The palm lily, botanically correctly also called yucca and colloquially - and incorrectly - called yucca palm, is one of the most popular houseplants. This is hardly surprising, as the exotic-looking plant is easy to care for and also very vigorous. However, the yucca naturally needs a lot of light.
What lighting conditions does a yucca palm need?
Yucca palms need a lot of light, ideally a bright but not directly sunny location. In the summer they can stand outside once they get used to it. If there is a lack of light, artificial lighting with plant lamps or fluorescent lamps can help.
Not too much and not too little: the right amount of brightness
The Yucca comes from the warm, dry and sunny deserts and semi-deserts of Central America, where around 50 different species are native, especially to the south of the USA and Mexico. Even as a houseplant, the yucca needs a lot of light, which is why it is best placed directly in front of a large window. A bright location, but not in full sun, is ideal. A bright, partially shaded spot is also often tolerated. You will notice a lack of light when the leaves of the yucca turn yellow after a while - often starting from the bottom -, die and eventually fall off.
Get Yucca used to the sun before putting it out
You can also put your yucca outside during the summer months. Here the plant also prefers a bright place, although you can also place it in full sun. However, this should only be done after you have slowly gotten used to it, otherwise it can cause burns and therefore unsightly brown spots on the leaves.
Choose the right artificial light source
Particularly during the dark season or in a generally dark location, the yucca can quickly suffer from a lack of light. Too little light leads to poor growth due to the lack of photosynthesis and increased susceptibility to disease and pest infestation. However, you can compensate for the lack of sunlight with artificial light, although not every light source is suitable. Even if the desk lamp may seem very bright to you personally, the light may still be too dark for your yucca or in the wrong color spectrum. When choosing the artificial light source, it is best to pay attention to these features:
- Plants need light from the violet and orange-red spectrum
- Special plant lamps are suitable for this (€49.00 on Amazon), but also
- Fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps and some metal halide lamps
- The lamp should not radiate too much heat
- it should also be flexibly adjustable
- and placed in close proximity to the plant.
Tip
Yellow leaves on the yucca are not only an indication of too little light, but can also be caused by incorrect watering behavior. An excess of moisture and especially waterlogging also initially leads to yellowing of the leaves.
