot is on a cold windowsill) and excessive watering. Mold and pathogenic bacteria will 100% settle in wet, cold soil. And further. Yucca is very afraid of drafts.
By the way, if the “palm tree” is transplanted during this period, it will probably get sick. Dormant roots will not be able to absorb the increased volume of soil and moisture, and this is a direct path to fungal infections.
Common Yucca Diseases
Most diseases of yucca are associated with improper maintenance - waterlogging of the soil, depletion of the soil mixture, and, consequently, weakening of the plant's immunity. But it happens that the infection enters from the outside, for example, with the substrate or other indoor flowers. What problems most often arise with palm trees?
Fungal infections affecting the crown
Several groups of fungi manifest themselves by infecting yucca leaves. All sorts of spots, yellowing, and sores appear on them. If you don’t catch it in time, the spots increase, merge, and eventually the leaves dry out and the plant itself droops. We’ll tell you how to revive it at home using the example of several diseases.
Cercospora is an infection caused by a fungal pathogen (Cercospora)
A favorable environment for this fungus is high humidity. It occurs due to constant overflows, as well as when the grower gets carried away with spraying plants. Round spots of light brown color with a dark border appear on the leaves, which gradually grow, affecting new areas.
Having noticed the disease, first of all remove the affected leaves as much as possible.
Then treat with a systemic fungicide, first a “light” one (Fundazol, Topaz). The number of sprayings is 2–3 times with an interval of 10 days.
And, of course, it is necessary to eliminate the factors that led to the yucca disease - dry the earthen ball, reduce watering, stop spraying the crown.
Brown spot
The causes of the lesion are similar to the previous disease, but are caused by a fungus of a different group. It primarily affects the lower (old) leaves. First, discolored areas appear, then they turn yellow, and after 3–4 months they become brown. At this time, you can notice fungal spores located in the center of the spots.
Control measures are the same as for cercospora. If the disease has progressed, you can use a stronger fungicide, for example, Ridomil Gold.
Leaf marginal necrosis
This fungal infection is diagnosed by gray-brown spots affecting the edges of the leaf blade. Sometimes the spot can be “wet” and have a pronounced concentric shape.
If the speck is small, the sheet can not be removed, but only the diseased area can be cut out, capturing part of the healthy tissue. To disinfect the wound, treat the edges with crushed activated carbon.
After the “operation”, spray the yucca with a fungicide solution.
Fusarium rot
This is a dangerous fungal infection that leads to leaf rot. They are usually affected at the base and rot completely.
To combat fusarium fungus, systemic fungicides are used, such as Fundazol, Previkur, Profit. If the damage is severe, it is better to throw away the plant along with the pot.
To ensure effective control of diseases and pests, the crown, trunk and, of course, the soil are sprayed. Sometimes it is recommended to remove the top layer of substrate contaminated with fungal spores or insect larvae. In case of fungal diseases, to be on the safe side, the plant is not only sprayed, but also watered several times with a weak solution of fungicide.
The photo shows a yucca affected by cercospora blight. Stem rot
If the loss of leaves is a temporary problem, new ones will grow after treatment, then everything is not so simple with the trunk. This is the main artery through which food flows; if it dies, the yucca will also die.
The trunk affected by rot becomes soft, brown ulcers appear on it, from which a watery substance oozes.
Only surgical intervention can save the plant. We definitely cut out the softened part of the trunk to healthy tissue. Further actions depend on what is left of the palm tree.
If this is the top, the cut is dried, treated with a growth stimulator (according to the instructions) and tried to root. This can be done in water or in a light substrate of peat and perlite.
Living root with part of the trunk? Wonderful! Treat the cut with activated or crushed charcoal and place in a bright, warm place. Apply Carbendazim fungicide solution to kill fungus in the soil. If everything is in order, the yucca will expel the shoots from the axillary buds.
You can try to germinate healthy fragments of the yucca trunk in the substrate by burying them flat Problems with roots
Often on forums you can “hear” the cry of the soul: “Yucca is dying, what to do?” Moreover, outwardly everything looks normal - no obvious diseases, no pests, but the plant is withering away. In such situations, the problem is most likely in the roots.
Root rot is a nightmare for succulents, which includes yucca. You can see it only when replanting the plant. Therefore, if you see that the plant is withering for no apparent reason, try to carefully remove it from the pot and inspect the roots. If they are dark and soft, this is root rot. Whether it will be possible to revive the yucca depends on the extent of the damage.
- If the roots have rotted completely, all that remains is to throw away the flower.
- Less than a third of diseased roots? Cut off anything suspicious and transplant the yucca into a new container with fresh substrate. After planting, water it with a fungicide solution and send the “sick” one to a warm and bright place.
- If more than half of the roots are damaged, but not all, you can try to save the plant. They need to be washed under the tap, and then all soft and darkened pieces should be cut off. Next, we plant, water with a fungicide solution, and place in the light. We are waiting for the result.
The reanimated plant should not be watered until you are sure that it has taken root and has begun to grow.
Healthy roots – light and elastic Yucca doesn't bloom
Some gardeners are concerned about the question of why yucca does not bloom; they even tend to attribute the problem to illness or improper maintenance. This is not entirely true.
The fact is that yucca almost never blooms in captivity. This is due to the fact that the conditions of its maintenance are far from the natural environment, the dormant period is relative, which means that the flower buds do not have time to ripen. And in natural conditions only adult “palm trees” bloom. Therefore, if the yucca is more than 10 years old and you provide it with peace in winter, there is a chance, although small, that it will throw out inflorescences with beautiful white bells.
If you want to see yucca bloom, grow garden varieties plants You need to know the enemy by sight
In addition to diseases, some insects are enemies of yucca. Pests rarely attack a plant with strong immunity, but diseased, depleted specimens often become their target. Let's consider who can live with your pet.
Mealybug
It most often affects a palm tree in the off-season, when the plant experiences stress from changes temperature regime. Externally, mealybugs look like small cotton balls; if you crush the fluffy ball, bloody discharge appears. Its harm is enormous, since it sucks juice from leaves and branches and multiplies very quickly.
If you notice a mealybug infestation, thoroughly wipe the yucca leaves with a sponge dipped in warm, soapy water, removing all visible traces of the pest. After this, treat the plant with an insecticide (Aktara, Calypso, Fitoverm, etc.). The procedure must be repeated 3-4 times with an interval of 7-10 days.
Shchitovka
Another dangerous enemy Yucca - scale insect. A tiny insect, similar to a small turtle, is generally mistaken by some for a growth on the leaves, since it is motionless. Having firmly attached itself to a leaf blade or cutting, the scale insect sucks out the juices of the plant. First sign dangerous neighborhood– sticky shiny discharge.
Not only the scale insect itself harms the flower, but also the sticky substance. It clogs the pores of living tissue, creating favorable conditions for fungal infections.
The “shell” of the scale insect is so dense that it is difficult to kill it even with chemicals. Adults must be removed first mechanically– a swab moistened with concentrated soap solution or vodka, clean the leaves and stems of brown “growths”. Remove the top layer of soil.
After this, treat the plant with an insecticide. As with mealybug, repeat the procedure at least 3 times.
Spider mite
Can settle on weakened plants spider mite. First, light “grains” appear on the back of the sheet, and then a thin web appears.
In addition to diseases and pests, there may be other reasons why yucca leaves turn yellow -.
To increase the plant’s resistance to stress, do not neglect feeding in the summer - a balanced diet will help build strong immunity. In winter, give the yucca a rest and gain strength for the new season. Proper care– the best prevention of diseases.
A video about caring for yucca will help you avoid many problems.
