A few are grown as houseplants, includingYucca gigantea (also known asY.
guatemalensisand Y. elephantipes) and theYucca aloifolia.
All are extremely drought tolerant.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
Most can grow outdoors, withstanding cold snaps down to 10F.
Some varieties can survive subzero temperatures.
Also, their roots can disrupt sidewalks.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
Outdoor plants have a higher chance of blooming regularly than their indoor counterparts.
Plant outdoors in the sun, where it can receive just a few hours of shade during the day.
so you can relocate an indoor yucca outside, acclimate the plant byhardening it offseveral hours each day outside.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
This slow integration will reduce chances of leaf burn or systemic shock.
In the same way, hard off the plant so it becomes accustomed to indoor life.
Indoor Yucca Plant Care
Under the right conditions, yucca plants are not difficult to grow.
A bright corner with relatively low humidity is the best indoor condition for a yucca plant.
Additionally, yucca plants are not prone to many pests, althoughscale insectscan occasionally be an issue.
Light
Yucca plants thrive in bright, indirect light indoors.
Soil
Yucca plants naturally grow in sandy terrain.
Inside, plant your yucca in a loose, well-drained potting mix.
Low-maintenance yuccas do not need specially formulated or rich fancy soil.
Instead, get an inexpensive potting mix and blend in coarse sand and perlite to promote drainage.
Water
Yuccas are highly sensitive to overwatering.
Come winter, decrease your watering cadence to once every few weeks (or even less).
Never let a yucca plant sit in a tray of water.
Therefore, yuccas are relatively adaptable to most indoor temperature conditions and fluctuations.
A once-a-month feeding is usually sufficient.
To remove a yucca plant, cut down the plant aboveground.
Dig under it and remove every last bit of the root system.
However, doing so is a bit unconventional, especially if you’re used to pruning traditional landscape plants.
Cut back in early spring.
Pruning Tip
Looking for the best pruners to keep your yucca in tip-top shape?
Propagating Yucca Plant
There are a few ways to propagate a yucca plant.
However, propagating from divisions or pups (offshoots) is a more successful method of creating new plants.
Once dry, crush them to remove the seeds.
Yucca plants need a chilling period before germinating.
Keep seeds in moist sand in the refrigerator for 90 days.
They can keep longer if in a tightly sealed container.
Start the germination process indoors in March.
Germination will begin at 60F to 70F.
It can take four to five weeks for seeds to germinate.
You won’t need to bother with repotting for at least two or three years.
Overwintering
Container-grown seedlings should be kept inside and protected from frost the first winter.
Mature plants can get winter burn on their leaves in regions with cold, windy winters.
In regions with frigid winters, reduce supplemental watering in late summer.
Halt watering entirely by September.
Let the stalks naturally die back.
The plant will store its nutrients in its roots.
Cover the mulch pile with plastic sheeting or burlap in the coldest zones to provide further insulation.
Remove the sheeting and mulch in the spring after the chance of frost has passed.
To eradicate, treat the plant with a copper fungicide orneem oiluntil lesions have decreased.
How to Get Yucca to Bloom
Yucca plants are beloved additions because they erupt into beautiful blooms.
If your yucca isn’t blooming, there are a few things you’re able to consider tweaking.
For starters, verify you are fertilizing your yucca enough.
If your soil is particularly nutrient-deficient, choose a fertilizer rich in phosphorousbone mealcould also work.
In addition to ample feedings, be careful not to overwater your yucca plant.
Too much water can lead to fungal diseases, sickening the plant and discouraging blooming.
Also, consider moving your plant outdoors in the early spring if possible.
Most yuccas will bloom in the spring and early summer.
The central stem may start getting soft, which is a sure sign the plant is being overwatered.
Yuccas only need to be watered once the soil has almost completely dried out.
Increase the ventilation around the plant and ensure the humidity is not too high near the plant.
Sunburn on plants looks like yellow, brown, or white spots.
To prevent this from happening, slowly acclimate the plant to more and more sun each day.
It will eventually adjust when done gradually.
To help a plant recover from sunburn, move the plant to a shadier spot.
verify it has water and let it heal.
Gradually reintroduce it to the sunnier spot, more and more each day.
To correct the situation, move the plant to a location where the temperature suits the plant.
It should begin to improve within the next two days.
Some yucca plants grow relatively slowly, particularly if grown indoors.
If your yucca plant gets too large for your liking, you might feel safe cutting the trunk.
Managing Pests in Gardens: Trees and Shrubs: Agave, Yucca.University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources
