In many a living room there is a magnificent yucca palm with a strong trunk, lots of dark green leaves and an impressive height just below the ceiling. Such a specimen is often cared for with particular care, as it is, after all, the pride of its owner. But when the leaves suddenly turn yellow and the trunk becomes soft, good advice is expensive. Why does the plant suddenly die and what can be done about it?
Why is my Yucca palm dying and how do I save it?
A yucca palm often dies due to waterlogging and root rot. To save it, pot up the plant, remove rotting roots and substrate, and cut off wilted leaves and soft spots. Place he althy shoots in fresh substrate and keep it only slightly moist.
Waterlogging and root rot are usually to blame
If only the lowest leaves of the yucca turn yellow and eventually dry out, there is no cause for concern - this phenomenon occurs in connection with the formation of the trunk and thus with the growth of the yucca. However, if a large number of leaves suddenly turn yellow and then dry up and die, in many cases there is an excess of moisture behind it - you meant too well with the watering can, which is why the yucca is now literally drowning in water. The yucca comes from rather dry regions of the world and therefore cannot tolerate too much moisture at all. Constantly wet substrate inevitably leads to root rot and thus the death of the entire plant. You can recognize root rot by these features:
- The leaves become limp and hang down.
- They eventually turn yellow, dry up and die.
- Trunk and shoots become soft over time
- until they finally break or snap off.
- The whole plant appears to be dying of thirst even though it actually gets enough water.
Of course, these characteristics do not appear all at once, but follow one another.
Often only a radical cut helps
To save the affected yucca, the only thing that usually helps is a radical cut. You will most likely not be able to save the entire plant, but only parts of it. However, with a bit of luck, these will sprout again and hopefully grow as magnificently as the mother plant. This is how you can proceed:
- Pot out the affected yucca.
- Remove all adhering substrate and rotting roots.
- Cut off all wilted leaves and soft spots above ground too.
- Place the remaining he althy shoots and trunk pieces in fresh substrate.
- Keep them only slightly moist – spraying with a sprayer (€9.00 on Amazon) is sufficient.
Tip
Do a finger test before each watering. Then you can see whether the yucca actually needs water or not. Insert your index finger into the substrate at least two centimeters deep - if it is dry, you can water a little (!).
