Yucca palm care at home, propagation and pruning, replanting of yucca, photo species. Yucca - care at home Yucca flower how to care at home

Yucca is a truly unique plant. Not only does it bring beauty and freshness to the home, but it is also a very multifunctional plant. In addition to the listed, fairly standard properties, yucca can be used for food and in technical production.

She is very unpretentious in care, but you still have to make an effort to get a decent result. Yucca itself comes from North America; few people know about the fact that the first jeans contained fibers from this amazing plant.

Yucca will easily fit into the interior of any home and you will be amazed at how harmoniously it turns out.

You will learn further about how to choose a suitable variety, care for it and much more.

Description of Yucca

Yucca (lat. Yucca)– perennial tree-like plants native to the subtropical zone of North America; It belongs to the agave family and has up to forty species. In the homeland of yucca (Yucca), it is used in various fields. Juice with a high sugar content is obtained from cut yucca flowers.

• Yucca filamentosa produces very strong fibers, from which the first jeans were made, even before the use of cotton.
• Although in the USA, yucca fibers are still added to jeans to this day, which makes them more durable and resistant to wear.
• In addition, paper and rope are made from yucca fibers, and in addition it is used for medicinal purposes.

Yucca- These are evergreen plants with a low stem that either does not branch at all or branches slightly. In some species, the stem is practically invisible, and large, beautiful leaves arranged in a spiral rise immediately above the ground.

The inflorescences are erect, large, up to 2 m long, emerge from the center of the rosette of leaves and look like panicles. Drooping flowers (up to 7 cm long) are bell-shaped and white in color. The 10-centimeter fruit is a box with black seeds (up to 1 cm in diameter).

In indoor conditions, it is best to place yucca in spacious rooms or a hall, because it grows up to 4 m in height. Externally, yucca looks like a false palm.

Homemade yucca will bloom with white flowers that look like bells, but this will not happen soon, because flowering is possible only in adult specimens.

Indoor yucca is very often used to decorate the interior, and specimens with several growth points - in which the trunk branches - are of particular value.

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Types of Yucca domestica

Yucca indoors.

Indoor yucca is grown as an ornamental plant, and it can also be used for medicinal purposes. The plant is similar to a palm tree, its height can reach 4 m, so it is suitable for placement in large halls.

• Planting this type of yucca requires a deep pot with good drainage.
• In summer, yucca is taken out into the open air, in winter it is kept indoors with a cool air temperature and sufficiently bright lighting.
• Indoor yucca will bloom with white flowers after many years.
• It has green, slightly bluish, sword-shaped, linear leaves, collected in a bunch at the top of the trunk.

An incredibly beautiful decorative yucca decorates a flowerbed with its sharp evergreen leaves in the shape of a sword, and during flowering it attracts with a tall peduncle with large white bells.

It can be grown in pots without much difficulty, where it looks very impressive. Young specimens of three years of age are placed in three-liter pots; for an older representative of the agave genus, a ten-liter container is suitable.

Yucca aloefolia.

This is the most popular yucca among amateur plant growers. Its main difference from other species is that it does not have side shoots.

On its tree-like trunk, planted with notches left over from fallen leaves, grow rather hard, green leaves with a bluish tint, collected in the form of two or three sparse rosettes.

They are very sharp, you can even cut yourself on them, so it is better not to keep such plants in places where people move. When choosing this species, you must follow the correct watering regime, and then you will be able to grow a healthy and beautiful tree.

Yucca filamentosa.

The inhabitant of eastern North America takes root well at home because it is resistant to pests and tolerates heat and drought well.

This is a stemless plant with bluish-green leaves with a pointed apex, with edges covered with numerous white, thin, curling threads.

A flower panicle, composed of yellowish-white, drooping flowers, grows approximately 200 cm in height. The fruit has a round shape. The plant grows quickly and likes to produce shoots (stolons). Under the conditions of the botanical garden, breeders managed to obtain several varieties of this species.

Yucca elephant.

This is the most interesting species, its height reaches 10 m. An amazing plant, caring for which consists of following some simple rules, is widely used in industry and medicine.

Rope is made from strong fibers, and the juice of the leaves of the plant is used as a basis for some hormonal preparations.

The native places of growth of this indoor plant are Mexico and Guatemala. The imported stems are cut into fragments, planted in flower pots, they can be bought at any flower shop.

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The soil

This plant needs soil whose acidity ranges from 5.7-7.4 pH. It is difficult for yucca to absorb many microelements from alkaline soils. There are two soil recipes for this representative of palm trees.

To prepare the first mixture, you need to mix one part each of compost, sand (perlite), turf soil, and humus. To prepare the substrate according to the second recipe, you need to mix one part of pebbles or dolomite crushed stone (fraction 1.2 cm), pine bark (2 cm), coarse peat, coarse perlite, charcoal (1 cm), pumice, and 0.1 parts of bone meal.

This composition ensures very good water drainage and prevents soil salinization. It is better to use slowly dissolving granular fertilizers as a fertilizer for yucca. It is better to apply them once a year in the spring.

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Lighting

Yucca requires a lot of light and sun. The best place for it is windows facing south, southeast and southwest.

• Good lighting is especially important for young plants to ensure their proper formation. Wherein young plants are more sensitive to sunlight than adults, so in the hottest time they need to be shaded or moved away from the window.
• Lack of light has a detrimental effect on the plant. The shoots stretch out and bend unsightly. The leaves become thinner, turn pale, begin to turn yellow and fall off. The plant becomes weakened and pests, such as mealybugs or spider mites, may appear on it.

Yucca needs enough light in winter too, therefore, during this period it is advisable to organize additional artificial lighting for the plant, increasing the daylight hours to 16 hours a day.

Temperature

During the growing season (from March to September), the comfortable temperature for yucca is 20-24 degrees. In hotter conditions, increased air humidity is necessary (spraying, placing on a tray with wet expanded clay). The higher the air temperature, the higher its humidity should be..

• The problem when caring for yucca at home is the need to keep the plant cool in the winter (from October to February), at a temperature of 8-10 degrees Celsius.
• It’s good if the house has a suitable room, for example, a heated loggia, where you can place the yucca at this time.
• If not, then place the pot on the windowsill, moving it closer to the glass, and periodically open the window slightly, and if the design of the windows allows, open the doors for winter ventilation.

It must be remembered that yucca tolerates sudden changes in temperature and drafts painfully and sometimes dies from this.

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How to water yucca?

The answer to this question is given by yucca itself. The size and age of the plant, the type of pot and soil, and the time of year affect the frequency and volume of watering.

On average, you need to water a flower once a week. Leaves and soil serve as watering indicators. Leaves bent down in an arched manner indicate that the plant does not yet require watering.

The leaves begin to curl into a tube around the center line, and the ground becomes dry by 5-7 cm - the yucca needs to be watered. Timely watering can be abundant, but the water must be completely absorbed and not flow into the pan.

• If the air in the room is dry in winter or the plant is taken out into the open air in summer, then it can be sprayed about every other day.
• The flower drinks water through its leaves and drops of moisture imitate dew and its natural habitat for it. In any case, sensitive leaves should occasionally be carefully wiped to remove dust.
• Feed the plant only with settled water at room temperature.

Do not allow excess moisture in the soil. Increased soil moisture can lead to disease in the form of grayish-brown spots on the leaves. Diseased leaves will have to be removed, and the flower itself will have to be sprayed with a fungicide.

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Air humidity

Yucca does not require spraying the leaves, but sometimes it is necessary to wash it so that the plant does not become dusty and does not lose its attractiveness. In summer, outdoor rainfall is sufficient. If in winter the yucca is kept in a room with central heating, then it is advisable to spray it at least once a day.

• When yucca is sprayed in the sun, spots from sunburn may appear on its leaves.
• For better decorativeness, the plant must be washed from time to time in the shower or under running water, making sure that water does not get on the substrate (for example, cover the pot with polyethylene).
• The most common types of yucca in indoor floriculture - elephant yucca (Yucca elephantipes) and aloe yucca (Yucca aloifolia) - do not require spraying.
• Yucca does not require too much water. In summer, you can water yucca only once a week.

In winter, the number of waterings can be reduced to once every 10 days. In general, the basic rules for watering are as follows: From spring to autumn, the soil is constantly kept in a moderately moist state; it is better to dry out the plant a little rather than flood it.

In winter, the soil should be moistened from time to time, depending on the temperature. The frequency of watering yucca depends on many factors: the size and material of the pot, the size of the plant, the characteristics of the substrate, temperature and humidity.

In the warm season, yucca is watered abundantly - but only after the top layer of soil has dried to a depth of about 5 cm. In hot summers, yucca is watered more often; but do not forget that the soil in the pot should dry out between waterings. Yucca at home should be kept in a nutrient mixture. In this case, a thick layer of drainage should be poured onto the bottom of the pot.

Top dressing

Feeding: once every 2-3 weeks in spring and summer, with an interval of two to three weeks, with a diluted solution of mineral fertilizers. This plant responds well to feeding with infusion of mullein, horse manure, and leaf humus. The best results are obtained by foliar feeding (the leaves are sprayed from the underside with a solution of mineral fertilizer).

• You cannot feed the plant immediately after transplantation, or if the yucca is sick.
• In general, it should be taken into account that fertilizing is required only from May to September, i.e. during the period of rapid plant growth.

But in winter, the plant should not only be left alone, but also taken to a cooler room. The optimal temperature for wintering the plant will be 10°C.

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YUCCA TRANSPLANT

Replanting a houseplant is done once every two years. When a plant has more than one trunk, it needs to be replanted. And this manipulation is performed in this way:

1. The trunk is divided into several parts along with the root.
2. All cut areas are sprinkled with crushed activated carbon or covered with garden pitch.
3. Each sprout resulting from division is planted in a separate pot.

You can replant indoor yucca at any time of the year. But the most optimal time will be spring. The plant needs to be prepared for transplantation. To begin, cut off a third of the foliage and immerse the root in warm water for a couple of hours.

It is imperative to ensure that the root system is not damaged during replanting. Yucca loves vitamin supplements; they are applied directly to the new soil.

Important. If you follow all the rules of care and planting, a luxurious beauty will grow from a small yucca, which will become the most beautiful decoration of your home.

AFTER THE PURCHASE

When purchasing a plant, it is replanted within two days. A new pot for yucca is chosen a few centimeters larger than the old one.

• The best pots for the plant are considered to be clay or ceramic pots, due to their natural origin and drainage hole of a suitable size.
• Although containers made of plastic are also successfully used, after making an additional hole in them to drain excess water.
• This type of container is more affordable, and is no worse in use than clay ones.
• When the pot is chosen, planting begins.
• Drainage is poured into the bottom of the container, in the form of fine gravel or red brick broken into pieces.
• Then the prepared soil is poured over the drainage.
• It can be purchased at a specialty store or prepared with your own hands. The main thing is that there is sand.

Carefully remove the yucca from the old pot. The earthen lump present on the root cannot be removed. The plant is placed in a new pot and covered with substrate on the sides, compacting it with a spatula. The planted plant is watered abundantly.

Next, the pot with yucca is transferred to a dark place. And maintain a temperature regime of +25°C. For a week, the yucca is sprayed three times a day with water. After a week of adaptation, the flower is chosen to have a sunny corner indoors and moved to its permanent place of residence.

For compliance with all conditions, the yucca will thank the owner with luxurious beauty. And it will delight you for many years.

POT SIZE

Every time the time comes to transplant a yucca, you should be guided by one rule when choosing a pot. The old container fits freely in the new container. And in order not to make a mistake with the size, the ideal distance between the pots is no more than three centimeters in diameter.

Yucca grows slowly. And if you choose a larger pot, the plant’s growth will stop for a long period until the root system becomes denser. And first of all, the crown will suffer. After all, the root will take all the nutrients for itself for growth.

TRANSPLANTING YUCCA IN AUTUMN

As described above, indoor yucca can be replanted at any time of the year. But it is better not to replant in the fall, but to give the plant the opportunity to prepare for the rest period.

After all, planting it in a new pot will not give the yucca full sleep, but will force it to give up all its strength to take root in its new place of residence. This will lead to flower disease.

They have been replanting yucca since February. The main thing is to adhere to strict rules so that yucca pleases with its beauty and not with diseases.

As for garden plants. Such specimens are planted only in the spring in order to take root well and get used to new conditions.

Yucca cannot be planted in autumn. By frost, it will not have time to grow a root, and may die in frost. And even good insulation will not save it. The main thing for yucca is to observe a period of its slow adaptation to new conditions.

TRANSPLANTING GARDEN YUCCA

Garden yucca, after purchase, is immediately planted in a flowerbed. Choose a site with good lighting and protected from drafts. Planted early in the morning or in the evening, after sunset.

Dig a hole 60 cm deep and 80 cm wide for the young plant. The recess is made 10 cm larger if the plant is mature. The soil for planting is prepared in advance, for this you will need:

• fine gravel;
• sand;
• compost;
• black soil

All components are mixed in equal parts and moistened. Part of the substrate is poured into the prepared hole, where the yucca is placed and the rest of the soil is poured on top, compacting it with a shovel. Next, a small hole is made around the plant. Settled warm water is poured into it. In the first week after planting, the plant is sprayed daily.

Basically, garden yucca does not bloom in our latitudes. But sometimes exceptions happen. In the first year, the plant will not produce flowers; during this period, the yucca gets used to new conditions. The plant becomes ready for flowering in the third year.

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Yucca care in winter

Caring for yucca in winter is significantly different from summer care. Yucca is a light-loving plant and in winter, when there is insufficient light, it can lose its lower leaves.

So in winter you need to choose the most illuminated place in the apartment for it. Caring for yucca in winter is significantly different from summer care.

• It is necessary to water the plant only when adding the top layer of soil in the pot, but you should remember that yucca does not like excessive watering.
• The presence of excess moisture in the pot is completely detrimental to its root system.
• Often, excessive watering leads to rotting of the root system and death of the entire plant.
• Watering should only be done around the circumference of the pot, and when watering, you should avoid getting water into the outlet and between the trunks of the plant, as this can also lead to rotting of the trunks.

In winter, yucca does not need additional spraying and dry air is not harmful to it, although spraying itself does not cause any harm to the plant.

But spraying the plant in direct sunlight is highly undesirable; this can lead to burns on the leaves of the plant; when spraying, it is also necessary to ensure that water does not get inside the rosette of the plant, this can lead to its rotting and death.

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Reproduction methods

Why is the yucca flower propagated? Often in order to acquire a new copy of this beautiful plant or give it to someone.

You can also propagate elephant yucca, for example, to plant several plants of different sizes in one pot so that they create a very impressive composition in the form of several tiers of lush greenery.

It should be remembered that the soil for young yucca rooted using one of the methods described below can be made independently from: leaf soil (2 parts); turf land (2 parts); humus (1 part); sand (2 parts). You can also buy ready-made soil in the store.

It is important to provide the plant with good drainage at the bottom of the growing container, and also do not forget to add up to 30% coarse sand to the substrate. Experienced gardeners recommend propagating yucca using one of the following methods: suckers; rooting of the apex; stem cuttings; seeds; air layering.

Reproduction by offspring

With proper care, yucca can have children in the first year of life. Separating root or stem shoots from a false palm tree is even useful - for normal growth and development, you need to ensure that there are no more than five shoots on the plant at the same time.

The process of rooting children is as follows: it is advisable to sprinkle the cuts on the parent tree and on the offspring itself with crushed charcoal; separated offspring must be planted in containers with damp, clean sand, watered and covered with a glass jar or plastic bag; It doesn’t hurt to provide young plants with good humidity and a temperature of at least 20 °C.

It is very important to ventilate the “greenhouse” daily and water the plant as needed; root formation will occur in a period of approximately two months; When the yucca has taken root, you need to transplant it into a permanent pot with good soil and pieces of charcoal in it.

Reproduction by rooting the apex

Yucca does not really like to branch and therefore most often grows with one trunk. An adult plant that is well rooted and at least 30 cm high can be forced to branch. To do this, you need to perform the following steps.

In spring or at the very beginning of summer, it is necessary to cut off the top of the yucca, 5 to 10 cm long, with a sharp and clean knife or blade. It is best for the plant to do this during the growth of the moon. It is important to leave as many leaves as possible on the trunk of the yucca that continues to grow in the pot.

All cuts must be sprinkled with charcoal powder. The apical cutting needs to be kept in the air for two hours so that the cut dries out a little. Then you need to plant the cutting in damp sand or place it in cool boiled water.

• To prevent the cuttings from rotting, you can add a little charcoal to the water.
• If the lower leaves of the cutting are rotten, an unpleasant odor will spread.
• These leaves need to be removed and the water needs to be replaced with fresh water.
• It is very important that the stem of the cutting does not begin to rot, so when rooting in the ground you need to water it very moderately.

When the cuttings grow roots, you can plant it permanently. A plant with a cut off top will grow new shoots from awakened buds. Useful information about croton flower propagation will help make this process fun and effective. The unpretentious fern can be propagated vegetatively and by spores.

Propagation by stem cuttings

Yucca can be propagated by cuttings taken from part of the trunk cut from a healthy plant with a bare stem. Next, you need to perform the following manipulations: A piece of yucca trunk must be placed horizontally on the surface of wet sand or loose soil in a pot.

The cuttings do not need to be sprinkled with soil; you just need to press them lightly into the ground. After some time, the dormant buds of the trunk will become active and release new shoots, growing roots along the way. Next, you need to remove the trunk from the sand, divide it with a sharp and clean knife into parts according to the number of shoots, and sprinkle the sections with crushed charcoal.

You need to leave the shoots in the air for a while to dry them a little. Then each shoot must be planted in a separate container with soil. You can also purchase a piece of yucca stem from a flower shop.

To determine the top and bottom, as a rule, the top of the cutting is filled with wax, which must be removed after planting.

Rooting

• Such cuttings root very easily and quickly as follows: to begin with, a piece of stem should be placed with the lower end in a solution of a growth stimulator for two or three days; “Heteroauxin” is perfect for this;
• Next, you need to plant the cutting with its lower end in the ground, lowering it to a depth of 3 to 5 cm;
• the soil in a pot with rooting yucca should always be moist, but not wet; after the first leaves appear, watering should be reduced; Then the yucca should be watered as the earthen clod dries out.

If the cutting purchased at a flower shop is not marked with wax, it must be rooted according to the scheme described above, placing it horizontally on the ground, and then separating the resulting shoots.

Propagation by seeds

In indoor conditions, yucca, as a rule, does not bloom. To form flower buds, the plant needs a long, cold winter outside. However, if the gardener is lucky enough to receive seeds from a flowering plant or purchase them at a flower shop, you can grow yucca from them according to the following scheme.

• It is very important to ensure the freshness of the seeds.
• You need to soak them in warm water for a day.
• Next, you need to prepare a substrate from the following components: 1 part of leaf soil; 1 part of turf land; 1 part coarse sand.
• The container with seedlings must be covered with glass or a plastic bag to create optimal conditions for germination - humidity and heat.
• Every day you need to ventilate the seedlings and wipe the glass with a dry cloth. A month after sowing, you can wait for the first shoots to appear.

Reproduction by air layering

In case of rotting of the roots of an adult and tall indoor yucca, if there are healthy light and hard areas, you can grow new roots for it and propagate it in the following way:

• On the healthy part of the plant 10 cm above the rotten part and at least 60 cm below the top, you need to remove the bark around the trunk in a strip 0.5 cm wide.
• The cut area and the area slightly higher should be covered with damp sphagnum moss and tied with polyethylene on top.
• It is necessary to regularly moisten the moss from a sprayer.
• After two or three weeks, new roots will appear above the bark cut.

For the next two weeks, you need to continue to grow roots in the same conditions, constantly moistening the sphagnum. Next, you need to cut off the top of the yucca with new roots slightly below the place where the bark was removed.

Then you need to sprinkle the cut with charcoal, dry it a little and plant the cutting in a pot with fresh soil mixed with sand. As you can see, propagating yucca is not at all difficult and even exciting.

Caring flower growers who spare no time and some effort can get healthy and beautiful yucca and even use it to create spectacular compositions that are pleasing to the eye and uplifting.

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Pruning and forming a lush tree

Yucca is pruned before active growth begins in late winter - early spring. It is worth remembering that after this procedure the plant trunk stops its growth. Therefore, it would be advisable to prune the flower when its trunk is at least five centimeters thick.

• For this procedure, use a sharp knife, previously disinfected in alcohol. The cut is made as high as possible from the surface of the earth.
• In order not to damage the growing points, the crown with leaves must be cut off along the entire diameter of the trunk, without breaking off. The cut is treated with crushed activated carbon to avoid the problem of trunk rotting.
• The trimmed plant is placed in a place well lit by the sun and provided with systemic watering. A leafless plant should not be watered so often - 2 times a week.

After about 3-4 weeks, dormant buds near the cut will begin to wake up. There can be from 2 to 5 pieces. The flower will begin to actively increase the thickness of new trunks.

On plants with a trunk no thicker than five centimeters, it is recommended to leave two buds. If the trunk is thicker, five buds are left.

The cut top can be rooted in a container with a damp substrate. This way you can get another plant.

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Diseases of indoor Yucca

Description of palm pests and diseases

There are many insects that can damage a palm tree. For example, among them:

• thrips;
• caterpillars;
• spider mites;
• scale insects;
• aphids and the like.

The main mistake that can cause infection is overwatering. To revive a palm tree, it is enough to remove the cause that provokes a decrease in natural protection, and also urgently treat the plant using commercial insecticidal preparations. They are used strictly according to the instructions.

Name of the most common Yucca diseases:

• stem rot;
• botrytis mushroom;
• bacterial burn;
• brown spotting;
• gray spotting;
• root rot.

Treating Yucca palm diseases can be difficult, so it's best to put efforts into prevention. It is often recommended to immediately destroy diseased plants without wasting time on their restoration. The absence of problems is a sign of proper care. Under good conditions, the likelihood of disease occurring is almost zero.

The trunk is rotting

Due to oversaturation with moisture, the lower part of the stem often rots. If the plant is affected by stem rot, then the entire trunk becomes soft and covered with red ulcers. Treatment is impossible; usually the palm tree is destroyed.

White spots

Light spots can appear on the foliage from too much light.

• If white mycelium is visible on the stem or adjacent soil, this is a symptom of bacterial burn.
• These are fluffy small formations of white color.
• Then they become hard and dark brown.

Correct agricultural technology is the only preventive method.

Why do the leaves turn yellow and dry?

It has been noticed that as the palm tree grows older, it naturally gets rid of its leaves from below. This manifests itself in the fact that the lower leaves turn yellow. This yellowness is normal. The fact is that there are also painful spots - they are initially yellow oval.

Then they change. After the yellow ones, you can see brown spots on the Yucca and this indicates brown spotting. To cure a plant from brown spots, you need to use purchased products, but first you will have to organize care.

Many people are interested in why leaves turn yellow in winter. This is due to frequent watering, which the plant does not require at this time of year.

• There is also a problem: the leaves of the Yucca palm dry only at the bottom of the plant. Apparently she's going to dump them. In most cases this is the norm.
• You need to think about why indoor Yucca is drying out if the leaves above are also suffering, since this may be a sign of a lack of lighting and a too hot climate.
• Dryness may occur along with yellowness. When dryness affects only the leaves at the tips, you should increase the humidity of the palm's environment, as well as adjust the care in general.

Falling leaves

The only normal thing is that the leaves fall at the very bottom. When a plant loses other foliage, it indicates improper moisture conditions. We advise you to review the watering schedule and eliminate errors. If the roots are not dead, then the plant can be brought back to life.

No flowering

The palm tree usually does not bloom in apartment conditions, just as certain species of animals refuse to give birth to captive conditions. Flowering can be achieved if Yucca is grown in ideal conditions, where everything is calculated to the smallest detail. All surrounding data should be as close to nature as possible. Then, perhaps, the palm tree will give its owner flowers - wonderful panicles with bells.

So, let's summarize. Indoor Yucca loves temperatures from 8 to 20 degrees and grows comfortably in bright light and moderate watering. Prefers high air humidity and light, well-drained soil. We feed the palm tree in spring and summer, replant overgrown specimens, and propagate by stem cuttings. Flowering occurs rarely, so you can’t count on this miracle at home. That's all we wanted to tell you about the home palm tree, grow it for your health, it is very aesthetic and looks exotic in the apartment.

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Chemical composition and medicinal properties of yucca

The chemical composition of yucca is as follows:

• • steroid saponins– have antifungal properties, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic effects, anti-edematous effect, reduces cholesterol levels in the blood;
  • enzymes– take part in metabolism;
  • antioxidants– take part in metabolism, neutralize harmful substances in the body;
  • mucus– have an enveloping effect, a carrying effect, they are used for gastritis, ulcers, and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • anthraquinones– have anti-inflammatory, astringent and laxative effects on the body;
  • zinc– participates in the synthesis of proteins, enzymes, fats, increases the absorption of vitamin E in the body, regulates blood sugar levels, strengthens dental bone tissue, maintains healthy skin;

Vitamins

• selenium– has antioxidant properties, improves the absorption of vitamins E, C, protects nucleic acids from damage, and is beneficial for muscles and blood vessels. Increases immunity, helps in the fight against viruses, and in combination with iodine ensures normal functioning of the thyroid gland;
• vitamin A– participates in the synthesis of enzymes, sex hormones, rhodospin in the retina;
• vitamin C– improves immunity, participates in the synthesis of collagen, cartilage tissue and has antioxidant properties.

Yucca leaves contain large amounts of sapogenins and aglycones. In addition, they contain steroidal saponin in an amount of 1-2%; it is a stereoisomer of sarsapogenin.

Yucca flower extract contains zinc and selenium, steroid sapogenins, and carbohydrates.

The root of the plant has many saponins, which stimulates the production of cortisone in the body and is responsible for the anti-inflammatory qualities of the plant. The root also contains folic acid, vitamin E, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin K, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper.

Important! When grown indoors, yucca blooms extremely rarely. Therefore, when it becomes consistently very warm outside, it needs to be taken out into the fresh air. Over five years of observing this condition, the plant will accumulate the necessary substances to bloom.

How to prepare and store medicinal raw materials from yucca

• The yucca flower has medicinal properties, so different parts of it are harvested to later be used as raw materials for medicines.
• Yucca leaves have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. They must be harvested before and during the flowering of the plant.
• The cut leaves are laid out in a thin layer on the surface, leaving to dry in the sun. They need to be stored in a well-ventilated area.
• On an industrial scale, yucca harvesting is done mechanically. The collected leaves are dried on currents and stored in well-ventilated areas for up to 5 years.

Root

Yucca root has many beneficial substances, which is why it is also harvested. The root of an adult plant should be used to prepare medicine. When digging up roots, you must remember that they go 50-70 cm into the ground. You need to dig them as deep as possible so that the yucca root system is not damaged.

Yucca blooms in the 3rd year of its life. This occurs between late June and August. At this time, you can collect the flowers of the plant to harvest raw materials for medicine. Dried yucca flowers are stored in a ventilated area.

Did you know? In order for yucca to overwinter and survive, when cold weather sets in, you need to tie its leaves into a bunch. With this technique, the top will not freeze, and the leaves will not break under the wet snow. The roots of the plant go deep, so they are not afraid of either cold or heat.

The use of yucca in folk medicine for diseases

The range of effects of yucca on the body is very wide. This plant is used for the treatment of a large number of diseases: arthritis, gout, intestinal polyps, prostatitis, flatulence, low blood pressure, etc.

In folk medicine Yucca is used to combat problems such as dry itchy skin, eczema, psoriasis, neurodermatitis, lichen planus. For viral rashes, the juice of yucca leaves is effective.

Important! People suffering from urolithiasis and cholelithiasis are contraindicated to take medicines from yucca.

Inflammatory processes

Yucca is useful for inflammatory processes such as arthritis, arthrosis, gout, bursitis. For this purpose the following is used recipe:

• crushed yucca roots - 1 tablespoon;
• water – 500 ml.

The crushed roots are poured with water and boiled for 15 minutes. The decoction should be left for an hour, after which you should drink half a glass 3 times a day.

Eczema and psoriasis

To treat psoriasis, eczema and neurodermatitis, yucca should be taken according to the following recipes:

• fresh yucca leaves – 50 grams;
• water – 3-4 liters.

The leaves are poured with water and brought to a boil. After cooling, the decoction is applied in the form of lotions to the affected areas of the skin..

• Fresh yucca leaves – 10 grams;
• rendered lard – 100 grams.

Mix melted lard with leaves, heat the mixture in a water bath for 5-6 hours. Filter through cheesecloth and pour into a jar. After cooling, the ointment is applied to the affected areas of the skin.

Gastrointestinal tract

Yucca has a good effect on the body for peptic ulcers. For treatment apply leaves of the plant - 10 grams; they are filled with water - 500 ml. The mixture is brought to a boil. This decoction should be drunk 3 times a day.

In this way, peptic ulcers, gastritis, Crohn's disease, and intestinal inflammation can be cured.

Diabetes

With the help of yucca, diabetes is treated. Preparations containing extracts of this plant are sold in pharmacies. You can also prepare a decoction of yucca at home.

For the yucca decoction for diabetes mellitus you will need plant root and stem. You can also use flowers as they contain zinc.

Raw materials in the amount of 50 grams are poured with 3-4 liters of water, boiled and the broth is allowed to cool, after which it is taken orally.

Prostatitis

To get rid of prostatitis with the help of yucca, you will need to prepare mixture, which includes:

• crushed yucca roots;
• burdock;
• Aralia Manchurian;
• hydrangea.

Take 2 tablespoons of the mixture, add 500 ml of water, bring to a boil, and boil for 15 minutes. The decoction needs to be left for 1-1.5 hours and drunk 3 times a day, half a glass. Treatment lasts a month.

Use in cosmetology

Extracted from yucca extract, which has a healing, bactericidal effect. The flower extract of the plant is rich in zinc, selenium, and sapogenins, so it is added as an ingredient to some cosmetic products for skin and hair care.

How is yucca used in industry?

Yucca is used in light industry in the USA. Filamentous yucca is grown as a technical plant for the production of strong fibers. These fibers are added to cotton to make denim. Yucca fibers make jeans more durable.

• The fibers of this plant are also used in the production of ropes, brushes, fishing tackle, burlap and in the production of paper.
• Yucca leaves contain steroidal sapogenins, due to which the plant is used in the manufacture of hormonal corticosteroid drugs.
• There are diseases such as rheumatism, arthritis, and yucca, due to its pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, is used as a raw material in the latest drugs for the treatment of joints.
• It is also included in preparations for the treatment of skin diseases - fungi, acne and other lesions.

Thus, yucca is used in industrial medicine.

Another industrial use of the plant is A natural red dye is extracted from the root.

Contraindications for use

Yucca contains substances that break down into simple compounds that can cause harm to humans. One such connection is

Yucca- a beautiful evergreen plant with a tree-like stem from the Agave family. The family includes just over fifty species of these palm-shaped plants, but the varieties popular among our gardeners include 5-6 decorative indoor varieties and several garden ones. Despite the fact that domestic yucca is very reminiscent of a miniature palm tree, nevertheless it is absolutely not related to palm trees (as well as dracaena marginata, which is very similar in appearance to yucca). Lovers of indoor plants value yucca for its graceful trunk, on the top of which beautiful long leaves of bluish or dark green color grow.

Depending on the type of “miniature tree,” the narrow leaves can be either drooping or erect, and the tree-like stem can have several growth points and branch beautifully. The shape of the trunk and the degree of branching can be adjusted by annual pruning of the shoots. Caring for the unpretentious yucca at home does not cause difficulties even for novice gardeners, but it is important to strictly follow the few rules for growing this indoor plant, which we will discuss below. Photos of popular home species of yucca will help you choose the appropriate option for decorating a room or office space. Interior designers often choose yucca to create a composition along with such popular flowers as phalaenopsis orchid, house violets (Saintpaulia), gloxinia with bell flowers, decorative potted rose, European or Persian cyclamen.

Blooming yucca is a rather rare occurrence among similar indoor plants. Even if you organize the cultivation of this miniature tree at home according to all the rules, you will not be able to see yucca flowers very soon - usually flowering occurs no earlier than 5-7 years from the moment the plant is planted in the summer. Experienced gardeners stimulate the formation of flower buds by organizing a cold dormant period in winter (12-14°C), when the plant reaches the required age. Yucca flowers are collected in panicle inflorescences and look like small white bells.

Some dry-resistant indoor plants (for example, flowering Kalanchoe or homemade geranium pelargonium) get along well in one container with the elephant yucca (Yucca elephantipes) or the aloe yucca (Yucca aloifolia), which can be used to form an interesting composition in phytodesign living space.

- photo of species of yucca domestica -

In addition to the above-mentioned ivory and aloe-leaved domestic species of yucca, our country practices the cultivation of such varieties as Yucca whipplei with a crown of grayish-green leaves in the shape of a prickly ball, Yucca glauca with drooping long leaves on a short stem , as well as southern Yucca (Yucca australis) with densely spaced dark green leaves and a branched trunk. In open ground (in the garden or on a personal plot), you can grow filamentous yucca (Yucca filamentosa) with dark green leaves that form a rosette with lateral shoots.

♦ WHAT IS IMPORTANT!

Location and lighting.

It is advisable to place the yucca pot in a sunny place, well lit during the day. The most favorable location for this house plant is window sills or floor stands near a window on the east or west side of the room. If the yucca is placed next to a south-facing window, then be sure to shade the glass in the summer and on sunny spring days so that diffused light falls on the plant. In the autumn-winter period, yucca may lack natural light. Therefore, it is advisable to place fluorescent lamps next to the plant (at a distance of 50-60 cm) as additional lighting. If possible, place the pot with the plant on the balcony or near the house in the summer, slightly shading it from direct sunlight.

Temperature regime.

The optimal temperature in autumn and winter is 10-14°C. Problems can begin with the onset of the heating season - at temperatures above 16°C (especially in low or insufficient light), the leaves stretch out, become thinner, and turgor weakens. If possible, place the pot with the plant on a glassed-in balcony or install an air conditioner near the plant, and ventilate the room more often. Comfortable temperature for homemade yucca in summer is 18-25°C.

Air humidity.

The best option is a moderate level of humidity in the room (40-50%). But dry air will not harm the plant if you regularly spray the yucca with settled, boiled and warm water from a spray bottle. In summer, you can wash the leaves of the plant several times in the shower so that water does not get into the substrate. In hot weather, you can place a pot with a plant on a tray with wet river sand or expanded clay, and place a wide container of water nearby to increase the humidity level.

Watering.

In summer, yucca is watered abundantly after the top layer of soil (4-5 cm) has completely dried. It is important not to allow water to stagnate at the level of the earthen clod - immediately pour all excess water out of the pan. In the autumn-winter period, water the plant very rarely (once every 10-15 days). Yucca tolerates drought quite calmly, but overwatering can cause rotting of the root system, as well as damage to the plant by diseases and pests. Some novice gardeners use a special moisture indicator to determine the degree of drying of the soil layers.

Earth mixture and fertilizing.

You can prepare the soil mixture for your yucca yourself. If the plant is young (up to 4 years), then mix turf soil, leaf soil, coarse sand and humus in a ratio of 2:2:2:1. Mixture for planting an adult plant: turf soil, leaf soil, river sand in a ratio of 3:2:2.

For feeding, you can use diluted mineral fertilizers or prepare them yourself (for example, an infusion of horse or cow manure with leaf humus). You can additionally spray the leaf blades from the underside with diluted mineral fertilizers. In spring and summer, fertilizing is applied once every few weeks. It is not recommended to fertilize the soil in winter and autumn.

Transfer.

Homemade yucca is replanted as needed (given that the plant grows very slowly) in the spring approximately once every two years, except in emergency cases if the roots begin to rot severely. It is advisable to use the transshipment method when transplanting into a ceramic pot in order to keep the earthen ball intact. Carefully inspect the yucca root system and, if necessary, remove rotten roots.

Trimming.

With the help of pruning, you can significantly improve the appearance of the yucca, making it a “lush palm tree”, using the rudiments of new shoots to grow additional tops. It is desirable that the height of the plant be 60-70 cm and the diameter about 6 cm. The procedure is performed in March-April, watering abundantly a few days before. Use only sterile pruning tools and thoroughly disinfect the sharp knife with alcohol. We choose the place of the cut, retreating 7-8 cm from the lower leaves. We grab the leaves with our hands and sharply cut off the trunk in one movement. Then the cut area is sprinkled with crushed activated carbon. After a few weeks or earlier, apical buds (from 2 to 5 pieces) will appear in the upper part of the cut trunk. If the trunk thickness is less than 5 cm, then leave 2 buds and cut off the rest. And if the thickness is 6-8 cm, then we leave 4 buds, from which the tops with new leaves will grow.

Reproduction.

Yucca is propagated by seeds, stem sections and apical cuttings.

Cuttings. Usually done during pruning (to improve the decorative qualities of the plant). Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and sprinkle the cut area with crushed activated carbon. Within a few hours, the cut site will dry out and you can plant the cuttings in clean, damp sand. After 2-3 weeks, roots will appear and the sprout can be transplanted into the prepared substrate.

Sections of the trunk. In summer, cut (or saw off) several pieces (20-30 cm) from the trunk. Sprinkle the cut areas with crushed charcoal, and cover the cut areas on the parent plant with garden varnish. Pour a mixture of peat and clean river sand into a container, moisten it and plant parts of the trunk in the mixture (the cut point is in the substrate). Cover the container with film and maintain the temperature at 20-25°C. The substrate must be moistened regularly. After a month or more, roots will appear.

Seeds. Sow in a mixture of leaf soil, turf soil and sand in equal parts. Cover with a glass container. The earth mixture must be moistened regularly and ventilated daily. After about a month, sprouts will appear. A few months after the sprouts appear, we plant the seedlings in pots with prepared soil mixture.

♦ ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR BEGINNING FLOWER GROWERS:

Question: What should I do if the leaves curl and become too soft and lose their tone?
Answer: Typically this problem occurs due to the temperature being too low. In this case, you can place the pot of yucca away from the cold window.

Question: Why do the lower leaves of the yucca turn yellow and fall off?
Answer: This is normal during the growing season (spring-summer). In rare cases, the cause may be damage to the plant by pests (information about pests and diseases of yucca is below).

Question: Why do brown spots begin to appear on the outside of the leaves, while the leaves themselves dry out?
Answer: This often happens in the summer, if the air is too dry, the room is not often ventilated and watering is rare.

Question: What should I do if light spots appear on the outside of the yucca leaves?
Answer: Most likely, the leaf plates received sunburn. You need to shade the window glass a little and move the pot a little further from the window (especially if the windows are south).

♦ COMMON DISEASES AND PESTS:

Although Yucca is often called a palm tree, it belongs to the Agave family. It is used to decorate offices and studies as a “false palm”. A tree-like evergreen plant emphasizes style in the interior and adds solidity. People love to grow yucca for its exotic appearance, endurance and unpretentiousness. Flower growers call yucca the “tree of happiness” and believe that the tree can make the atmosphere in the house peaceful, calm and cozy.

Few people know that the fibers of this tree were used to make the first denim fabric. That is why the plant is sometimes called the “jeans tree.”

In nature, a flower can grow up to 12 meters, but at home most often it reaches no more than 2 meters. The yucca trunk can be single or branched. Elongated, pointed leaves cover both the branches and the trunk. The plant may bloom, but this rarely happens at home. Its flowers are white, large, and look like bells.

Yucca plant care pretty simple. At home, the flower grows under the scorching sun, so it should be placed near a south window, on a well-lit western or eastern window sill, or near it.

Daylight hours should last about 16 hours, which means that in winter the plant requires additional artificial lighting.

Yuccas grow slowly, so if you want to decorate your home or office with a large tree, you will have to buy it at a flower shop. However, keep in mind that adult plants are not cheap.

But since yucca requires almost no care, you can grow it yourself.

How to care for yucca at home?

1. Watering carry out only after the soil has dried well to a depth of 5-7 cm. Watering too frequently or a large volume of water for a small pot can lead to rotting of the roots. The first sign of this will be the dark ends of the leaves. A little more than one liter of water is needed to moisten five liters of soil.
2. Air humidity not important for the plant. Moreover, yucca prefers dry air. Therefore, there is no need to spray it.
3. Air temperature should be within +20C-+25C in summer, and not lower than +10C in winter. If the temperature is too cold and there are drafts, the roots will cool down and begin to rot.
4. Yucca fertilizer should be carried out from spring to autumn twice a month. It is recommended to use fertilizers for decorative deciduous plants, the solution of which should be twice as weak. Only healthy plants are fertilized, after transplantation of which at least two months have passed.
5. Transplanting yucca at home should be done in the spring. Since the flower grows slowly, this is done no more than once every two to four years. If the pot has become too small for the tree or you need to replant the purchased plant, then the soil for it is selected from equal parts of turf soil, compost, humus, perlite and sand. Water should pass through the prepared soil mixture quickly. If it lingers, then the land is not suitable for growing yucca palm.
6. Yucca in winter Grows best when kept in a cool room. In well-heated apartments and with short daylight hours, the plant weakens, its leaves droop, turn pale, become thin and fall off. If you can increase daylight hours with the help of artificial lighting, it is not always possible to make the room cool. In this case, the flower pot can be placed on an insulated glazed loggia, where the air temperature does not drop below +10C.

If the yucca trunk has become soft and there is a suspicion that the roots of the indoor plant are rotting, it is necessary to urgently replant it. Rotten roots are removed, the cut areas are sprinkled with crushed coal, and the plant is placed in new soil. There must be a good layer of drainage at the bottom of the pot.

How to propagate yucca?

Indoor palm tree can be propagated:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• parts of the trunk.

Yucca from seeds It will take a very long time to grow to a full-fledged tree, so it is preferable and faster to propagate it by cuttings or the trunk.

Propagation of yucca by cuttings - photo

Can be carried out from March to August. To do this you need:

1. Cut the cutting and dry it in the shade for about 12 hours.
2. The cutting should take root in perlite, into which it is stuck vertically to a depth of 3-4 cm.
3. At a temperature of 20-30C, diffused light and moist perlite, rooting will take from 3 to 4 weeks.
4. After this, the cutting with roots can be planted in a small pot.

Reproduction of yucca by trunk - photo

An adult tree, which has already become quite large, can be divided into several copies. To do this, use the top, which is cut off with a sharp knife, dried for several hours and its cut is powdered with crushed coal. Rooting should occur in boiled water. As soon as roots appear on the piece, it is planted in a container filled with soil.

You can also use the middle of the trunk for rooting. A small piece is placed horizontally in a pot of wet sand. In this case, you need to press it a little. After some time, shoots with roots will appear on the trunk. Between them, the trunk is cut into pieces, the sections are processed, and the sections are planted in separate containers.

There was only a stump left on our tree. But he can start a new life with proper care. To do this, its cut should be treated with coal, and watering should be reduced.

As a result, from one tree you will get several bushes of various sizes.

Diseases and pests of yucca

The fact that the plant is sick or has been attacked by pests is primarily indicated by changes on the leaves:

1. Gray spot reflected on the leaves as brown or gray circles. Treatment with antifungal agents and removal of damaged leaves is recommended.
2. Root rot , in which the roots suffer, cannot be treated.
3. Stem rotting may be caused by waterlogging, cold temperatures, or fungus. In this case, the rotten areas need to be cut off, and the sections on healthy stems should be treated with crushed coal.
4. Brown dry spots on leaves may indicate a fungal disease. It is necessary to reduce watering and cut off damaged leaves.

The most common insects found on yucca are spider mites or false scale insects:

1. Spider mite - This is a very small pest, which upon careful examination can be seen on the underside of the leaves. It feeds on their juice, which causes them to turn yellow, wither and die. Ticks do not like humid air. Therefore, the plant needs to be treated with insecticidal preparations and the air humidity around it must be increased.
2. After the appearance false shields leaves change color and dry out. The flower first stops growing and then dies. If a scale insect is detected, the leaves must be sprayed with Actellik.

Yucca can suffer not only due to pests or diseases, but also due to improper care.

What to do if the yucca turns yellow? Everything is possible, there is no reason to worry. As the plant grows and matures, its lower leaves fall off. This is a natural process. But if the yellow spots on the leaves turn brown or take on an elliptical shape, then the plant may have a fungal disease. It needs to be treated and attention to watering and room temperature. Drafts and too wet soil can lead to root rot, fungal diseases and plant death. Keep in mind that it is better to underfill yucca than to overfill it!

Light spots appear in low light conditions.

Curling leaf tips they say the room temperature is too low.

White spots - These are sunburns. The flower pot needs to be moved to partial shade.

Dry brown spots on leaves the tree is reported to need more frequent watering. The flower is watered rarely, but the earthen lump should not dry out completely.

Yucca leaves falling. After transplanting or changing the place of “residence” (after purchase), some of the leaves may fall off. If the leaves have drooped and fallen almost completely, the tree may be in a draft and its roots have become too cold. Leaves may also fall because the flower grows in soil that is always wet. In this case, the roots will begin to rot, the yucca’s trunk and shoots will become soft, the leaves will droop and begin to fall off. Remember! The soil should have time to dry out between waterings! If the room is cool, then watering should not be too frequent.

Yucca has a soft trunk - what to do?

Quite often, when growing yucca at home, gardeners are faced with the fact that the trunk of an indoor flower becomes soft. The reason for this problem lies in rotting roots. This means that the plant has been watered too often or too much, which the “false palm” does not like. It is also possible that the flower is in a draft.

What to do if the yucca’s trunk and shoots are rotting and the leaves have already begun to fall? The plant must be removed from the pot and the following procedures must be carried out:

1. Trim off the rotten roots, and sprinkle the remaining ones with charcoal (you can use crushed charcoal tablets). Also trim and cover all rotting parts of the trunk.
2. Place the plant in the shade for a while to let the roots dry.
3. Plant the plant in dry soil that is suitable for yucca.
4. On the second day, water the tree with a small amount of Zircon or Heterouxin solution.
5. Cover the top of the plant with a bag, which is tied to the trunk.
6. Water the yucca only after the soil has dried, and do not place it in a draft.

If the roots of the yucca have rotted completely, then it can be propagated by apical cuttings or part of the trunk. That is, that part of the plant that is not yet damaged. We wrote above about the propagation of yucca.

All of the above problems, diseases and even pests appear as a result of improper plant care. The exotic appearance of yucca will delight you for a long time only with proper care and maintenance conditions. Moreover, caring for the “false palm tree” is not at all difficult.

In the southern regions, yucca, a native of Central America, can grow in open ground, but in the middle zone 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, established in its homeland.

In nature, yucca is a fully or partially leafy, large shrub. If the plant's foliage from the lower tiers dries out and falls off, the yucca is very reminiscent of a palm tree with a bare, woody trunk and a bunch of hard leaves at the top. However, it is incorrect to consider this culture, which belongs to the agave family, to be a palm tree.

Yucca has dense, pointed lanceolate leaves that stick out in different directions or slightly drooping. The edges of the leaf blades are covered with long, stiff 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 indoor yucca, as in the photo, the leaves can be not only green, but variegated, decorated with bright yellow or white stripes.

With such a harsh appearance, characteristic of desert and semi-desert plants, yucca blooms amazingly beautifully, throwing out powerful vertical flower stalks strewn with a mass of buds. The flowers resemble white, yellowish or pinkish bells.

Getting into the house as a fairly small plant, in a few years yucca turns into a large bush or tree that requires special treatment and care.

How to care for yucca in order to maintain its compact shape and small size suitable for the room? What needs to be done to make the plant feel like it is in its homeland?

Features of caring for yucca at home

Varieties that are most often grown as indoor plants are those that are naturally accustomed to an arid climate and plenty of sun. Such specimens withstand temperature fluctuations, are not afraid of dry indoor air, and are unpretentious to the composition of the soil.

And yet, even such a hardy plant has weaknesses. For yucca, the main danger is excessive, especially in combination with cold indoor air.

If you doubt whether you need to water your yucca, it is better for the gardener to postpone the procedure for a day or two. The plant will tolerate short-term thirst without any problems, but will immediately let you know about excess moisture.

The frequency of watering and the volume of irrigation moisture depends on:

• depending on 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;
• on the size of the indoor yucca flower, 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 moistened frequently and abundantly as the substrate dries to a depth of 2–5 cm. Then watering becomes less frequent and sparing. The colder the room, the less water the plant consumes. Therefore, caring for yucca at home is constantly being adjusted. Irrigation moisture should not penetrate inside the leaf rosette. It is better not to pour water between trunks growing closely in the same pot. In both cases, there is a risk of rotting, which threatens the loss of the flower.

Watering is combined with, which is carried out from spring until autumn. It is especially important to support the plant during the flowering period.

Yucca is not afraid of dry air, but to keep the leaves clean and improve their breathing in hot weather, the crown can be wiped with a damp, well-wrung-out cloth. To avoid burns, after this procedure the yucca should not be exposed to the sun. It is more correct to “wash” the flower in the evening, since the crown will dry well overnight.

Yucca loves light and warmth, but does not tolerate cold winds and drafts. To make it easier to care for the flower at home, find a place for the yucca on a south window.

Large specimens are placed near the window. Plants also like this kind of partial shade. The main thing is that direct sunlight hits the crown for at least three hours a day, and the plant does not suffer from excessive dampness. In summer, the pot is taken out onto 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 indoor yucca taken out into the fresh air, as in the photo, a temperature of about 18–25 °C will be acceptable. But as night temperatures drop to 12–16 °C, it is better to return the pot to the house. The minimum permissible temperature for this crop is +8 °C.

How to replant yucca at home?

Transplanting yucca, as well as other indoor crops, is a serious stress. Therefore, it is worth carrying out this procedure in two cases:

• when the root system has grown so much that it has occupied the entire pot, leaving no room for soil;
• when the plant needs urgent help due to rotting roots or other mistakes made when caring for yucca at home.

In the first case, small plants are transferred to a pot of slightly larger diameter, in which drainage is previously poured. Empty spaces are filled with fresh substrate, simultaneously renewing the top layer of old soil.

But how to plant and care for indoor yucca, pictured in the photo, 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 transplanting yucca at home, the root system of the plant is cut off by about a quarter with a clean, sharp knife. The cut areas are treated with ground charcoal. New drainage and soil are poured into the pot. And then the plant is planted. Be sure to add fresh substrate on top. Annual addition of new soil is also limited in situations where the plant is already too large to be replanted.

After transplanting, the yucca is not watered at all for two days, and then the soil begins to be moistened very carefully and moderately, waiting for the surface to dry.

Yucca grows well in ready-made commercial substrate, but you can make the soil yourself by mixing sand and leaf soil in equal proportions. To provide nutrition, half the volume of humus is added to them.

Yucca propagation at home

As it grows, the yucca trunk becomes bare, and it becomes like an indoor palm tree. The taller a tree becomes, the faster it loses its decorative effect. Maintaining and caring for it is becoming more and more problematic. How to return the plant to its 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 the yucca “palm” in the photo at home is not at all difficult.

The operation is carried out in the spring, when the growth period begins. Water the plant well beforehand. And after a couple of days, the top of the yucca is cut off with a sharp knife. The remaining stump can be trimmed, leaving the desired height. When the wet cut dries a little, it is treated with garden varnish.

The pot is moved from the shade, where the plant will spend about two months. In this case, the yucca does not need to be watered. Without a crown, the plant cannot consume water, which only becomes a source of disease and rot.

In the warmth, the previously dormant buds will soon become noticeable on the yucca stem. When new rosettes of leaves develop from them, the plant is transferred to the light and the usual care of yucca at home begins.

The top is not thrown away, since it is an excellent planting material for quickly propagating yucca at home. The lower leaves from the top are carefully torn off, and then the cuttings are dropped into damp sand, covered with a bag or film and placed in a warm place. Rooting takes no more than a month, and then the top with its own roots is transferred to a pot, where the yucca will grow further.

Yucca transplant after purchase - video

The houseplant Yucca looks very much like a palm tree, although in reality it is not one. This plant belongs to the Agave family, which is a tree-like plant. Very similar to cordyline or dracaena, clear differences can only be seen when several plants are closely compared.

Yucca is an indoor plant that resembles a palm tree.

Description of the species

Yucca is ideal as a houseplant. This is one of the most unpretentious plants, requiring minimal attention and simple care.

The plant looks beautiful and interesting in any interior and adds exotic notes to it. The homeland of the so-called palm tree is Central and South America.

This plant is divided into the following types:

• tree-like;
• stemless.

The plant practically does not bloom in captivity. But if you create conditions as close as possible to those where Yucca was born, you can see how it blooms. And it blooms amazingly beautifully - it throws out powerful vertical peduncles strewn with a mass of buds. The flowers resemble white, yellowish or pinkish bells.

Yucca varieties

This plant, which is sometimes called false palm, can be divided into 4 main types, which are the most popular: filamentous, aloel, glaucous and ivory. Each type has its own characteristics.

1. Indoor Yucca aloe vera is ideal for growing at home. The sword-shaped leaves grow at the top of the flower, the remaining leaves are belt-shaped or lanceolate. The leaves themselves are arranged in a spiral on the trunk. The length of the leaves is about 60 cm, the color of the plant is green with an olive tint. Can reach 1.5 m in height.
2. The main difference that filamentous Yucca has is its large leaves with threads and the almost complete absence of a trunk. This plant is difficult to grow at home because of its volume, but it will do well on the lawn near the house. 70–75 cm in length and 4–5 cm in width are the parameters of the leaves of filamentous Yucca. The leaves themselves have pointed tips and curly white threads on the sides that beautifully descend to the ground. It has an interesting green color with a yellow tint or white specks.
3. The Yucca Elephant Palm is also suitable for home cultivation, but it is worth considering that it can grow up to 1.5 m in height. In nature it grows up to 8–10 m. The leaves reach 85 cm in length and 7 cm in width. This tree can be remembered by its thick trunk, reminiscent of an elephant's leg, and its rich green color. Elephant Yucca grows for a long time and over time takes the form of an upright shrub or low-growing tree, and is rarely affected by pests.
4. A feature of the blue palm tree can be considered the almost complete absence of a stem. The leaves of this Yucca, about 60 cm long, have a bluish-green color with a bluish tint and are collected in dense rosettes. Exotics add hanging threads that curl beautifully.

Gray Yucca is a palm tree that has virtually no stem.

Features of caring for Yucca at home

The Yucca tree plant can grow up to 2 m tall at home, and in the wild its height reaches 12 m. However, no matter how easy the plant is to maintain, it still needs to be cared for.

As mentioned above, the flower does not require special gardening skills or a lot of time, but there are still certain care features that must be observed.

1. The main requirement for growing this species is good lighting. At home, the flower receives a huge amount of sunlight, because it grows in hot countries. The ideal location would be a well-lit window on the south side of the house.
2. The second feature is the lack of flowering, although in nature Yucca blooms in a paniculate inflorescence up to 1 m long with many flowers. The only opportunity to see a palm tree blooming at home is an insulated balcony or loggia, where the flower will be sent in the winter.
3. The plant is very popular, and an adult specimen will not be cheap and will take a long time to grow yourself, so this is not an option for impatient gardeners.
4. Another feature is the need for a long daylight hours, at least 15 hours. Therefore, in winter the flower will need additional lighting. And also we must not forget that the plant does not tolerate drafts, so in the fall it is better to make a secluded and well-lit shelter.

Yucca does not need intense heat - it is better to maintain the temperature around 20–30 C in spring and summer, and -15–20 C in winter.

During the warm season, you need to water the plant often, but you need to make sure that the soil dries out between waterings. Special recommendation: when the top layer of soil dries, you need to wait 2-3 days and only then water. Any water that has drained onto the pan must be drained.

In winter, you need to care for the flower a little differently: water infrequently, provided that the room temperature is 23–28 C. If the temperature is below 23 C, then it is recommended to water even less often. There is no need to water the leaves of the plant, but you need to wipe off the dust from them periodically.

If in the winter season the air humidity is below 40–45%, then it is necessary to spray twice a day. At humidity levels above these values, it is not necessary.

Top dressing

Caring for a young plant involves mandatory feeding, which is carried out in spring and summer. Feeding should begin in April and end in August. The interval between feedings is 2–3 weeks. Fertilizers for decorative deciduous plants are ideal. It is best applied to the underside of the leaves. You cannot feed a tree when it is sick or after transplanting.

It is forbidden to feed Yucca immediately after transplantation.

First of all, plants planted in purchased soil need additional fertilizers, since nutrients leave it after 1–2 months. If the soil was prepared independently at home, then the flower may not need feeding for about a year.

Palm tree transplant

With normal care, Yucca needs to change its place of residence every two years, and it is recommended to do this in the spring. The larger the plant, the more difficult it is to replant, so the top layer of soil is changed for adult trees every year.

The roots need moisture and air, so the soil must be very loose and nutritious. It is better to compose the soil yourself from three components:

1. Compost or sod, for young plants add a little humus. This will provide nutrition.
2. Large granular peat or leaf soil will ensure nutrient retention, root fixation and substrate structuring.
3. Coarse river sand, pumice or coarse perlite - up to 30% of the total volume will provide drainage and water permeability.

You can make additional drainage from broken brick, expanded clay or gravel, which is laid on the bottom, but not more than 1/4 of the height of the pot.

The soil should not be alkaline. If, when watering, water lingers and passes through the soil for a long time, then the soil needs to be changed. Replanting is also necessary if the plant begins to rot due to inept care.

The question arises of how to transplant Yucca at home. After suitable soil has been compiled or purchased, it is necessary to replant the plant. The pot should be larger than the previous one and stand steadily on the surface. You should not buy a pot that is too large, as the soil may turn sour. To prevent this from happening, the soil should consist of one-fifth cultivator.

You need to pour expanded clay or fine gravel into the bottom of the pot, and then add soil. A healthy flower is moved into a new pot along with a lump of earth, soil is added and compacted well. If the plant's roots have begun to rot, replanting will be a little more difficult.

The first step is to remove the rotten roots. To do this, the plant and soil are allowed to dry completely, and then all the soil is removed and rotten roots are cut off. The wounds should be covered with crushed coal and the plant should also be moved to a new pot with fresh soil.

Yucca propagation

Yucca propagation usually occurs in three ways: seeds, cuttings or shoots. Spring time is best for breeding.

Propagation by seeds

Yucca can be propagated very well and easily by seeds. Before planting, it is necessary to break the hard shell of the seed for rapid germination. Damaged seeds are placed in soil, which consists of sand, turf and leaf soil, and covered with film or glass on top. Seeds need regular ventilation, bright light and a temperature of at least 25 C. After a month, the first shoots should appear.

Small plants are transplanted into small plastic cups filled with the same soil. The first feeding of young plants is carried out a week after transplantation. To do this, mix a liter of water and 1 gram of nitrophoska. After two weeks, another feeding is carried out.

After the formation of 5 leaves, a young Yucca can be cared for like an adult plant.

Propagation by cuttings

The flower grows very slowly, and impatient gardeners use propagation by cuttings. The ideal time for cuttings is in the spring before active growth, but the time from March to August is also acceptable.

The cuttings are cut and dried for 12 hours in a dark and cool place. You need to leave a few leaves on the cutting and fix it vertically at a depth of 4–5 centimeters in perlite, which should be constantly moist.

should be in the range of 20–30 C. Light is required as much as an adult plant. Do not forget to periodically spray the leaves, thereby increasing the humidity. In a month the cutting will take root.

Reproduction by shoots

Over time, the tree will grow and become too large for the room or home. In this case, you can make two or more from one flower, but smaller in size. The daughter side shoot is carefully separated from the adult plant.

For rooting, it is placed in a container of water or wet sand. When roots appear on the shoot, you can transplant it into a pot with prepared soil.

Yucca Pests

Yucca can be affected by pests such as:

• mites;
• caterpillars;
• scale insects;
• thrips.

This houseplant is rarely attacked by pests. When a plant is damaged, small spots appear on the leaves, and cobwebs can be seen on the back side.

You need to fight pests by treating the tree with one of the insecticides (Aktara, Karbofos). Iskra BIO will help against spider mites. But first, before treating with insecticides, you need to wipe the affected areas with a solution of laundry soap.

Palm diseases

Yucca growing at home is susceptible to some diseases if not properly cared for.

1. Brown spots. They are formed as a result of dry air, improper soil acidity, poor watering, waterlogging or hypothermia of roots, and insufficient drying of the soil. In this case, it is necessary to remove the damaged leaves, change the watering regime, and be sure to treat the plant with a fungicide.
2. Light spots. Yucca suffers from excess light. It is recommended to place the plant in the shade or slightly cover it from the sun.
3. Rotten trunk. This is the effect of a fungus on the palm tree, which spreads very quickly. Also, the leaves may be pale and soft, and the trunk quickly softens. To prevent stem rotting during replanting, various raising agents should be added to the soil.
4. Yellow leaves. If the leaves turn yellow and fall off at the bottom of the trunk, this is a natural process and no measures are needed. Rolled leaves. This is due to hot air or very dry soil. It is advisable to remove the flower away from the battery.
5. Yellow leaves at the base. The reason is lack of light. In this case, the plant may stretch upward, this happens in winter or autumn. An additional light source is required.

Flower renewal

If a palm tree grows in unhealthy conditions, it may lose its decorative properties. The trunk is noticeably elongated or the leaves are damaged. In this case, it is possible to renew the flower, but you should not do this in the year when the plant was propagated.

In February, all shoots of the required length are cut off. To properly prune Yucca, you need to know several nuances. Provided that the plant has one trunk, it can be cut to any height.

If the flower has several trunks, then the difference in their height should be at least 15 centimeters. The cut trunks are treated with crushed charcoal. With sufficient light, new shoots begin to grow within a week. The lowest stem should be closest to the light.

During pruning, you should not feed the plant and reduce watering. It is necessary to water the plant when the soil is thoroughly dry. When trimming an old flower, caring for it will be different.

After the crown of the tree has been trimmed and new young leaves have appeared, it is advisable to replant the plant and remove some of the roots that have grown greatly. In this case, the transplant occurs in a smaller pot.

Root pruning

When removing a palm tree from a pot, you need to clear the root system of the soil. Carefully trim the largest and thickest roots and form a new root system of the desired size. Do not reduce it by more than half. Most of the roots in the middle should be completely untouched, so only the lateral roots are pruned.

A smaller pot is selected, thick drainage is placed on the bottom, and fresh soil is placed on top. The transplanted palm tree is placed in the shade and not watered for 5–7 days. In dry air, spraying the leaves twice a day is allowed. You cannot propagate a pruned tree for several months after replanting.

Caring for yucca at home should be based on the habits and preferences of the plant, established in its homeland. The main thing is to follow the basic rules of caring for the plant, and then it will reciprocate your feelings: it will delight you with its healthy appearance and exotic beauty for a long time.