Although this popular houseplant is often referred to as a “palm tree”, it is not. In fact, the yucca or palm lily is not even remotely related to real palm trees, but instead belongs to the asparagus family. Furthermore, there is no “one” yucca palm, but rather around 50 different species. Not all of them form the typical, thick trunk with the green tuft of leaves. Palm lilies, as the yucca is also called, grows quite vigorously even when kept in containers and should therefore be pruned from time to time.
How do I prune a yucca palm correctly?
To properly prune a yucca palm, choose the optimal time in spring or early summer, use sharp, disinfected tools, and seal cuts on the trunk with tree wax. Leaves can be trimmed or plucked, while stem or leaf cuttings can be used for propagation.
Yucca is very vigorous
No matter how small your yucca may be at the time of purchase, it will grow very quickly given the right growing conditions. If the yucca feels comfortable due to the right location and good care, it will also reach heights of between one and five meters in the pot, depending on the species. So it's no wonder that many copies hit the ceiling after just a few years. Yuccas not only grow in height, but also in width, quickly taking up a lot of space for other residents, whether they are plants, animals or people. Even if the leaves grow very tightly, pruning is necessary - otherwise the plant itself will not receive enough light and the risk of pest infestation increases.
Shortening palm lilies – all the important information at a quick overview
Here you will find all the important information about pruning the yucca palm in a practical overview.
- Yuccas are very easy to cut.
- Even radical shortening is usually well tolerated.
- The plants usually sprout again from the sections.
- Place cut plant parts in potting soil immediately, then they will root better.
- If there is strong growth, shortening the trunk and cutting the leaves is essential.
- Use sharp tools: a sharp knife for leaves and flowers, a fine saw for the trunk.
- If you don't have a saw, you can also use a long knife with a serrated blade.
- The only important thing is that all tools are sharp and have been disinfected (e.g. with alcohol or over a flame).
- Wounds on the trunk should be sealed with tree wax.
- This prevents drying out.
Prune the yucca in spring if possible
So that your yucca can cope well with pruning, you should only prune it in spring or early summer. Then the plant has enough time to regenerate and sprout again during the warm and sunny months. Place the trimmed yucca in a bright, warm and protected place, preferably on the balcony or terrace. Such a place supports the plant in its renewed growth. From late summer onwards, cutting should no longer be carried out until next spring, unless it is unavoidable due to a fungicidal or bacterial infection or similar.
Tribe
Very large yuccas with a thick trunk can easily be trimmed in height by simply cutting through the trunk. Since it becomes woody, you should use a fine saw or a sharp knife with a serrated blade (e.g. a bread knife). Be sure to seal the cut surface, otherwise the plant will dry out from there. You can use tree wax for this purpose, which is available in any garden center for a few euros.
Use stem pieces for propagation
You can also use the cut stem pieces for propagation, they often root again without any problems and sprout again quickly. This is how palm lily propagation works best using stem sections:
- Cut approx. 20 to a maximum of 30 centimeters long sections from the trunk.
- Make sure you remember where is up and down.
- To avoid confusion, you can mark the top end with a pen or something similar.
- Seal the top with tree wax.
- Place the bottom end in a pot with a mixture of potting soil and sand.
- Put a cut PET bottle or glass over it.
- Place the stem cutting in a bright and warm place.
- Always keep the substrate slightly moist.
The first new shoots will appear after about two to three months.
Cut the leaves
It is completely normal for older leaves to dry out and die from time to time. As a rule, the plant gets rid of these leaves itself. But you can also pluck them off. It is much more important to cut off or shorten leaves that grow too closely or protrude. If the crown of leaves becomes too dense, the plant no longer receives enough light and develops so-called stingy shoots. You can use a sharp knife or scissors to cut the leaves. But be careful: the leaves are often quite sharp, so you can injure yourself. Therefore, it is better to wear gloves. By the way, the leaf shoots or leaf cuttings can also be used for propagation.
Tip
The roots of the yucca should only be pruned if they are rotting. If possible, do not cut back he althy roots, but instead place the plant in a larger pot. The palm lily often reacts very sensitively to a root cut.
