Why yucca leaves may dry out and turn yellow: pests, diseases, what to do

Evergreen exotic plants can add elegance and harmony to the interior of an apartment. Such flowers with large or long leaves are placed in large halls, living rooms or even in the bedroom. Caring for them is not difficult, but they must be carefully protected from diseases and harmful insects. Today we will talk about yucca.

In this article we will look at the most common diseases of yucca, which can not only spoil the appearance of the plant, but in some cases even destroy it. I will also tell you which insects pose a danger to exotic plants, list methods to combat them and important basics of prevention.

Yucca flower in landscape design

The species produces fruits only in its homeland - in Central America or Mexico, where the butterfly that pollinates the flowers lives.

Yucca is an evergreen representative of the agave family, which can be a shrub or a small tree. It is also popularly called garden palm. The plant blooms with beautiful white flowers, resembling bells in appearance, from June to August. With proper care, this period can be extended by a couple of days.

This plant is considered drought-resistant and does not require regular watering from the gardener, even at an air temperature of 35 degrees. It is also highly recommended not to place flowers in the shade - in the absence of bright sunlight they very quickly fade and wither. That is why yucca is increasingly placed in open flower beds, the edges of garden areas, and also on the edges of parks. This is where the plant feels best. Garden palm trees can grow not only in open ground, but also in pots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgem8qpE3GQ

In landscape design, garden yucca is used quite actively. It is planted in flower beds, in parks along the edges of alleys, and is often added to alpine hills and ridges. The plant looks good on the site at any time of the year and does not require frequent replanting.

Temperature

During the warm period, the temperature in the room in which the yucca is located should not exceed 25 degrees. If the plant has been under the sun for a long time, it is taken into the shade until necessary cooling, sprayed and then returned to its usual place.

In autumn and winter, the optimal temperature should be maintained within 10-12 degrees.

Slight temperature fluctuations from the norm for yucca are possible, but not desirable.

Diseases and pests of yucca

Yucca reacts painfully to many factors:

Watering with cold water.
Drafts.
Excessive watering.
Soil hypothermia.
Root damage.

Excessive soil moisture combined with low temperatures can lead to rotting of the roots, and this, in turn, to the death of the plant. First, the leaves wither and fall off. If the cause is discovered in time, you need to remove the plant from the ground, remove damaged areas, and treat them with a disinfectant. When the cutting area dries out, plant the plant in the ground. But it is better to choose a more suitable area for this.

Root rotting is often combined with the appearance of yucca pests:

Mealybug
Spider mite
Shchitovka

You need to fight pests by treating yucca with one of the insecticides (Aktara, Karbofos). Iskra BIO will help you get rid of spider mites. But first, before purchasing an insecticide, you need to treat the affected areas with a solution of laundry soap.

What does the poor appearance of the plant indicate:

The ends of the leaves turn brown from too dry air or drafts. This may also indicate that the plant needs watering. Light, dry spots indicate sunburn. Curled leaves indicate that the yucca is cold. You need to determine the cause and eliminate it.
Anthracnose is a fungal disease. Brown spots with a yellow border appear on the leaves. The edge of the spot is convex. As the disease progresses, they merge into large ones. High humidity promotes the appearance of anthracnose. Prevention in the apartment: do not spray the leaves, reduce the air humidity in the room. Treat with antifungal drugs (“Folli”). In the garden, they are treated with Saprol antifungal drugs, weeds are removed, and the vegetation around is thinned out so that air can pass freely between the leaves. Spill the soil around the plant with a solution of Fundazol. If the measures taken do not help, then it is better to remove the plant.
Sometimes a white coating forms on yucca leaves. Young leaves are especially susceptible to the disease. This occurs due to damage to the plant. This is a fungal disease, so the methods of dealing with it are the same as with anthracnose. You can spray the plant with “Skor” and “” preparations at intervals of a week.

The result of the fight against the disease can be judged by the further development of the plant. If the growth that appears some time after treatment is healthy and beautiful, the treatment was effective. If it is also affected by powdery mildew, it will have to be pruned. Most often this helps to get rid of the disease. In severe cases of fungal infection, the plant stem may soften. In the initial stage, you need to remove the diseased areas and treat the cut areas.

Indoor yuccas can develop fungal diseases:

Gray rot, which affects leaves and stems.
Cercospora - brown spots on the leaves, merging into one, with a light center and a dark edge.
Yellow mottle is a viral infection of leaves that appears as small yellow spots. They are located closer to the end of the sheet. The appearance of the disease is facilitated by aphids that carry the virus. Affected plants are dug up and burned.

Do not cut off wilted leaves from a healthy garden yucca plant. This may result in the plant not blooming. Purchased indoor yucca may shed its leaves. This is due to stress after moving. After a couple of weeks, the leaves will begin to grow. Yellowing of the lower leaves is a natural process. 2 years after formation, the leaf turns yellow and falls off.

More information can be found in the video:

Very often, when growing yucca, gardeners are faced with yellowing and falling of the leaves of this plant. Its leaves dry out at the tips, and then the leaf blades die off completely.

But if it is rapidly losing leaf mass, it is necessary to look for the reason in improper care of this palm tree.

Yucca can lose leaves due to poor or abundant watering, too dry air and insufficient lighting. Also, the leaves may dry out and turn yellow if the plant is damaged by pests.

The soil

For yucca, it is best to buy a ready-made earthen mixture , which is offered by all stores that sell indoor plants.

If a special mixture intended for palms, dracaenas and yuccas is not available, you can use a universal mixture, the nutritional value of which can create the conditions necessary for good growth.

You can prepare the soil mixture for yucca yourself . For young shoots, a composition of 2 parts turf soil, 1 part humus, 2 parts leaf soil and 2 parts sand is suitable. Adult and perennial plants need a different proportion: 3 parts turf soil, 2 parts sand and 2 parts leaf soil.

Why do yucca leaves fall off?

This is a very rare occurrence, because the decorative false palm tree is an evergreen plant and changes in nature do not affect its appearance. If the yucca is happy with its environment, it stays green all year round. If an indoor palm tree sheds its leaves, you need to understand the reason and, if necessary, take action.

The reasons for sudden exposure of the stem are:

Stress when changing location. A newly purchased yucca simply needs to be given time to adapt to its new environment. In this case, it will not hurt to replant the plant in fresh soil. A pot is chosen that is 2-3 cm larger, drainage made of expanded clay is placed on the bottom, and soil for palm trees or cacti is sprinkled on top.
Rough transplantation with damage to the root system. Yucca will adapt and throw out young shoots. Any root growth stimulator that is used in accordance with the instructions will help to ease the adjustment period.
Frequent watering. Rotting of the roots entails wilting of the yucca - death of the stem and shedding of leaves. In this case, you cannot do without a transplant. The rotten parts are removed, the cut of the intact lignified top is treated with crushed coal, placed for rooting in damp sand or vermiculite, and watered with epin according to the instructions.
High air temperature in winter with insufficient lighting. How to save yucca from baldness in this case? Provide the plant with cool air (+15 ⁰С) and additional lighting.

Planting a plant

The future fate of the indoor plant depends on the choice of substrate. Soil can be purchased at the store. The second option is to cook it yourself. To do this you will need equal parts of the following components:

turf land;
leaf mixture;
ready humus;
sand;
peat.

The planting procedure begins by laying drainage on the bottom of the pot. Expanded clay or large crushed stone are well suited for it. This is the main component for the favorable growth of a houseplant.

Yucca or dracaena

People often ask how to distinguish yucca from dracaena? There are species of dracaenas that look very similar to yucca, for example, Dracaena aletriformis Dracaena aletriformis or the species Dracaena massangeana (not variegated). The differences are:

Yucca has small teeth along the edge of the leaf: noticeable roughness along the edge of the leaf, if you draw from the tip to the base
Yucca leaves are stiffer, denser, and on young tops they stick out straight up
The edges of yucca leaves are usually straight, while those of dracaena are often slightly wavy (the leaves themselves are softer)
in yucca, the top of the leaf ends in a prickly spine
Yucca's roots are reddish, sometimes quite intense in color; dracaena's roots are always white
with the same crown size, the yucca's trunk is always thicker than that of the dracaena

Lighting

Yucca requires good lighting. The plant should be placed as close to the windows of the apartment as possible. But it is better to protect the plant from the influence of direct rays, especially on southern windows.

Windows that face west or east are optimal for yucca . If the lighting is insufficient, the leaves become depleted and thin shoots stretch towards the sun.

In summer, yucca can be placed on a terrace or balcony, shading the plant from the hot rays of the sun.

If natural light is not enough, yucca will be comfortable with artificial lighting.

To do this, fluorescent lamps are installed at a distance of approximately 60 cm above the yucca for about 16 hours a day.

Pests

False palm is quite disease resistant

and is rarely attacked by pests. But if the disease has already affected the foliage or stem, it is better to immediately take the necessary measures.

To do this, it is advisable to know what pests we can deal with in order to respond in time and cure the plant, and not throw away the yucca and the pot from under it.

Spider mite

Appears when living conditions are not suitable for the plant, and it weakens - due to excessive dry air or due to heat.

. It settles on the back side of the leaves and feeds on its juices. By sucking the juice from the false palm tree, it makes it weaker and contributes to wilting, because the flower then receives almost no nutrients.

Light spots and yellowness appear on the affected foliage; they are entwined with a thin web, causing the yucca to gradually dry out.

It is quite difficult to see the spider mite itself on the leaf, but from the above signs you can easily determine that it is the one that is infecting the plant.

Shield aphid or scale insect

It mainly affects plants of the agave genus, including yucca. She settles on the foliage. It is dangerous because it multiplies rapidly and is well adapted to the home microclimate
.

At the early stage of the disease, it is problematic to notice shield aphids on the plant. When it becomes an adult, it is covered with a waxy shield. The larvae mature underneath it.

The damaged plant stops growing and withers

. This is caused by the fact that the scale insect begins to eat the leaves, and if the necessary measures to eliminate it are not taken in time, the false palm tree will die.

Bacterial burn

This disease is rarely observed. However, if it infects the plant, it does so entirely. In such cases, gardeners are interested in why the yucca turns yellow and how to save the plant. If you notice spots that over time acquire a dark black tint, then you are faced with a bacterial burn.

This trouble happens, in the vast majority of cases, due to improper growing conditions. Most likely, there is high air temperature and humidity.

Treatment of this yucca disease (pictured) is very difficult. Therefore, to avoid such a problem, we recommend that when planting yucca, immediately use only new, specially treated pots and soil purchased in a store, which is intended for this type of plant. In this way, you can increase the flower’s endurance and resistance to this type of burn. In addition, yucca can become infected from other diseased plants located next to it. Or the carrier may be insects that damage the leaves or roots of the flower.

It is important to notice a bacterial burn in the very first days of its appearance, because if no measures are taken in time, it will no longer be possible to cope with this disease. And you’ll just have to throw away your favorite yucca. If you see several yellow-black spots on the leaves, immediately remove the damaged plates and additionally treat the plant with Bordeaux mixture or any antibiotic.

Reproduction methods

Yucca garden is propagated mainly by dividing the roots or lateral shoots. It is recommended to carry it out in the spring. The ideal time for such work is March. Reproduction is carried out as follows:

carefully dig up the plant so as not to damage the root system;
cuttings up to 5 cm long are cut from the rhizome;
the resulting fragments are dried in the fresh air for 4 hours, then they are planted in a greenhouse to a depth of 5-7 cm. For this purpose, it is worth using sandy soil.

After the seedlings sprout, the film is removed. With the arrival of spring or autumn (depending on the time of division), the plants are transplanted to a sunny, warm area of open ground.

Yucca cuttings

Division by shoots and leaves is carried out in a similar way. However, this method is considered less productive, which is why it is practically not practiced by private farms.

It is recommended to divide the yucca rhizome once every 3-4 years. In this case, this process will be successful and will produce healthy and strong young plants. But how to grow Alstroemeria from seeds is indicated in this article.

It is also possible to propagate yucca by seeds. However, this process is much more complex and less productive than division by roots or leaves. Only experienced gardeners can cope with it, so beginners are advised not to take risks and choose easier-to-use methods.

When to replant

Yucca is replanted as the root system grows. The second reason for the procedure is rotting of the roots, improper care at home, or damage to the flower by insects.

Very young plants require replanting every spring. There are three main ways to replace soil in a flower pot: transferring, replanting and replacing the top layer.

How to identify the problem?

The yellow-flowered daylily originated in Europe over 300 years ago and the first officially recorded flower was in England in 1892. Since then, breeders have been able to develop more than 80,000 new varieties.

yellow daylily

Basically, daylilies are unpretentious and do not require careful care. Only some of the hybrids that were bred through microclonal propagation are very capricious. To avoid problems with the shrub, it needs to carefully select the composition of the soil, observe the temperature regime and the amount of watering. The seller, as a rule, informs about all these nuances in the description of the flower.

The daylily is turning yellow, what should I do? The following rules must be observed:

The landing site should be well lit;
the soil is fertile, loose and with a neutral acidity level;
watering must be carried out using sun-warmed or spring water;
Before the beginning of the growing season, the plant is fed with nitrogen fertilizers, during flowering - with potassium-phosphorus-nitrogen fertilizers, and after flowering - with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

To maintain the beauty of daylilies, you need to ensure that pests do not settle on the bushes, and that the roots do not rot from excessive watering.

It is important to know! Daylily does not easily tolerate viral and fungal infections. It can be very difficult to get rid of them

Shrub disease

Planting work

It is necessary to plant garden yucca in the spring; flower care is minimal. In order for the plant to be strong by winter, planting work should begin no earlier than May. By this time, the night temperature should be more than 10 degrees.

Note!

Flower growers most often grow seedlings and cuttings. It is not practical to sow seeds; this work is carried out by specialists in laboratories.

What you need for sowing:

choose a sunny area;
dig a hole 50 cm deep;
lay stone, crushed stone, brick on the bottom;
sprinkle with fertile soil and ash;
place a seedling in the hole, sprinkle the roots with soil;
water and mulch.

Planting work has been completed. In order for the bushes to take root, they need to be properly cared for.

What to do with brown leaf edges

A similar problem occurs when growing a flower indoors. Often, the tips of yucca leaves dry out in winter, when the heating season begins. Due to the operation of heating devices, the air in the room becomes very dry, which cannot but affect the condition of the plants. In most cases, the flower copes with such trouble. But sometimes the tips of the leaves may still begin to dry out.

To avoid this indoor yucca disease, it is necessary to increase the humidity in the room. This can be done in two ways: using special humidifiers, or frequent spraying from a spray bottle.

Features of flowering

Yucca blooms for a month. The inflorescence is represented by a long arrow with small buds of white or cream color. Flowering is accompanied by a pleasant aroma and is possible only in adult specimens.

Interesting!

There are varieties that are able to bloom only once in their entire life, and the rest of the time they actively grow. This fact allows us to draw a parallel between yucca and agave, which has the same feature.

A long-term absence of flowers in an adult yucca is possible if the plant is not properly cared for at home and the principles of its maintenance are neglected. Below you can see a photo of a healthy flowering bush.

What to do for fungal leaf diseases

Overmoistening of the root system or general hypothermia leads to fungal infections

. Dark spots on the leaves are a fungal disease caused by high humidity and excessive watering.

Changing the watering schedule and permanent location of the yucca will help combat the fungus. Diseased leaves are removed.

Another fungus that attacks the trunk causes stem rot. In the first stages, the fungus may not be noticed; in advanced cases, rot is detected too late, when the stem is affected, and inside it is filled with rot.

If the rot has not yet spread to the entire trunk, then the plant is cut back to healthy tissue and rooted. In advanced cases, it is disposed of along with the pot so that healthy people do not become infected.

Prevention lies in the correct selection of soil

. Fine expanded clay, sand and coconut shavings should become faithful companions of the new soil; the soil will become softer and airier. Watering is moderate; between waterings the top layer of mail should dry completely.

Yucca is and remains a plant that does not require constant control. The right location is the key to active and healthy growth. Caring for and periodic spraying, moderate soil moisture and fertilization will have a positive effect on the appearance.

Yucca is a heat-loving plant that naturally grows during severe droughts and can transform into a giant tree.

Growing this plant at home is not difficult, but ayucca has diseases that can affect it, and it is important for every gardener to know how to deal with them

Watering mode

Garden yucca should be watered immediately after planting; subsequently, yucca requires infrequent watering, with the soil completely drying out to avoid root rot. In this case, you should avoid getting moisture into the socket - this can cause the top to rot, which must then be removed. If this is not noticed in time, the yucca may die.

On a note!

Loosening the soil is carried out about every other day to avoid rotting of the plant, which occurs due to rain, and also to improve the supply of moisture to the vegetative organs, especially in hot weather, when the yucca loses a large amount of moisture. It is also recommended to systematically spray the plant.

Why did the yucca leaves drop?

If the leaves gradually droop, become soft and pale, and the stem of the flower has softened, then this is a sign of disease - stem rot. It develops very quickly and in a neglected situation (the leaves are hanging and their base is yellow) it is impossible to save the palm tree.

If the yucca has a soft trunk, but the leaves have not turned black, are not very yellow and have not completely drooped, then you can try to save it.

Cut off all affected parts of the plant (if there is only one soft trunk, then remove only that).
Remove the palm tree from the pot, cut off the rotten roots and dip it in a solution with a fungicide (Topaz, colloidal sulfur or copper sulfate).
Plant the flower in dry new soil mixture and do not water for 4-5 days.

If the only trunk has rotted, then cut off the top and plant it in the soil for rooting, as when propagating by cuttings. Throw away the remaining part of the flower along with the soil, wash the pot and soak in boiling water for 10-15 minutes.
If the leaves of the plant have turned black (become dirty gray) and the trunk has become very soft, then all that remains is to throw it away along with the soil.

Yucca dropped its leaves

Causes of yellow leaves

Yucca is an evergreen plant, so the leaf cover does not change every year. However, the leaves gradually age, die and are replaced by new ones. So don’t be surprised or alarmed if some of them begin to turn yellow and dry out in the lower part of the plant. This is a natural and completely normal process.

However, intense leaf fall throughout the tree indicates some problems with its health or living conditions. Let's look at them in detail.

Lack of light

In nature, yucca receives a lot of sunlight. In the Russian climate in winter it is not enough for the plant. As a result, the leaves turn pale, become limp and yellow. The solution to the problem is to increase the duration of daylight hours to 10-12 hours using artificial lighting.

You can purchase special phyto-lamps or install regular ones. But there is an important nuance - they should not get very hot. This is dangerous due to leaf burns and drying of the air in the room.

The air is too dry

Monstera is a resident of arid areas, so it does not need high humidity. But the Russian climate, combined with the heating season, can make the indoor air too dry even for her. In this case, the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out.

Remove the pot away from the radiator or other heat sources.
Raise the humidity level.

Installing a special electronic humidifier, containers with water, periodically wiping the leaves with a damp sponge or spraying the tree with a spray bottle will help.

Please note: you should spray not so much the plant itself, but the space around it. If there is too much water on the yucca, it will begin to accumulate in the axils of the leaves and lead to their rotting.

No rest period

In winter, yucca “rests” and gains strength before the new growing season. During this period, it is undesirable to expose the plant to any stress or changes in conditions. Otherwise, her immunity weakens, her strength decreases, and not only the old leaves, but also the young rosette begin to turn yellow and wither.

If, out of ignorance, you have violated the dormant period, try to create a comfortable and stable regime of watering, temperature and humidity for the plant as quickly as possible, and eliminate drafts. Unless absolutely necessary, do not move the pot or replant the yucca.

Excessive humidity

This reason can be diagnosed by the fact that yucca leaves turn yellow and wither, but do not dry out. Waterlogged soil or too much water spraying can harm the plant. If the plant is in a draft, the situation will worsen even more.

Whether the yucca can be saved will depend on its condition. If most of the root system and trunk with leaves have rotted, it is easier to throw out the plant. If only a few leaves are affected, they need to be cut off and watering or irrigation of the yucca should be reduced accordingly.

Nutrient deficiency

With yellow leaves, yucca often signals another problem - soil depletion. No matter how nutritious it may initially be, the plant gradually draws out everything valuable from there.

To compensate for the deficiency of microelements in a pot with yucca, you can completely change the soil, for example, during the next replanting. The second option is to add complex fertilizers containing iron, magnesium and nitrogen to the soil.

Tip: For indoor plants, fertilizers are best used in the form of weak solutions. This will help avoid burns to their root system.

Rough transplant

Changing the yucca pot should be done carefully, trying not to damage either the roots or the above-ground part of the tree. Otherwise, the plant will experience severe stress, which will be demonstrated by yellowing and dropping leaves.

Usually, after some time, the yucca will adapt and throw out new healthy leaves. But to speed up the process, you can feed it with a root growth stimulator. This will provoke their restoration and activation of green mass growth.

What to feed

Garden Yucca does not tolerate fertilizing with organic fertilizers after planting, such as bird droppings, mullein and plant fertilizers, which should be strictly excluded. If there is a need for fertilizing, then it should be carried out extremely carefully and appropriate care should be provided afterwards. Otherwise, the plant will stop flowering and its winter hardiness will decrease.

Fertilizing is mandatory immediately after the plant is planted or after it is transplanted, but only after new leaves appear. The most suitable fertilizers for yucca are succulent fertilizers or complex fertilizers that have a low nitrogen content with a dosage of one to five liters per plant. The first feeding is carried out in the spring - in May, and the next - after the end of the flowering period.

Yucca - reproduction

Question: My yucca is dying from waterlogging of the soil, I’m trying to propagate it: I rooted two offspring in a pot (without roots), covered it with polyethylene. I don’t know if it’s possible to make cuttings from the trunk and also root them?

Anna: Just put the cutting (cut off top) in a jar of water. Do not pour a lot of water so that the trunk is covered by no more than 1 cm, so as not to rot, and add water periodically (it evaporates). In a week, the yucca will have roots. Wait until small lateral roots of about 3-4 cm grow and plant in the ground. The main thing is, don’t overfill it in the future. But in winter, yucca needs additional lighting to root!

Alice: Yucca propagates vegetatively quite easily, but only if it is light and warm, and the biorhythms of the plant are on the rise. Try not to simply prune yucca in autumn or winter; the best time for propagation is from late January to June. It is also possible in July, if there is no heat. If the temperature is above 27C, this is also not good; the cuttings will not have enough strength to absorb moisture when the leaves quickly evaporate. Therefore, if you cut a large branch of yucca for rooting, you need to tear off some of the leaves, leaving 4-5 at most.

Trimming / Support / Garter

Yucca pruning is used in cases where you want to get several from one plant. The operation can only be carried out on a young, strong and healthy plant, about 30 cm high.

In the last days of spring or early summer, using a very sharp knife, a stalk (about 10 cm) or a plant trunk about 20 cm long is cut off. It is taken into account that leaves, sprouts or buds should remain on the main trunk.

To prevent rotting, the yucca cut is treated with wood ash . After a while, a tiny rosette of young leaves appears at the cut site.

With good care there will be several of them. The cut top is buried in the ground and over time, having taken root, it turns into an independent plant.

The appearance of pests

Changes in the appearance of the plant can also be explained by pest activity. Among them, the most dangerous for yucca are spider mites, thrips and scale insects, each of which can cause yellowing and curling of the leaves.

In order to promptly eliminate the problem and protect the plant from death, it is important to know about the first signs of insect infestation.

Spider mite

A favorable factor for the rapid reproduction of spider mites is an increase in temperature with a simultaneous decrease in air humidity. The pest gets onto yucca from other plants, and you can notice it by the characteristic light grains in the lower part of the leaf blades. If an insect has been living on the yucca for a long time, then it is possible that a thin silvery web will appear, entwining not only the leaves, but also the place where the leaf is attached. Over time, the affected leaves lose their usual color and become covered with yellow, shapeless spots.

Among the folk remedies, garlic, tobacco and onion peels will help in the fight against the pest, the infusion of which should be rubbed on the surface of the leaf plate. For additional treatment, you can use a soap solution, and in difficult cases, you can also spray the yucca with one of the popular insecticidal compounds: for example, Vertimek or Fitoverm. Treatment with their use is carried out at least three times, with an interval of 10 days.

Important! The spider mite is doubly dangerous, because it not only sucks out all the juices from the plant, but can also be a carrier of gray rot and other flower ailments that become noticeable soon after it hits the yucca

Thrips

Thrips are one of the most common pests of not only ornamental but also agricultural crops. The reason for its appearance is new, infected plants in the house, and the reproduction of insects is facilitated by dry air and reduced humidity in the room. You can notice the new resident by the characteristic silvery pattern on the surface of the sheets, which consists of chaotic strokes.

This pest quickly sucks the juice out of the plant cells, and the females also gnaw through the internal passages in the leaves, which are those same silvery stripes. At temperatures of +16…+25°C, insects reproduce very quickly, doubling their numbers every 4–6 days. Getting rid of thrips is not easy, but it is possible. In the initial stages of yucca damage, its leaves can be treated with a solution of laundry soap and covered with a plastic bag and left for 2-3 hours.

In some cases, treatment with mineral oils (a solution of 1 liter of water and a few drops of kerosene or machine oil) may help, but it is safer to spray the yucca with special chemicals: for example, Aktara, Iskra, Mospilan or Agravertin. Some of these compositions can be used not only for spraying, but also for watering at the root, which makes it possible to get rid of insects both on the plant and in the soil.

Did you know? Yucca is recommended to grow for people with chronic low blood pressure and problems with the respiratory system.

Shchitovka

If the leaves of the yucca turn yellow (no matter the lower or upper ones), and the stem slows down its growth, you can suspect the activity of scale insects. It is not difficult to detect them, because they are already noticeable upon visual inspection of the plant: they are presented in the form of small rounded tubercles of brown, green or yellow color

Insects usually attach to areas along the veins of leaf blades, but can accumulate in leaf axils.

The main reason for their appearance is a violation of the plant’s natural defenses, which is often associated with an excess of nitrogen in the soil or a change in the growing conditions of yucca: for example, a decrease in light intensity or increased air dryness. At the initial stage of pest reproduction, yucca leaves become covered with a sticky secretion, which is also one of the most characteristic symptoms of the presence of a problem.

In the fight against it, insecticidal compounds alone cannot always bring a positive result, so sometimes you have to additionally treat the leaves with a solution of laundry soap. To remove scale insects, they often use a cotton swab soaked in an insecticide (for example, Actellik or Bankole), with which they are simply cleaned off the surface.

Yellowing, or even more so, curling of yucca leaves cannot be ignored. Almost any of the above reasons can destroy a false palm tree, so the sooner you take appropriate measures to solve the problem, the better your chances of coping with it.

Why do yucca leaves dry out or turn yellow? What to do?

Yucca leaves are an indicator of proper flower care and signal the presence of problems. They may turn yellow and dry out due to excessive lighting, low humidity or insufficient watering.

Now, you know why the lower leaves of yucca turn yellow, and in what situation there is no reason to worry.

Yellowing yucca leaves

Light dry spots on yucca leaves

The reason for the appearance of such spots is an excess of sunlight. Protect the flower from direct bright rays of the sun in summer.

Brown spots on yucca leaves

Brown spots can be caused by a fungal disease due to high soil moisture. The reason lies in excessive watering, incorrect composition of the soil mixture (insufficient drainage, low air permeability) or inappropriate acidity of the substrate.

Remove the affected leaves, reduce watering, loosen the soil (described in the watering section), and also place the palm tree in a brighter place. Treat the plant with a fungicide (Fitosporin is the safest) or a folk remedy (iodine, potassium permanganate, etc. - more details in the article - folk remedies section).

Brown edges and tips of yucca leaves

This sign indicates excessively dry air in the room. Also, the tips of the leaves may turn brown due to insufficient watering or strong drafts, especially in the cold season. If the leaves turn brown at the end of summer, it means that the palm tree did not have enough spraying and watering.

Why do yucca leaves curl?

If the leaves of a flower curl and have darkened edges, then this is a sign of hypothermia. Avoid excessively low room temperatures.

And if they curl into a tube, but do not darken, then the reason is that the substrate is too dry or the humidity is very low (July-August or winter). Protect your home palm tree from the scorching sun and the flow of hot air from the battery.

The yucca leaves turned pale at the base, and the flower itself stretched upward

The leaves turn yellow or lighten (turn to almost white) at the base, and the plant stretches upward in low light, most often in late fall/winter. See section - lighting.

And if they turn pale and become soft and lethargic, then read - stem rot.

ADDITIONS TO THE ARTICLE:

We wish you a beautiful and healthy “home palm” yucca and a great mood!

Yucca diseases and their treatment, photos of which can be seen below, most often appear due to improper maintenance. This flower is very heat-loving and can easily tolerate hot weather and drought. With proper care it can grow to enormous sizes. However, sometimes it can succumb to various diseases and pests. Therefore, every gardener needs to know what dangers exist and how to deal with them.

Gray spot

One of the reasons why yucca turns yellow and dries out is gray spotting. This disease develops gradually. First, small spots of a grayish tint with brown edges form on the leaves, or the edge of the leaf acquires this color. Young shoots are rarely affected by this disease. As a rule, it affects the lower old sheets.

Fungicides are used to treat this yucca disease (pictured). Remove leaves that are already severely damaged and spray the plant with this preparation. To prevent the disease, use the medicinal solution periodically.

Why do yucca leaves wither, turn yellow and dry out and what to do?

Single old yucca leaves turn yellow and die due to natural causes, as with all evergreens. But if the color and structure of all the leaves are disturbed, it means that the plant is experiencing stress as a result of improper care or attack by pests of indoor plants

To understand why yucca leaves turn yellow, it is important to consider all the factors affecting the plant: water regime, mineral nutrition, temperature and lighting. It is important to remember that yucca comes from an arid climate zone, so not only a lack of moisture is detrimental to it, but also its excess

It also requires a certain air temperature and daylength. Sudden changes in growing conditions negatively affect the appearance of the plant, leading to yellowing and falling leaves.

Yucca, both indoor and garden, has a hard time withstanding not only a lack of moisture, but also its excess. This indoor plant is classified as a succulent that creates a reserve of water in the stem, which allows it to survive the dry period in nature. In indoor culture, succulents require abundant but infrequent watering. Violating this rule can lead to some problems.

If you water too rarely, the yucca leaves wither, turn yellow and die over time. Abundant watering creates a threat of souring of the roots as a result of stagnation of moisture in the soil. Damaged roots do not cope with their functions and are not able to provide the plant with moisture and mineral elements, which leads to yellowing and drying of the shoots, the leaves wither and droop.

In summer, yucca is watered after the top layer of soil in the pot has dried. In winter, the lump of earth should completely dry out between waterings, since the plant is in a state of forced dormancy. A sign of excess water intake is the darkening of the tips of the leaves, which dry out over time, and the trunk becomes limp.

Yucca leaves turn yellow and dry out when there is a lack of sunlight and sudden temperature fluctuations. Direct rays of the sun leave burns on the leaves - large light areas that can form anywhere on the leaf blade. Bright, indirect light will help prevent such spots from appearing and keep the plant looking healthy.

In winter, it is recommended to move the yucca to a room with a temperature of +10. +15 degrees so that she can better survive the period with short daylight hours and dim lighting. If, during a period of forced dormancy, the palm tree is located near a heating device in a stream of dry warm air, the tips of the leaves turn yellow and dry out, and the leaves curl. The pot should be moved, choosing the optimal place for it in the house. To maintain the uniform green color of yucca leaves, you should avoid:

direct sunlight hitting the shoots;
placing the plant in a draft and in a stream of hot air;
excess air humidity;
poor watering during long daylight hours.

Yellowing of leaves - chlorosis - is one of the signs that the plant is experiencing a lack of mineral elements. With nitrogen deficiency, young leaves grow light, and with potassium deficiency, the color of adult leaves changes. Yucca in indoor culture can reach 4 m in height, increasing significant vegetative mass, so it needs good mineral nutrition. Once every few years, the flower should be replanted, since the soil becomes acidic and needs to be changed. Some time after transplanting, the soil becomes depleted. The lack of macro- and microelements is compensated by applying mineral fertilizers.

The condition of the leaves is negatively affected not only by deficiency, but also by excess of minerals in the soil

When applying mineral fertilizers, it is important to adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations. Feed yucca no more than once a month, from mid-spring to late summer.

In winter, feeding is stopped so that plant growth slows down.

Brown spot

A similar disease is caused by the fungus Coniothyrium concentricum. The peculiarity of this disease is that it first appears on the lower leaves. It is the plates located at the very base that microorganisms infect first. At first, colorless areas can be seen on the leaves, which turn yellow over time. After a few weeks, these spots turn brown.

To correct the situation, immediately treat with fungicides, for example, such as:

Such preparations should be diluted in the proportions indicated on the packages and sprayed with a spray bottle. Repeated treatments should be carried out every ten days. Leaves that cannot be saved are best cut off completely.

To prevent brown spot, try to maintain the required humidity and temperature conditions. Monitor the frequency of watering. Neither abundant irrigation nor its complete absence is allowed.

You need to know the enemy by sight

In addition to diseases, some insects are enemies of yucca.

Pests rarely attack a plant with strong immunity, but diseased, depleted specimens often become their target. Let's consider who can live with your pet.

Mealybug

Most often it affects a palm tree in the off-season, when the plant experiences stress from changes in temperature. Externally, mealybugs look like small cotton balls; if you crush the fluffy ball, bloody discharge appears. Its harm is enormous, since it sucks juice from leaves and branches and multiplies very quickly.

If you notice a mealybug infestation, thoroughly wipe the yucca leaves with a sponge dipped in warm, soapy water, removing all visible traces of the pest. After this, treat the plant with an insecticide (Aktara, Calypso, Fitoverm, etc.). The procedure must be repeated 3-4 times with an interval of 7-10 days.

Shchitovka

Another dangerous enemy of yucca is the scale insect. A tiny insect, similar to a small turtle, is generally mistaken by some for a growth on the leaves, since it is motionless. Having firmly attached itself to a leaf blade or cuttings, the scale insect sucks out the juices of the plant. The first sign of a dangerous neighborhood is a sticky, shiny discharge.

Not only the scale insect itself harms the flower, but also the sticky substance. It clogs the pores of living tissue, creating favorable conditions for fungal infections.

The “shell” of the scale insect is so dense that it is difficult to kill it even with chemicals. First you need to remove adult individuals mechanically - with a swab moistened with a concentrated soap solution or vodka, clean the leaves and stems of brown “growths”. Remove the top layer of soil.

After this, treat the plant with an insecticide. As with mealybugs, repeat the procedure at least 3 times.