Yucca

Family. Asparagaceae.

Homeland, origin. Mexico, Guatemala, grows in very warm and dry areas. 

Description. Yucca is a small genus of perennial evergreen tropical plants, consisting of about 40 species.

Representatives of the genus can be either herbaceous perennials with leaves up to 60 cm long, collected in a basal rosette, or form a woody trunk covered with brown bark. All of them are extremely decorative, the first type resembles an agave in appearance, and the second - a small palm tree.

The trunks are topped with a crown consisting of hard, pointed, belt-shaped leaves of green or bluish color.

Herbaceous species can have variegated leaves with longitudinal white or cream stripes.

During flowering, the bush produces a strong vertical peduncle , rising above the foliage. At the top of the stem is a branched inflorescence , consisting of many small white, greenish or cream flowers.

Blooming yucca exudes a very pleasant aroma.

Some subspecies are monocarpic , that is, the plants bloom only once. After flowering, the main rosette dies, leaving several small shoots around it.

Despite its impressive size, it has a very modest root system.

Height. Depending on the specific species, it can be from 60 cm to 1 m, develops slowly and adds about 20 cm per year.

Tree-like plants in nature can reach a height of 6-10 m, young specimens are kept in culture.

Even herbaceous yuccas sometimes reach gigantic sizes - up to 1 m in height.

Planting and care

How to transplant 

Planting of yucca in fresh soil is carried out in spring, if necessary changing the pot to a larger one.

Young seedlings are planted in larger pots annually, and adult specimens - as needed - when the roots fill the entire volume of the pot.

Do not immediately offer capacious containers - a very modest root system does not require much space, and excess soil will accumulate moisture and contribute to rotting.

When replanting, carefully inspect the roots and, if necessary, cut off old and rotten areas. Sprinkle the cut areas with crushed charcoal.

Do not disturb the roots too much - the bush will get sick and will take a long time to recover. Instead of replanting, you can use gentle transshipment together with a lump of earth.

1. To grow yucca, select pots with large drainage holes.
2. A drainage layer in the form of expanded clay or broken brick is placed on the bottom of the pots.
3. The drainage layer is covered with soil and the flower is placed in the center of the new pot along with the root ball.
4. The voids between the walls of the pot and the root ball are filled with fresh soil mixture.
5. The soil is lightly compacted to remove air pockets - the surface of the substrate should be 1 - 2 cm below the walls of the pot.
6. When planting, it is worth placing the flower at the same depth at which it was in the previous pot.

After transplanting, the plant is placed in a well-lit place without access to sunlight and watering is stopped for about a week.

Feeding begins approximately 2-3 weeks after transplantation - this way the disturbed root system will not be additionally burned by the nutrient solution. 

Large yuccas are difficult to replant, so the top layer of soil is replaced with a fresh mixture every year.

For transplanting tall species, you should only use very stable and heavy pots, as the plant may tip over under its own weight.

Propagation 

Yuccas are propagated by stem cuttings, which form a trunk.

1. For propagation, cuttings are taken from the woody part of the trunk, 8 to 20 cm long.
2. The cut site is dried for several hours and sprinkled with crushed charcoal to prevent rot or dusted with rooting powder.
3. The lower leaves are removed from the cuttings to reduce moisture loss, and the upper leaf blades are cut to half their length.
4. Rooting occurs in wet sand within 1.5 - 2 months.
5. The seedlings are left in a warm place under a cover made of transparent plastic or glass to maintain uniform humidity.
6. Every day the seedlings are aired and condensation is removed from the shelter.

Rooting also occurs successfully in a simple container with water, but plants planted in the ground later slow down their development slightly, since their root system needs time to adapt to the new conditions.

The new growth that appears will indicate the successful completion of the process - at this time the cover can be removed.

Another method of cuttings is suitable for tall species - the root system can be formed directly on the flower.

1. The trunk of such specimens is cut in the middle of the height with a sharp sterile instrument from the side to approximately the middle of the stem and some object is inserted into the cut to prevent the edges from closing.
2. Take a plastic bag and tie it tightly around the tree trunk, ensuring a tight seal.
3. Place well-moistened sphagnum moss in the bag around the trunk so that the cut is approximately in the middle.
4. We tie the same plastic bag over the moss layer a second time. The result should be a sealed round container with wet moss inside.

In about 1-2 months, new roots will appear in this place.

After division, the top is transplanted into a separate pot, and the upper cut of the stem of the lower part is treated with garden pitch. After some time, new side buds will wake up on the bare lower trunk and give young leaves.   

Some herbaceous yuccas can be divided when replanting, with each division having its own roots and several leaves.

Sometimes adult individuals form small daughter rosettes around themselves - babies. These shoots are planted when they already have their own well-developed root system.

Some species are propagated using 8-10 cm long root sections. Remember that any cuts should only be made with a sharp, sterilized instrument, and the cut sites should be immediately treated with antiseptics.

Yucca seeds take a long time to germinate, and young seedlings develop slowly and require careful care, so this method of propagation is rarely used.

Care at home, pruning 

Even novice gardeners can grow yucca, but even this unpretentious plant has its own agricultural features. 

Old and dried leaves should be cut off at the base in a timely manner to maintain the neat appearance of the plants.

If the tree becomes too tall, its top is cut off and used as a cutting to obtain a new specimen.

In autumn, plants lose some of their leaves - most often this is a completely natural process that does not require outside intervention.

Pinching of young shoots is not carried out - shaping is done already at an adult age, when the dimensions of the bush become clear.

By pruning yucca, you can even get a very effective bonsai- style tree or make a large, single-stemmed tree.

Despite the fact that the plant is southern and drought-resistant, it should not be placed near heating sources during the cold season.

Yucca constantly tries to reach for the light source - turn the pot with the plant a quarter turn every week to form a beautiful symmetrical crown.

Large adult plants may lean to one side and eventually fall over - put a rock in the pot to weigh it down.

After purchasing the flower, do not disturb it immediately - let it adapt to the new conditions for 2-3 weeks, and then replant it in new loose soil.

Some species grow only in one trunk - this leads to the exposure of the lower part of the stems and over time they do not look very attractive. In this case, the yucca is cut at the desired height - dormant lateral buds located in the leaf axils will awaken on the shoot. In order to stimulate the emergence of new growth, you can lubricate such buds with cytokinin paste.

The cut should be even, it is dried for several hours, and the remaining stump is treated with garden pitch.

The bush will appreciate being outdoors in the warm season - take it out onto the balcony or street, taking care to protect it from wind and rain. Some specimens can even be planted in the garden in the summer - they will have time to get stronger and gain nutrients in the open ground.

Remove old yellowed leaves at the base of the crown in a timely manner.

Some varieties should not be placed in aisles - the leaves have sharp edges and even thorns at the ends of the leaf blades, which can easily cause injury.

When it blooms

It rarely blooms indoors.

Watering 

Water regularly and abundantly in spring and summer, during the period of active growth. The surface of the substrate should dry out before each subsequent watering.

During the winter dormancy period, if the pot is in a cool place, watering is significantly reduced and the soil is kept barely moist.

The leaves will tell you about the need for the next watering - when the soil dries out, they lose turgor, but quickly restore it when watered.

Resume regular watering in the spring, with the appearance of the first signs of new growth.

For watering, use only settled water at room temperature. Remember that young seedlings need regular watering, and adults can easily withstand drought, but are afraid of overwatering.

Soil 

Select soil with a high content of coarse sand, well-drained expanded clay, perlite or brick chips - garden soil, coarse sand, peat.

An excellent additive would be leaf or heather soil - it will make the substrate loose and coarse-fibered.

Adding a small amount of charcoal to the soil will make it better drained.

Yucca grown as a houseplant does not require a high nutrient content in the substrate and is content with a poor mixture; it also easily adapts to almost any pH.

Diseases and pests

• Leaves turn yellow when there is not enough light.
• Fungal diseases when kept in a humid atmosphere and with insufficient air circulation.
• Rot due to stagnant moisture - in this case the leaves turn black or yellow.
• Low light levels lead to slow growth, the plant does not bloom and becomes very elongated and loose.
• Brown leaf tips and white spots on the leaf surface appear when the plant is exposed to sunlight for a long time during the daytime in spring and summer.
• Leaves turn yellow with a sharp change in temperature, or after careless transplantation, or when the root system is damaged.
• When there is hypothermia or cold drafts, abundant leaf fall begins.

Harmful insects that may attack the tree include spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs and whiteflies.

Fertilization 

Feed regularly with liquid succulent fertilizer at half strength every 15 days throughout the growing season.

Stop feeding during the dormant period and resume only when new growth begins in the spring.

Feed only after watering - if the nutrient solution gets into dry soil, it can burn the roots.

Lighting

Brightly lit location. The bush should be bathed in sunlight for 3-4 hours daily throughout the year - in the morning and evening hours.

If there is not enough natural light, yucca can be kept with artificial lighting using fluorescent or phytolamps.

Temperature

Representatives of the genus are thermophilic and prefer warm conditions at temperatures ranging from 18 to 25° C during the growth period and a cool dormant period in winter at a temperature of 8–10° C.

Adult specimens, when in dry soil, are able to withstand frosts down to -12° C. In the absence of a cool dormant period at home, during the wintering period the bushes may suffer from a lack of light, since growth continues at room temperature, and the weather is mostly cloudy.

Spraying 

Spraying is not carried out - yucca feels great in a dry atmosphere.

Indoor species like rooms with constant air circulation, but do not tolerate cold drafts.

In the winter months, it would be a good idea to put the pot on a thin foam film - the roots are very sensitive to hypothermia.

Purpose

A beautiful decorative foliage tub species that does not have any special requirements for growing conditions.

The Indians made ropes, baskets and sandals from yucca leaves, and used the roots in soap making.

In the past, the fibers of the leaves were used to make jeans.

The fruits were eaten and used to make ritual drinks - they contain a large amount of vitamin C and antioxidants. Vitamin C stimulates the production and activity of white blood cells that fight infections and viruses, antioxidants protect us from cellular mutations and damage by free radicals.

Yucca juice contains saponins - special chemicals with anti-inflammatory properties.

Plants are used in medicine to treat diseases such as bronchial asthma, hypertension, and to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. The juice can relieve arthritis pain.

Note

Yucca is poisonous - do not place the trees in places accessible to children. The plant will decorate the interior for many years with minimal care.

Sharp and hard leaves can easily injure you - do not place yucca in passages and corridors, and use protective gloves when replanting.

Interestingly, in the natural environment, the bush behaves like a malicious weed - having a very branched root system, it is very difficult to remove, and it is able to recover even from a small piece of root left in the soil.

With age, yucca becomes too bulky - such plants are divided into stem cuttings and rooted.

Hydroponics

Grows well in hydroponics.

Varieties of yucca:

Yucca filamentosa

In the natural environment, this plant reaches a height of 6.5 m. The leaves are hard, dark green, narrow, with long fibers along the edges. It blooms in late spring and summer, the flowers are slightly fragrant, yellowish-white, collected in large inflorescences at the tops of the shoots. One of the most frost-resistant species, and therefore is often grown outdoors in the southern regions. Some specimens can withstand frosts down to - 30 degrees Celsius. There is experience of growing these plants in the Moscow region with winter cover with non-woven fabric. Young plants are kept at home. Variegated variations have longitudinal yellow, cream or white stripes on the leaf blades. 

Yucca elephantipes

A very effective houseplant, which, however, should be given a spacious room. This is a fast-growing variety originally from Mexico - such a plant is capable of adding up to 60 cm in one season. It grows as a tree with several trunks covered with light brown bark and decorated with lush crowns at the tops. The bark of the trunks bears the remains of fallen leaves. The leaves are green, hard, large - up to 120 cm long. Variegated varieties have pale green leaves with wide cream stripes.

Yucca Schidigera

A plant from the Mojave Desert, Nevada, USA. An evergreen shrub or small tree with very powerful, rarely branched trunks. The leaves are sword-shaped, dark green, hard, and in adult plants they are preserved only at the top. The inflorescences - panicles consist of small, bell-shaped cream flowers that appear at the tops of the trunks. This species grows very slowly; in nature, plants have been found that are about 500 years old. 

Yucca gloriosa

A relatively low species - plants reach a height of 3 m, grows slowly. The leaves are narrow, green, bent along the central vein, collected in a lush leaf rosette. Variegated forms have white, orange, yellow and even pink stripes on the leaf blades. Young plants form a basal rosette of leaves, and adults already have a thick, strong, low trunk. Develops slowly.

Yucca aloifolia

A slow growing species up to 3 m high with a single trunk covered with light brown bark, which rarely branches. The plant is decorated with long, dark green leaves with a glossy surface. The variegated form is distinguished by the presence of yellow-white longitudinal stripes on the leaves.