Origin

The Yucca originally grows in the desert-like regions of South and Central America and the United States. With that, the plant is used to extreme drought, and to survive, the Yucca stores water in its trunk. In the Yucca's natural habitat, the temperature often fluctuates a lot: during the day it can get extremely hot and at night the temperature can drop below freezing. Yuccas have therefore developed into enormously strong plants that will grow well in many places. The Yucca is often also called the Palm Lily, but despite this name, it bears no resemblance to the palm. The family to which the genus Yucca belongs is the Asparagaceae.

Care

Location

Due to its origins in desert areas, the Yucca likes a bright location. Sufficient daylight ensures that the plant's colours remain beautiful and vivid. It is advisable to give the plant at least five hours of sunlight a day. It is important to slowly increase the number of hours of direct sunlight per day. Let the Yucca get used to more and more sunlight, then the plant can eventually stand in a spot about three metres from a south-facing window. With an east- or west-facing window, the plant can be placed a little closer, about one to two metres. The Yucca will tell itself when it gets too little light; the plant will then start producing narrow and limp leaves. With too much sunlight, the plant will develop brown leaves. In that case, place the Yucca a little further away from the window and, if necessary, let it slowly get used to more and more light.

Watering

Yuccas are fairly easy to look after. However, excessive care often does the Yucca more harm than good. When caring for them, it is important to take the plant's natural environment into account. In the very dry areas where the Yucca grows, there is often no rain for long periods. As a result, the plant is used to little water, which it stores in the stem. It is therefore best to give the plant small bits of water at a time and to let the soil dry out completely in between. In practice, this means that the Yucca can easily go four to six weeks without water in winter. In summer, the plant needs a little more water. It is important to check the soil regularly. If it stays damp for too long, it can cause serious damage to the plant. The plant will give off signals when there is too much water, such as drooping leaves, yellow leaves or falling leaves. If a layer of water remains at the bottom of the pot, the stem can become soft and the roots will rot. Therefore, make sure that water can flow away easily, for instance by placing the plant in a pot with holes at the bottom or by putting a layer of hydro granulate on the bottom.

Spraying and temperature

Dry air is not a problem for the Yucca and therefore spraying is not necessary. Nevertheless, it can be a good idea to give the plant a spray every now and then. This will remove dust from the leaves, giving the plant a nicer look, and will reduce the chance of pests such as aphids. As far as temperature is concerned, a Yucca can withstand a slightly colder environment as well as heat. However, it is important not to let the temperature drop below 10 °C, preferably.

Pruning

Because the Yucca constantly creates new leaves at the top, the lower leaves will die over time. This is a very normal process. To remove the lower leaves, they can be pulled downwards, then the leaves will detach from the trunk. Pay attention to the sap that may be released when doing this, as it can be irritating. Besides removing old leaves, it is also possible to shorten the trunk by sawing off a piece. It is not always the case that new heads will then grow on the shortened stem, but this can be encouraged by sealing the plant with a plastic bag; this increases humidity.

Nutrition

Yuccas consume little nutrition and it is therefore advisable to feed only during the plant's growth period, i.e. in the spring and summer months. For this, use universal room food, but give less than the recommended amount and dilute it well. Because the Yucca uses little nutrition, overfeeding can quickly occur, which is harmful to the plant's roots.