Yucca Plant

Yuccas belong to the genus yucca in the agave family, Agavaceae. This genus has over 50 species of perennial shrubs and trees. Native to the hot and dry regions of North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, these plants can now be found growing in most places. They have an amazing capacity to adapt themselves to a vast range of climatic and ecological conditions.

More about Yuccas

As there are many species available it would get confusing to describe each yucca tree or plant individually. However, they all share common leaf and stem descriptions, with varying height and spread. They are generally within the range of 30cm to 2.5 meters in height. Yucca leaves are rough and shaped sword like, tapering towards the top. The leaves are borne out of a rosette, and one plant can easily have five to six rosettes growing on them. Large terminal panicles of flowers in cream are borne. A large yucca can bear more than three such panicles at one time. An interesting feature about yucca flowers pollination is that it is pollinated by the yucca moth. This insect and the yucca share an interesting relation, the insect pollinates the flowers by carrying pollen from the stamens of one plant to the stigma of another, and at the same time uses the flower to lay eggs on them, and the moth larva then feeds on the developing seeds. Botanically this cooperative mechanism is known as mutualistic pollination system. Some of these plants are edible (fruits, seeds, flowers, flowering stems and roots), while some are used for medical purposes. Yuccas are especially favored by landscapers for xeriscape gardening, as they are extremely drought tolerant.

Yucca Plant Care

Widely grown as an ornamental plant, the yucca is a non-fussy grower, so you will have no problem with it. Before you get down to planting one, check up on the species available, are you looking for a shrub or a yucca tree, do you want them to grow indoors in pots or containers or as an outdoor plant. Once you have decided that, it is easy to choose a plant.

Propagation: Although, a yucca can be propagated through seeds, cuttings are a preferable choice. Take a couple of cuttings ideally in spring, but summers will do too, from the mature growth rather than new growth. Strip the cutting of all lower leaves, make sure you use a sharp pair of shears, a jagged end will set rot in the cuttings. Plant the cuttings in a moist growing medium, or place just the tip of the bottom (part of the cutting), about an inch in water, and place either side of the container close to a light source. Keep the soil moist, or change the water regularly, until you see roots shooting. It takes about three weeks in the soil, and two in the water.

If you plan to use seeds, then scar them first, scaring seeds refers to giving the seed coat a gentle scape without breaking or damaging them. Their sowing medium should be well draining, and have more sand than soil in it. As the seeds are large enough, sow them about a couple of inches deep. Water them once, and leave the seeds to sprout in a sunny spot. Do not water until you see the seedlings, a couple of weeks that is.

Planting and Care: Whether you plan to plant the yucca in the ground or pot, choose soil that is well draining with lots of grit and perlite mixed in it. Soil should be maintained at a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. The yucca does not need fertilizer or organic compost, but feel free to use it, if you wish, but keep it to a minimal amount. Water sparingly, yuccas do not like too much watering. In a pot, allow the top soil (about 1/4 or 1/3 of it) to dry out completely before watering it again. The first sign of excess watering will result in foliage loss and/or rotting cane (stems). The yucca needs bright sun, so make sure you place it in a location that receives ample amounts of natural light. A moderate grower, most yuccas take approximately five years to flower, this however depends upon the species grown. Yucca flowers from the middle of summer through autumn.

Pruning: Yucca has an amazing capacity to grow, so a hard prune is not a problem. Cut off old leaves and faded blooms, leaves can be pruned at any time. No fixed time schedule for pruning a yucca has been allotted by experienced gardeners. For a yucca tree growing outdoors, prune to control shape and size, the same rule applies to the ones growing in pots. If the yucca has grown big and looks ungainly in a pot, simply cut off the top leafy section of the trunk from the height you desire. Re-pot if needed. Pruning and re-potting should be ideally done in spring, shortly before the growing season commences. Make sure that the yucca after being pruned gets plenty of sun to recover.

Here is another way of growing yuccas; in water. The rules of hydroponic gardening applies here. Simply sprout a yucca cutting in water like mentioned above (propagation). But instead of planting it in soil, leave it in water. A short petri dish or similar shaped ceramic will do just fine. Keep changing the water regularly, and feed the yucca with liquid fertilizer once a month. Although the yucca looks great in water, you need to start a new plant almost every year.