Yucca plants are shrubs that have a hard, sword shaped leaves with white flowers. Yucca Plants Pests & Problems. Although they are relatively easy to maintain, they are susceptible to some problems. Due to death of cells, the tips and edges of the plant shrivel up. When it happens remove the yucca plant with roots carefully. Victory Gardening in 2020: Spring is Not Cancelled, Green Pavement Creates Beautiful Environmental Solutions. To take care of this problem, increase the pH of soil by adding lime. Yucca plants thrive in dry conditions. Yucca Plant Problems: Why A Yucca Plant Has Brown Tips Or Foliage Yucca plants are typically easy-care landscaping plants, but they can have occasional problems. Sueanne Dolentz has been writing since 1999, and holds a degree in creative and professional writing. Allow time to pass before watering again. Appearance of brown spots on the leaves is among one of the most common problems. We hope you are enjoying Gardenerdy! They are highly popular, both as indoor and outdoor plants. And indoor yucca cane plants will likely not flower. Yucca plants are very adaptable and thrive in a wide range of environments, making them ideal house or garden plants in many parts of the world. The plants flower in summer, producing white or red blooms along tall spikes. Messages: 2 Likes Received: 0 Location: Manitoba. Yuccas grow well indoors and can often extend themselves above the natural light coming through a window. If your yucca plant is dying, one of the top reasons may be that it is not getting enough sun. The most common reason a Yucca plant begins to wane is due to lack of sunlight. The type of soil that already exists in your garden area, or what type you have transplanted, will also dictate the most desirable location for your yucca. Another way is from the seeds, which takes anywhere from a month or a year to germinate. The Best and Most Exciting Landscape Timber Ideas. The best way of growing this plant is from a cutting. Although they need bright light, never place indoor yucca plants in a window with direct sunlight, or else you’ll have the opposite problem and cook your yuccas to death. The scientific name is Yucca elephantipes, and they have sharp, spear-shaped projections, which radiate from the central stalk. There can also be discoloration of the leaves along the tips and edges. So, we have seen that there are many yucca plant diseases that are caused both by bacterial as well as fungal attack. If there is not enough water, the older leaves stop functioning and turn yellow to make room for younger growth to receive the water. The salts in the fertilizer can burn already unhealthy roots. Plant the seeds in potting soil after lightly rubbing the seeds with a bit of sandpaper. This can be prevented by protecting the plants against heavy winter moisture with the use of a sheet of glass.Slugs and snails can wreck havoc to Yucca seedlings. When these blemishes are found, it is best to remove any affected leaves and treat the plant with copper fungicide which can be purchased from most plant nurseries. Brown fungal spots can also appear on the leaves. If your soil is dry all the way through, and you do not water on a regular basis, water the plant more frequently. Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! One of the most common symptoms of a sick yucca is browning leaves. The best time to prune yuccas is early spring just before they enter growth period. by Max - last update on October 28, 2019, 3:15 pm . One of the most common problems that most homeowners have to deal with is rotting of the stems. Stop watering. Problems. Spray the plant with a fungicide to prevent brown spots from appearing again. Especially important during the first year when growing a yucca plant is giving it time to adjust to the soil … Outdoors, yucca plants thrive in full sun. These problems are caused by fungal attacks, and it is called sclerotia. Yucca moths: At night, yucca flowers emit a fragrance that attracts yucca moths. 99 If your plant has a soft trunk, droopy or yellowing leaves or brown, mushy roots this is a sign of rotting. Yucca plants do not do well in drastic temperature changes. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Grow outdoor yucca plants in areas away from animals and people, especially children. The spots turn yellowish and finally brown, as they mature. Use of fungicides are helpful for preventing such diseases caused by fungi, but their use should not be used more than twice a year, as it stunts the growth of the plant. The leaves of yucca plants are extremely sharp and can cause serious harm. Stop watering immediately. Yellow yucca leaves can also be caused by a lack of direct sunlight. It’s hard to … Generally speaking, the more sun, the better, especially if you are growing your yucca … Avoid adding fertilizer. In return, yuccas are the only host plant for the moths. The plant spacing for outdoor growth of yucca plants should be 18-24 inches, 24-35 inches, and 48 inches for small, medium, and large varieties respectively. The Yucca plant is a hardy plant that requires minimal maintenance. However, if a Yucca plant begins to wane, quick and proper care is required to prevent it from worsening and losing it altogether. Problems With Yucca Plants. However, pest or insect problems are relatively low in case of this plant compared to other houseplants. The most commonly seen outdoor Yucca that is probably the most proven in our damp climate. This can be avoided by using only sterilized pots and proper potting soil when planting the cuttings. Yucca Plant – Growing, Care Tips & Photos . Should I Purchase or Make My Own Eco Friendly Weed Killer? If you keep your yucca in the house, place it in a spot that gets a lot of sun. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Some of them include yellowing of the leaves, lesions, brown discoloration on the surface of the leaves, and rotting of the stem. Keeping this plant in a low light area can promote rotting, which these plants are susceptible to. Spots on yucca leaves are primarily a visual distraction but in some cases can actually impose health problems as well. Stem rot is one of the most common problems with yuccas, but can be avoided with well-draining soil. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The cuttings should come from a mature growth rather than a new growth, as the new growth is more prone to rotting. The yucca plant needs sufficient sun to survive. Once established in the garden landscape, you can almost leave them alone so they can care for themselves. It will take about 3 to 4 weeks for the cutting to grow roots. The Yucca plant comes from southern Mexico and requires direct sunlight. 6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603. If leaves are droopy and yellow, it is not always a sign of over-watering. This generally only causes more problems with the plant. Place the cutting in a shady place for 2 to 3 days to allow the cutting to dry out. Give it plenty of sun. Now, place the cutting in some potting soil and keep it in a place where it can get direct sunlight. Yucca Soil. Choose one that gets as much unobstructed sun as possible. They are usually oval in shape and are scattered across the entire surface the leaves that are at the bottom. Use a sharp knife to take a cutting from the plant and remove the top most leaves. Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by Cwpg95, Sep 13, 2020. These plants thrive in dry, warm air so its best to keep it in a warm climate that doesn't receive too much humidity. Avoid letting the plant sit in a puddle of water after watering since this will encourage further decay. After a wet warm winter, rust fungus can occur. Avoid planting your yucca close to sidewalks, patios or … Yuccas will warn you of low lighting conditions by becoming a brighter green, then yellowing and browning if insufficient light persists. Use common insecticide to get rid of these pests.Red-orange spores or lesions of the leaves are indications of a fungal disease. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies do not store any personal information. Also, help answer other questions about General Gardening and Yucca Plants, and plants at GardeningKnowHow.com Make sure your plant has gritty soil that drains easily. Cut the trunk if root rot sets in. Over time they will produce a trunk becoming a Yucca tree and in summer produce a tall spike of creamy white flowers which is quite spectacular. Should You Avoid Using Lawn Weed and Feed? Copyright © Gardenerdy & Buzzle.com, Inc. Indoors, a number of cultural problems can occur; Crisp, brown lower leaves result from under-watering but lower leaves are natural shed as the plant grows. Patchy or spotted gray areas found on the leaves of the yucca plant are most often a result of fungal disease. The Yucca sends down long tap roots and has a extensive root structure, so digging up this plant may be a work out. Yucca elephantipes—also called spineless yucca, stick yucca and yucca gigantea—is a type of shrubby plant with thick cane stems and sword-shaped leaves.Yucca plants grow outdoors in hot arid climates. This is usually found on the stems near the surface of the soil. Damage to yucca from insects includes distorted, wilting and yellowed leaves that fall prematurely. I initially noticed them on the older leaves near the bottom of the crown. As a rule I hear the same everywhere – ‘yucca plants are easy to maintain, and that’s why I’ve chosen them.’ However, when it comes to reality, you should know the fact that they are also pretty susceptible to different problems, diseases and even pests. Outdoor Yucca plant care: Plants prefer dry soil that has full access to the sun. Yucca, like all plants, enters a dormant state during which its needs drop considerably. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The first sign of a light problem is when the leaves become a richer green as the plant produces more chlorophyll to take advantage of what little light there is. Here are some tips on how to care for yucca plants: The best soil for yucca: Grow yucca plants in sandy soil with excellent drainage. Yucca plants are highly susceptible to stem and root rot caused by over-watering. Some other Yucca plant diseases are given in the following paragraphs. Unfortunately, I am now … Due to their sharp and spiny nature, yuccas are deer resistant. One should be careful while pruning the leaves, as they possess sharp … Some of them include yellowing of the leaves, lesions, brown discoloration on the surface of the leaves, and rotting of the stem. Buy a Yucca Plant as a living gift for loved ones or simply to treat yourself. Help answer a question about outdoor yucca plants - Gardening Know How Questions & Answers. These are more common in older leaves and are seen as legions, which are gray in color with brown margins. Make sure that you are still providing your plant with cooler temperatures, just not freezing. The flowers grow from stalks that the plant shoots out, typically on more mature plants. If your plant has a soft trunk, droopy or yellowing leaves or brown, mushy roots this is a sign of rotting. Cwpg95 New Member. We provide informative articles about gardening, lawn care and landscaping that you can come back to again and again when you have questions or want to learn more! Garden Pests; Contact; Search. It can be infected with brown spots which starts as a yellowish spot with purple borders. Landscaping with Yuccas. Yuccas produce long, spear-like leaves. She has worked as a newspaper content editor and humor columnist, as well as a copy writer and website content editor. Sometimes, you might see a white growth on the plant, which has a fan-like pattern. Planting outdoors makes more sense when you have the time to check your yucca thoroughly for potential overwatering or bug problems. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Then, re-pot the rooted end of the trunk. If your plant does flower, make sure to cut the stalk down to the base after the flower dies off. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Repotting: Repotting is done only when the roots of yucca plant emerges out of the pot. Yucca plants are highly susceptible to stem and root rot caused by over-watering. If the decay is not arrested at the beginning, it might lead to destruction of the whole plant. Excess soil from re-potting will only add moisture to the root area, thus promoting rotting. Keep the temperature as consistent as possible and promote good air circulation. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Although most yucca plants grow well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 11, the plants cannot simply be placed in any garden and be expected to thrive. A south-facing window is best. Problems. Over the past few months, some of the leaves on my indoor yucca plant have developed these dry looking spots. Houseplants / / Yucca Plant – Growing, Care Tips & Photos. The roots should be light in color, not brown. Would you like to write for us? When landscaping with yuccas, it is best to keep them away from sidewalks and other high traffic areas, as the leaves are extremely sharp and can cut someone if they should brush up against the plant. Well, we're looking for good writers who want to spread the word. The older leaves should be pruned in the spring season. Pruning is not necessary when you grow yucca plant outdoors. Outdoor Plant Care. When the leaves are no longer in the direct light, you might not spot this color change, however. Pro Tips on How to Make the Best Flower Garden. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker. Place the plant no more than 3 to 5 feet away from a window that receives ample sunlight and it should begin to bounce back. The yucca plant is very forgiving when it comes to soil types, as long as the soil drains well. Yellow leaves are also seen in some cases. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Cut the trunk right above the area that is experiencing the rotting. We had a … The gentleman at the nursery potted the plant in a pot with no holes for drainage, which I found odd. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Keep the temperature consistent. Written by: Jenny Harrington. Make sure your plant has gritty soil that drains easily. Exposing the plant to hot and bright sunlight suddenly from a shaded environment can lead to the formation of yellow and white blotches on the leaves (sunburn) as a result of a lack of acclimatization. The only way a yucca plant can survive a winter is if it is a mild one. Place a fence or other barrier around the plants, if needed for protection. Make sure the site is located in a place where the yucca's spines won't endanger passersby; yuccas can cause puncture wounds even through clothes and are often planted beneath windows to discourage trespassers. Yucca Plants: Perfect Species for Inside and Outside Growing. They are highly popular, both as indoor and outdoor plants. Rotting is caused by bacteria, and you will find the stem of the leaves having a soft mushy discharge, which gives an unpleasant odor. A fungicide to prevent brown spots from appearing again when the leaves along the and... 6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603 have an effect on website... On more mature plants stem and root rot caused by over-watering while navigate. For 2 to 3 days to allow the cutting to dry out ’ s survival as their only pollinator on! Yellowish and finally brown, as they fail to produce the level of necessary. 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