The yucca or palm lily - often incorrectly referred to as the yucca palm - comes from the dry and hot deserts and semi-deserts of Central America. There, in the south of the USA and in Mexico, the unusual plants are at home - and have adapted perfectly to the prevailing conditions. Yuccas that grow crookedly and appear somewhat bare usually suffer from incorrect location conditions - in order to successfully grow new shoots, you first have to ensure the right care, temperature and the right location.
How do I grow new shoots on my yucca palm?
To grow new shoots on a bare yucca palm, you should cut off the top and plant shoot and trunk cuttings in a sand-potting soil mixture. Place them in a bright place, keep the substrate slightly moist and provide them with enough nutrients for he althy growth.
Yucca usually goes bald due to lack of light
Yuccas are strong, fast-growing houseplants with a lush crown - and often one or two secondary shoots. If the entire plant appears weak, the trunk remains rather thin, grows crooked and the crown is sparsely covered with leaves, this is usually due to a lack of light. Yuccas need a lot of light and should be placed directly in front of a window or even outside during the summer months. The plant can even tolerate full sun as long as it has been used to it carefully - don't forget that it is a desert plant after all. Another possible reason for the yucca's rather weak appearance - in addition to the lack of light - could also be a lack of fertilizer. A yucca needs to be regularly supplied with nutrients so that it grows and thrives.
How to grow new shoots - without cutting it won't work
In order to stimulate the bald yucca to grow new shoots, you cannot avoid cutting. Ideally, you should separate the top of the plant and make several shoots and trunk cuttings from other shoots and the trunk. Plant these directly in a loose mixture of sand and potting soil and place them in a bright place - if possible directly in front of a south-facing window! – and keep the substrate slightly moist. Within a few months, the cuttings should have rooted and develop new shoots. Now it's important to care for the young yuccas appropriately so that strong plants with numerous leaves grow out of them.
Tip
Many a proud owner of a yucca palm has been able to grow side shoots on his plant by simply scratching the trunk with a sharp knife. In many cases this method works, but not always.