The Yucca plant is valued for its attractive appearance and ease of maintenance. It adapts well to living and working conditions, but to keep it looking good for many years, you must follow a few rules:
| Temperature | The ideal temperature is between 68-75°F (20-24 °C). |
| Humidity | Yucca at home adapts well to dry air even during the summer period. |
| Lighting | Requires bright light without prolonged exposure to bright sunlight. |
| Watering | When the soil dries to a depth of more than 5cm. |
| Soil | Well draining and nutrient-rich soil |
| Fertilizer | Organic or mineral fertilization every 15-20 days in the spring and summer. |
| Repotting | It is advisable to transplant the plant once every 2-3 years. |
| Propagation | Propagation is carried out with cutting and seeds. |
Contents
Characteristics of Pendula Yucca Plant
As with all yucca species, this one can grow between 1.50 and 3 meters in height.
Pendulous yucca stems are shorter than other varieties’ stems and can be upright, decumbent, or lying.
The pendulous yucca’s root system consists of outer bark, a middle bark, and an inner bark with a central cylinder known as the vascular region.
The linear leaves of the pendulous yucca grow in a spiral pattern on the trunk and can grow to be 50 cm long.
This yucca leaf produces long terminal spikes of large white or pink flowers up to 10 cm in size.
Its flowers are monoecious, meaning some are male and located in the upper part of the inflorescence, while others are female and located in the lower part of the inflorescence. The pendulous yucca flowering season is from spring to summer.
Let dig deep into how you can take care of your pendula yucca.
How To Water The Pendula Yucca Plant?
When growing yucca at home, it’s better to let the soil dry out a little than to overwater it.
Root rot and leaf damage are both possible outcomes of too much moisture, especially at low temperatures.
Water when the soil has dried to a depth of 5-7 cm, depending on the weather. Watering will be less frequent and your pendula yucca will reduce consumption as the temperature drops.
- in the summer – 4-6 days;
- in autumn – winter – 7-10 days.
The frequency and quantity of watering will also be determined by the size and material of the pot.
Choosing Pot For Pendula Yucca
It is recommended to consider the following factors:
- The container’s diameter should be 3-4cm larger than the root ball’s.
- The inner diameter of the pot is multiplied by 2 or 2.5 to determine its depth.
- Pots should be made of a durable material that won’t deform or crack during transport.
You can transplant it back into the same pot if you want to stop it from spreading too much.
Soil
Pendula yucca grows best in slightly acidic soil. Ensure that the soil has a pH of 5-7. In addition, the soil must have adequate drainage and aeration capacity. This will keep the root hydrated and aerated.
To improve drainage capacity, mix equal parts coarse soil and perlite.
If you want to use a ready-made soil mix, succulent potting mix is a good option.
Fertilizer
A balanced fertilizer is required for the Pendula yucca to grow healthy and beautiful at home:
- The plant require supply of nutrition only during active growth
- During the period of active growth, Yucca is fed once every 2 weeks.
- Foliar feeding involves sprinkling a weak fertilizer solution on the leaves.
- Choose a fertile soil mix for your yucca.
Attention! You shouldn’t fertilize plants in the late autumn or winter while they are affected by pests or diseases or adapting to their new location.
Light Requirements
Because yucca is native to the tropics, where it receives plenty of sunlight, it will thrive in a bright environment.
Place the plant near windows facing south or west for best results, but keep it away from glass surfaces and direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day.
Due to a lack of light, the plant becomes leggy and its leaves fall off.
Temperature
Temperature requirements vary according to the season. In the spring and summer, the ideal temperature is between 68-75°F (20-24 °C).
Indoor yucca responds normally to a reduction in summer night duration. In the winter, create resting conditions by keeping the plant in a cool place.
Transplanting
You should do transplanting in the early spring, but it can be done at any time of year.
Replanting is done to increase the feeding area, replace the soil, and get rid of root disease.
You should transplant your pendula yucca after two to three years to keep it healthy. But be careful not to damage the roots in the process.
Keep the root ball intact and repot into a 2-3 inches larger pot to minimize damage.
A drainage layer of expanded clay or other material at the bottom of the pot is a necessary condition for creating ideal growing conditions for yucca.
Top Dressing
Regular feeding is required to keep the yucca looking its best from April to September when it is actively growing.
Mineral fertilizers for palms and succulents are suitable for indoor yucca and should be applied once a week for the duration of the specified period.
Do not fertilizer Yucca during the winter.
How And Why Prune The Pendula Yucca Plant?
If you want your yucca to look better, make it lusher, and branch out into two or three trunks, cut the tops. In order to avoid causing harm, do this with caution. Here’s how to do it:
- The best time for pruning is from late February to early March.
- The yucca is watered two days before planting.
- Because the yucca stem can’t regrow after being cut, the procedure is only performed when it’s at least 5 cm thick and tall enough.
- The only tools required are disinfected pruning shears or a sharp knife.
- Cut the crown in one swift motion to avoid breaking it while holding the leaves and stem in place with the other hand.
- Apply activated charcoal after the cuts have been disinfected with alcohol and dried for two hours outside.
In 3 to 4 weeks, dormant buds will start to emerge below the cut. More new shoots can be left on a tree with a thicker mother trunk (2 to 4).
You can propagate pendula yucca by using the yucca’s cut-off crown.
Dormancy
The plant’s growth slows down when there is a short daylight period, but the dormancy period is not particularly long.
Reduce the amount of watering, stop feeding, and lower the temperature to 60-65 °F (14-15 °C) at this time.
Propagation Yucca By Dividing The Trunk
Those who have mature yuccas but want to rejuvenate them can use this method. The top of the trunk is sliced into 18-20 cm long pieces with dormant buds.
If the yucca is short, only the tip of the plant is removed, resulting in a new yucca from the stump.
Using paraffin wax, the cut surface of the mature plant is sealed. If the pot is in the shade, keep the watering to a minimum.
New growth in the form of shoots will appear on the trunk very soon. You can use the cut-off sections of the trunk in the propagation process.
- The cuttings are left to dry for 20-30 minutes.
- Put the cuttings in moist soil and press them down on the trunk.
- To maintain the microclimate and humidity, cover the container with a film.
- Make sure the greenhouse is constantly ventilated, and remove the condensation on time.
- Following the appearance of sprouts and roots, cut off each young shoot and plant in a separate container.
Common Yucca Problems
When something goes wrong with Yucca’s appearance, it reacts quickly to let you know:
- Lack of moisture and air causes yucca leaf tips and edges to wither.
- Humid weather can cause leaf spots or grayish-brown spots to appear, which indicate the presence of fungus.
- Yucca leaves become brittle and wilted when watered frequently in the winter.
- In cold rooms, yucca leaves darken and curl up more than in warm ones.
- When yucca leaves get sunburned, they develop bright spots.
- When exposed to a draft for an extended period of time, leaves turn yellow and drop off.
- Insufficient watering can cause the yucca’s lower leaves to yellow and die naturally, but it can also be the cause.
- If the temperature is too low or there is too much moisture, the roots of the yucca plant rot.
Spider mites, cutworms, and whiteflies are just a few of the common plant pests that can do serious damage to yucca leaves and health.