How to care for a Yucca plant (Joshua Tree)

Yuccas are popular plants that are easy to maintain. Yucca Tree stems can reach up to six feet and the sword-like leaves are very tough which allows it to survive in its native environments where water is sparce and droughts are common.

Get one of these yourself!

  • Very little
  • Once every two years
  • Direct sun
  • Toxic
  • Not needed

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  • De Yucca is opgegroeid als echt cowboy in de droge gebieden van Midden-Amerika, Noord-Amerika en het Caribisch gebied. In het zuiden van Californië, dicht bij het beroemde Joshua Tree national park, ligt de zogenaamde Yucca Valley. Je raadt het al, hier kan je veel Yucca's vinden. In het wild worden deze Palmlelies best groot en om ze een beetje in toom te houden worden stukken van de takken afgezaagd. Deze stammetjes worden vervolgens opgestuurd naar Nederland, in de aarde gepoot en hier groeit jouw geliefde kamerplant vervolgens uit. Oh, en de wortels van een Yucca worden ook nog gebruikt in conditioner...
  • This tough guy doesn't only play tough, he's also tough on harmful substances in the air and very good at purifying. No more mister nice guy!
  • Unfortunately Yuccas are poisonous. Make sure pets and small children do not get in contact with the tree's sap/juice.
  • Here's the deal. This plant does not need a lot of water but it does not to get watered frequently. It means that you'll want to keep a close eye on the soil. As soon as that's dry you'll want to water it again. Give it a little less in winter and make sure the entire soil is dry. In summer you can start giving it a bit of water when the topsoil is dried out. If you notice the stem of the Yucca getting softer at the base, you are overwatering it.
  • Yucca's love sun! This is no surprise given their native birth place is the dry and scorching hot plains of Mexico and Texas. However, it is still smart to let your Yucca get used to the sun when you bring it home. Place it a little bit farther away from the window and move it closer bit by bit. You can also place a Yucca outside, just make sure the temperature doesn't go below 10 degrees celsius
  • Let's keep this short: not needed
  • Yuccas are slow growers. You won't need to repot often. If you do see the need because yours is growing out of its pot, then do so no more than every other year. It is recommended to completely change out the topsoil every year.
  • Yuccas will actually flower when you treat them badly. We know this is counter intuitive but when they do flower, it is not really a good sign. Yuccas are pretty easy going and will forgive you when you forget to water them but keep a close eye on the leaves nonetheless. Yellow leaves can be cut and mean that your Yuca is getting too much water. Brown leaves mean your Yucca is getting too much sunlight. This won't happen quickly as it is used to lots of light. Pruning dead leaves is no problem and you can do this whenever you want.
  • Yucca's are prone to several diseases such as Aphids and Mites. Keep a close eye on your Yucca and when it does happen you'll find it first at the base of its leaves. If you see any critters it is best to try and wash it away with some warm water. Repeat the process a few times to make sure you got them all.

Gosh this was great info. Want to keep it within arms reach?
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