Within the Yuca genus, which belongs to the Agavaceae family, we can see numerous species of plants that are quite widespread and that serve to keep them in our home. The best known so far is the Yucca alloifolia. It is a plant that can be easily recognized as it has a woody trunk and its leaves are gathered at the end of a scape. The genus has more than 40 species, most of them originating in western India and America and that can reach heights of 15 meters in their natural state, while in homes they do not normally exceed 2 meters.
In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know to learn how to take care of yucca aloifolia and to be able to have it in your garden or interior.
Key features
Normally all the plants belonging to this genus produce small flowers which are gathered in imploring sciences in panicles, erect or pendulous. These flowers grow on long stems that emerge from the center of the plant.
These plants are given the common names of Pinchuda yuca, Pinchona yuca, dagger plant or Spanish bayonet. It is an erect plant that does not exceed one meter in height if we place it in pots. This height is ideal to have indoors as it can be adapted to any room. However, if we decide to have it in the garden we must bear in mind that it can grow up to 7 or 8 meters.
Its leaves appear in the upper part of the trunk and have a rigid structure. They are light, dark or variegated green leaves. This means that, depending on the variety of Yucca that we are taking care of, it will have a tendency to pull towards one tonality or another. The leaves are usually about 50 centimeters long and end in a thorny joint. This is where some of the common names given to these plants come from.
The yucca aloifolia It is a species that produces quite attractive white flower panicles that can be found at the upper end of the stem. The flowering time of this plant is in summer and part of autumn. This means that it will be a plant that needs, as a general rule, moderately warm temperatures so that they can develop correctly.
Uses of yucca aloifolia
This type of plants is usually used in pots to decorate interiors, terraces or patios. Another of the quite widespread uses is to place these plants in the garden forming small groups placed on rockeries or in isolated areas to avoid punctures. It can serve as a background decoration plant in gardens where there are children who may run the risk of being pricked by the tips of the leaves.
We can say that they are appropriate plants for coastal gardens since they have good resistance to saline environments. In individuals that are young and the leaves tend to grow at ground level, but with the years they lose the lower leaves and bar ascending more and more in the stem. Those specimens that grow in gardens will reach greater heights.
If temperatures are warm enough to remain stable and there is no frost, flowering can be brought forward in late spring and last until early fall. As for its fruits, sonbayas in clusters both dry and fleshy, black in color.
Perhaps the drawback of this plant when it is used in gardens and rockery is that it is usually spiky. You have to be very careful, especially in children since they can get their eyes punctured. The best thing to place these plants is in rockery of xerophytes or solid ones that are away from the path so as not to run the risk of any puncture.
One of the characteristics for which this plant becomes quite famous in its use is that they withstand well drought, wind, pollution, saline and limestone soils, poor soils and supports poor subsoil and low maintenance. This becomes essential for the decoration plant in public places that needs too much maintenance and can resist well without too much water and the atmospheric pollution that it may be disposed of.
Caring for the yucca aloifolia
We are now going to explain in detail what the care needs to be taken by the yucca aloifolia both for indoors and outdoors. It mainly requires exposure to full sun. However, we can put it in semi shade and it will tolerate it. Requires at least 3 hours of direct sunlight a day so if we have it indoors we should expose it on a terrace or window where it receives direct sunlight.
It is a plant that greatly appreciates the winter rest at about 10-15 degrees Celsius, although it is not strictly necessary. It can withstand some sporadic frost of up to -5 degrees, but it is not usual. Ideally, it should be protected from frost and located in areas with moderately warm temperatures.
A good soil for this plant would be a mixture to equal parts leaf mulch, siliceous sand, and peatalthough it can develop in poor and sandy soils. If we take into account that we want a plant with a good bearing, we must have a suitable soil so that its growth will be optimal. If we sow it in a pot we must know that the transplant is carried out during the spring when we see that the roots appear below it.
As for watering, we must do it moderately in spring and summer, waiting for the land to dry out completely. As time progresses, we must reduce the frequency of irrigation until in winter they are completely eliminated. This is because this plant is quite resistant to drought and does not need a lot of water to thrive.
Another interesting aspect is the compost. We can pay it with mineral fertilizer every 15 days in spring and summer. During the winter it does not need any fertilizer. Nor is it a plant that needs pruning, although it is convenient to remove the flower stem when the flowers have already withered so that it can develop new flowers in good health.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the yucca aloifolia.
