Attempts to control its size by cutting it back sharply could backfire. After both yucca plants bloom, a brown flower stalk is left behind. In this video I show the cuts I've made to my yucca plants and the clones. If the Yucca grows too thick and dense after a few years, you can take a shoot from it to plant elsewhere. Justvera . You mention 'hacking off' the top of the Yucca and this can be done and quite often when you plant the top of the plant in the garden or in a large container they will root and survive. Yucca Elephantipes Propagation. Yucca elata, or soap-tree yucca, is a tree form that can reach 15 feet tall.It can be grown in zones 5 to 8. This process doesn't work overnight, so be prepared for your yucca to look a little yucky while you wait for the new growth to take over. If you’re lucky, you’ll see small plants, or offshoots, Yucca glauca, sometimes called "soapweed," is not to be confused with soap-tree yucca.This plant is suitable for zones 3 to 10. One way of propagating yuccas is to cut the rhizomes with baby plants from the main root. Yucca plants can be a bush or a stalk plant. In frost-prone areas tender yucca species can be grown in a cool greenhouse or conservatory. Don’t attempt division when the in a cool place to dry for a few days then plant them in sandy, well-drained Choose an offshoot you would like to remove, dig a perimeter around it, and lift the shoot from below with a shovel. However in a short time the plant should produce new offsets from the cut edge. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Yucca can be evergreen perennials, shrubs or trees, with dense or loose rosettes of stiff, sword-shaped leaves and tall panicles of bell-shaped flowers. It can be grown indoors as an architectural pot plant, or outdoors as a landscaping plant. If the roots are tangled, you may need to pry them apart. The trimming can be carried out all year but it is advantageously for the Yucca if it takes place during spring. Yucca leaves are Use a sharp shovel to dig a circle Place the plant no more than 3 to 5 feet away from a window that receives ample sunlight and it should begin to bounce back. Outdoor planting. Don’t attempt division when the soil is bone dry. After you have marked the trunk, cut off … Yucca plants have the appearance of palm trees, so growing them in your backyard or indoors can create a tropical look. If the Yucca grows too thick and dense after a few years, you can take a shoot from it to plant elsewhere. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. As the yucca plant grows, it's necessary to thin it out by dividing it because the plant can begin to crowd itself with too many clumps packed closely together. Dividing yuccas to control their growth works on the same principle. When caring for yucca plants, it is a good idea to wear gloves to protect your hands from the sharp leaves. Transplant this shoot to a new sunny area. If you kill a yucca, it's probably due to overwatering. They are, however, interesting and slow-growing houseplants that have the added benefit of being extremely drought tolerant. At least 28 varieties of yucca (Yucca spp.) Can I divide yucca? Stripping the leaves will also prevent the cutting from losing its … Set the baby yucca plants aside to dry a few days before Stems and offsets can be cut, the bottom few inches stripped of leaves and the cuttings planted and treated gently until they root. Landscape yucca plants can grow too large for their area, which might require some judicious pruning, but cutting the top off of the yucca plant typically encourages new growth. Read on to learn how to split a yucca. This is a plant that loves the sun. Yes, you can cut it. When the Yucca completes flowering cut the stalk all the way to the ground with a sharp pair of lopping shears. Yes, you can cut it. Yes. 8 Aug, 2007 . Remove lower leaves as they turn brown. I cut off the damaged top and removed the totally brown leaves and left it out in the garden. Cuts should be quick, clean and made at a slight angle. These desert plants produce an abundance of long, sword-shaped leaves; many varieties also bloom in summer. The plant spacing for outdoor growth of yucca plants should be 18-24 inches, 24-35 inches, and 48 inches for small, medium, and large varieties respectively. Use a sharp shovel to dig a circle around the entire plant, a few inches out from the plant. You can either cut the stem at its half-way point or prune off the top of the plant by cutting about 4” (10 cm) below the leaves. Yucca plants can be a bush or a stalk plant. Now you’re ready to lift the entire clump. In a short time, the plant will produce new leaves. plants thrive in the arid regions of the North American southwest, with some varieties found throughout U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 11. These all turned into mini yuccas and it is now growing well again. Yucca Plants are very top heavy and should always be set into a heavy clay or ceramic pot to prevent them from toppling over. Dividing yucca isn’t an easy task, If your plant is getting too tall, you may cut the trunk from the bottom and re-pot. rotted roots from the parent plant. Yucca Tree Pruning. in the hole. Like, subscribe and comment. Yes,I have cut down this plant and it has grown a double stem now and looking great. In some Native languages the term for plants translates to "those who take care of us." After attending Hardin Simmons University, Kay Dean finished her formal education with the Institute of Children's Literature. If you Yuccas are getting too wide, cut off the side shoots. Just lop it off. Yucca flaccida derives its species name from the fact that its leaves stand fairly limp (those on most yucca plants are rigid); it grows in zones 4 to 10. How to Care for My Outdoor Yucca Plant . Gardeners can cut off agave spines to prevent injury. Cut off the lower leaves with a blade if you want to remove its "skirt. " Outdoor planting. Sign up for our newsletter. Your Yucca Plants may start to produce little off shoots known as “pups”. Nell Removing them can be done regardless of season, as there is no need to get worried about damaging the plant. Remove the lower leaves then plant the cut end in a pot, putting it deep enough so the soil is just beneath the leaves. When a Yucca is cut off, it will generally form a new growth at the cut point, and sometimes more than one, resulting in a "fork," or branching. Cut a stem off your yucca plant in late spring or early summer. You can cut any roots to the mother plant. Cut the panicles 3 to 4 inches from the center of the leaves with sharp pruning shears. The end result will likely be more yucca plants than bargained for. Repotting larger yucca plants can be difficult, so larger plants can be refreshed with new potting soil by digging out the top two inches of the container and adding new soil. The older leaves should be pruned in the spring season. There are more than 50 types I also agree with Tiffany and Will, yucca needs so much sun, it actually can tolerate full sun all day and never show a distress sign. This will leave a sparse trunk for a while, but new offsets should sprout from the cut point. Caring for yuccas like this helps the rest of the plant look nicer, and allows the newer leaves to grow. They do not need it, but it will not hurt them. New leaves will occur only if dormant buds under the pruning wound sprout and become the new upright stem leaders. Be careful not to damage the yucca’s trunk. Yucca plants are famed for their large, spiky leaves growing on the top of long, thick woody stems. At this same time, offsets can be cut away, and replanted if desired. This allows a few Yucca can be evergreen perennials, shrubs or trees, with dense or loose rosettes of stiff, sword-shaped leaves and tall panicles of bell-shaped flowers. Stems and offsets can be cut, the bottom few inches stripped of leaves and the cuttings planted and treated gently until they root. However, this growth can sometimes be unpredictable. Either way, you will have two stem cuttings to use for yucca propagation . When grown indoors, yucca plants can soar up to seven feet tall. Often, shrub yucca plants turn brown and then die after they flower, but new plants emerge around the dead rosette. The remaining stalk will probably give off at least 2 sprouts. of yucca and all are formidable plants with stiff, sword-shaped leaves. Caring for yucca plants is fairly simple. have distinctive, sword-like foliage, interesting overall appearance and are drought-tolerant. can you cut the top off a yucca? easier if the ground is damp, but not muddy. friends and family. It isn’t technically pruning, but you can cut off the leavesand blooms of your yucca plants as well. However, if you live in a climate with mild winters and Since the foliage typically sticks to the top of the trunk, it’ll feel like having a palm tree in your home. Thanks for watching. A yucca is a plant that complements a Southwestern look in your home or office. Some yucca plants, such as the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia, USDA zones 8 through 10) take on the striking and distinctive form of trees. When this happens, feel free to remove the leaves or flower stalks. If you wish to produce more yucca plants, take the top half from pruning the yucca and use a marker on the trunk to indicate where the leaves are. In this case, you can simply use Once established, it’s unlikely plants will need watering. 9 Aug, 2007 . If you have shabby leaves at the bottom of your Yucca, pull them off that way you can expose more of the dramatic trunk. Step 2. Turn them over and pound some more. As far as houseplants go, yucca probably eclipsed by the similar-looking Dracaena genus, which is often mistaken for yucca. Separating yucca will be Many yucca also do well as indoor houseplants. The bottom leaves are called the yucca’s “skirt.” Start at the bottom of the plant, and begin cutting off leaves using a knife, blade, pruning shears, or scissors. Taking your cutting: In the warmer parts of Australia, yucca cuttings can be taken almost anytime of the year. Although these sturdy plants require very little care, yucca division may be To prevent cuts and scratches, wear heavy garden gloves. While the sap of some agaves is consumed, some plant saps can cause irritation upon contact. Before long little buds began to appear all up the trunk (about 3inches in diameter) and particularly at the top. Simply cut off the top portion of a trunk down to the desired size. This involves literally cutting / sawing a large top section of the plant off, usually in early Spring. Put on sturdy pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and gloves. Patchy or spotted gray areas found on the leaves of the yucca plant are most often a result of fungal disease. Outdoors, yucca plants planted in the ground need very little care and attention. By: Mary H. Dyer, Credentialed Garden Writer. necessary if the plant overgrows its boundaries or if you want to share with Step 4 Plant the removed tops of the dracaena plant to grow a new plant. So, if you can wait till the clump is dry enough, you can just pull the whole rosette off without disturbing the rest of the plant or any new growths. When older leaves die on a mature yucca plant, simply cut them away, usually in the spring. Spikes that splay out at forehead level and below should be blunted to help minimize injuries. This is best done during the dormant season. Early spring In the cooler zones like Victoria, take cuttings from December to May. is the best time for dividing yucca plants in most climates. Yucca is propagated from seed or cuttings. However, if you live in a climate with mild winters and blazing hot summers, divide your yucca when the plant is dormant in autumn to give the roots time to settle in before hot weather. It will recover to look as good as it did before, except that it will be much shorter and more appropriately sized. At this point, you can dig out offshoots (there will is a hardy, robust plant that tolerates a little rough handling. It is suitable for modern, Santa Fe or Mediterranean style houses and landscapes. You need to remove the outer layer of the leaves to expose the fibers beneath. If the plant becomes too big, it won’t be harmful to cut off a few parts. You can propagate Yucca via division, root cuttings, stem cuttings and seeds. Cutting the top off of this yucca plant will encourage its root system to push up a whole crop of new yucca plants, called pups, according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. In the warmer parts of Australia, yucca cuttings can be taken almost anytime of the year. However, in regions with mild winters, it is best to move the plant in fall. Transplant this shoot to a new sunny area. You can also chop the top off a spineless yucca to reduce its height. If you are moving yucca plants in spring, remember they will need extra water as … Occasionally, leaves and blooms may start to look unsightly or discolored, especially toward the end of the growing season. The long, leathery, pointed leaves of a yucca plant are a foot or more in length and about an inch wide. Yucca leaves are sharp enough to do real damage to bare skin. It really just depends on how much space the roots have. Pruning off the top growing tip on a yucca effectively halts the plant growth and addition of height. Cutting the top off of this yucca plant will encourage its root system to push up a whole crop of new yucca plants, called pups, according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The fact that the plant prospered and bloomed indicates you have put it in well-draining soil, and not let water rest on its roots. Set the offshoots Cut the stem with a very sharp knife then leave it in a cool place for 5 or 6 days to let the cut end dry and callus over. Leaves dying off. Yuccas are heat-tolerant, dry soil-loving desert plants, and members of the Agave family. If you want to produce offspring from your yucca, and you live outside the range of the only known pollinator, the yucca moth, you will either have to hand pollinate your yucca or propagate it with cuttings. There's no need to wait to prune after flowering. Certain varieties of yard-grown yucca plants, such as "Adam's needle" (Yucca filamentosa, USDA zones 5 through 10), can push flowering stalks up to 6 feet tall over 3-feet-high clumps of sharp leaves, creating a striking silhouette. Water it well. It isn’t technically pruning, but you can cut off the leaves and blooms of your yucca plants as well. 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