Have you ever heard of the Yucca with the name of Yucca palme? It’s actually the way it’s said in German. But, to all the yuccas or to one in particular?
Find out what yucca we are talking about and everything you need to know about it. Go for it?
What variety is the Yucca palme
To begin with, you should know that the Yucca palme is actually the Yucca elephantipes. Also known as yucca palm, its name can lead to confusion.. And it is that it is not a palm. So how do you read
This “palm,” or palm lily, actually just looks like a palm tree. And it does so only because of the thick brown trunk it has, as well as the leaves, which are dark green. But the truth is that we are dealing with an agave plant.
What do we mean by it? Well, both the trunk and the stems that come out, both brown, or dark brown, are succulent. In other words, they accumulate water, which is why one of the most important care is irrigation. (so as not to do it regularly). As for the leaves, they are usually upright, but quite long, in such a way that they often tend to bend, giving the sensation of having tufts instead of leaves.
In summary, the Yucca palme is one of the plants that pretends to be a palm tree but in reality is not. And although it is misleading, it is still one of the most appreciated indoor plants, even more so if we take into account that it can grow up to four meters, it being normal for it to be up to two (ten if you have it outdoors). Of course, it is not a very long-lived plant, even so, you can enjoy it for several years.
Another point that you should keep in mind is for small children or pets (especially those who like to nibble on plants a lot). And it can be very toxic if eaten, so you will have to keep it away from them.
What care does the Yucca palm need?
Now that we have clarified the name of Yucca palme, how about we review the care of Yucca elephantipes? Here are the most important ones.
Location
The Yucca palme is a plant that can be both indoors and outdoors. In both cases you will need a place where you have good lighting. It is true that direct sun is not recommended, but if this is early or last minute, it won’t do too much damage, and it will nourish itself much better.
In fact, sometimes yuccas can lose the color of the leaves and it is due to a lack of lightHence, it is recommended to place them in semi-shade to avoid this problem (or the trunk to become soft).
Of course, it is recommended that you place it in a location that allows you to keep it at a temperature between 18 and 29ºC.
Substratum
Yucca palme soil is not something you should worry about too much. It is not very demanding in this sensebut we do recommend that, in addition to using a universal substrate for indoor plants, you mix it with a little sand, gravel or perlite to make it looser and more airy.
This way you will also avoid accumulations of water that can damage the roots of the plant (and therefore affect the trunk itself).
Besides, you must bear in mind that, for its development to be adequate, it is recommended that it be transplanted every two years to replenish the soil and also so that it has adequate space to grow.
Irrigation
Irrigation, as we mentioned a little above, is one of the most important care. And not precisely because you should be very aware of her, but quite the opposite. One of the reasons why yuccas die is due to excess water.. And it is that, being a succulent part, it keeps the water and that means that you will hardly have to water it.
In fact, it is recommended that, before doing so, you check the top 2-3 centimeters of the soil to see if it is time to water it or not. The irrigation schedule is usually every 10 days, but everything will depend on the humidity and if the earth is really dry (since, if it is not, it is better to leave it without water). Of course, do not be afraid to do that, or even water very occasionally. This way you will avoid this problem.
Subscriber
Regarding the subscriber, This plant does need a little fertilizer during spring and summer.. In general, a liquid fertilizer (mixed with the irrigation water) is offered every two weeks (that is, every time you water it).
Now, if at any time you should not water it, you should not apply the fertilizer either (especially since you could overfertilize and it would be counterproductive).
If you’re lucky, you may see this plant develop a flower rod. Although we already warned you that it is not easy to see and it can only be achieved abroad.
pruning
Regarding pruning, in general we could tell you that it is not necessary, since the leaves last a long time, but As time passes, the leaves may wither or lose their usual color. and you have to eliminate them to make way for the following ones.
But, beyond this, you should not do anything else (neither on the trunk nor on the short branches that it throws around it).
Multiplication
The first thing you should know is that yuccas usually produce seeds, although the usual way to propagate it is through the division of the cuttings that grow at the base of the plant. In general, they are left with the mother plant to grow, thus becoming a bush. But also, when you see that it is mature, you could separate it (as long as you see that it has leaves and that it can photosynthesize by itself).
It is recommended that the transplant be carried out in autumn because it is when the mother plant will suffer less and at the same time the cuttings will be in slow growth. Of course, when doing it you must make sure that the cut is made as quickly and accurately as possible and, also, that you take at least one root from the mother plant (so that through it you can form new roots). Otherwise, it will not prosper.
As you can see, the Yucca palme is a plant that will give you very few headaches and it will be as attractive as a palm tree. Although it’s not really a real palm tree. Do you have it at home or have you considered having it?
