Yucca plants are a part of the family of Asparagaceae; they are linked to the common asparagus. These are big statement plants that can be found in a more dry and arid region of America, and they have strengthened across Mexico and have also been found in Guatemala.
They are prone to a dry climate where they do not require a lot of water to survive. This makes it a lot easier for them to make it through hot and seasons of drought. They can be planted in specific places, and the variety of species make it easier for people to choose which of them should be cultivated and invested in. But even when they seem so easy to handle, how does a yucca plant die?
Why is my yucca plant dying?
A yucca plant is prone to hot and dry climates, making it have characteristics that make it not lose a lot of water; they have deep roots that suck water from the ground and have a weird way of thriving after wildfires. These plants may be lacking a few of the following or maybe have a higher amount of them, which makes the plant die or rot.
- Overwatering and clogging the roots.
- Insufficient light and not getting enough exposure to light
- Temperature stress and imbalances
- Not having good or different unsuitable fertilizers.
- Pests or disease.
Overwatering.
As you may have guessed by now, a yucca plant is naturally prone to being very t dry seasons, and they do not need an excessive amount of water. Their leaves are not spread out and have then shaped in long sharp needles, which in the end have a glossy exterior that repents any sort of excessive moisture. They have also evolved to the point where they can afford the water from dew, rain and even thrive after wildfires.
The water regime you should follow for these plants is simply only giving a limited amount of water when the plant’s soil is completely dried out and does not have any more water or moisture. This also applies to water in plants that are in pots; you need to make sure the water is drained out entirely before anything.
If the water persists and the roots remain wet, the plants will start to have their leaves turn yellow, and the roots may start having rot which can unlikely lead to them dying out. For the plant to survive after that, it would be a little difficult, but it’s not impossible to revive the plant.
Insufficient sunlight.
Yucca plants are those plants that are good when it comes to bearing a good amount of light, and the more they have, the better it may be. They will thrive in more sunlight since they have anatomy that makes the plant survive and withstand more sunlight.
They naturally do not have excessive chlorophyll and have a rather faded green color which makes them absurd only the amount of light they need. But if you strip away their basic source of energy, there are low chances of then surviving, so why risk something which you are not aware of? Growing a yucca plant inside the house is sometimes difficult since they are pretty prone to sunlight.
Keeping them in a hard situation where they don’t get a lot of natural light will wear them out. A process will follow where the leave will produce more chlorophyll, and the leaves will turn greener and then turn yellow, and the plant will start to die; though it’s easily fixable, it is still recommended to not put it in a situation where it will get to this point.
Temperature imbalance.
Though the Yucca plant is pretty though when it comes to temperature bearing, it can handle a good temperature ranging from 7°c up to 30°c. But if you live in cold climates or extremely hot temperatures, it is recommended you do not put it through the stress of overbearing extreme temperatures.
They are living beings with processes just like us; they get affected by words and by our actions and notice any won’t of neglect that is given to them by their caretaker. Temperature neglect will lead the plant to become dull and lead them to produce yellow spots, which are a visible sign of stress due to the temperature changes. The right way to treat a yucca plant is to make sure it does not stress out due to extreme temperatures, and it does not get to the point where it will have to suffer and die out.
Keep it indoors at extreme temperatures and regulate the environment it is kept in. Also, keeping in mind that extreme and sudden changes from temperature can also be a harmful effect on the health of the plant; everything needs adjustments and so do plants. If you want to make it accustomed to higher direct sunlight, make sure to do so gradually and not put it in direct sunlight abruptly.
Excessive fertilizer or insufficient supply.
Why is my yucca plant dying even though I’m providing sufficient fertilizer? This may a question for people who induce a lot of fertilizer and start to treat the yucca plant as a normal one.
As you may know, a yucca plant is suitable for places that are hard to survive in, and thus they do not require an excessive amount of fertilizer; giving it fertilizer a few times year is more than enough and would not hinder growth. The growing season can be given fertilizers with a soluble water base once every 2-3 months to help it have sufficient nutrients.
Do not use the recommended amount of fertilizer either since these do not require fertilizers to begin with and have a natural process for them to grow at their own pace. Doing too much will cause filtering, brown stress spots, the edges Browning out, having a lost root base. These small signs will make the plant die out quicker than you know.
If you do make the mistake of over-fertilizing the plant, you can flush this out with pure water in a specific way to not overwater and clog the plant, which can also result in dying plants.
Pests and diseases.
Low maintenance makes the plant have very low chances of getting any sort of pests, which is usually very easy to fix. Though the changes may be low, they will never be 0, so you will need to keep an eye out on what the plant is suffering from to identify what kind of tests are leeching off your yucca plant.
Three basic pests can harm your plant, the first being the aphids; these can eat off your plant but are easily recognized and can be rinsed off with water, insecticidal soap, or even horticultural oil. These can be followed weekly until the situation is controlled.
The second is the mealybug; these are bugs that leave a pattern of waxy layers on your plant and can be handled using rubbing alcohol, insecticidal soap, or horticultural oil. The last is a scale that can latch onto your yucca plant; these are hard-shelled insects that can be visibly seen from the naked eye; these can be removed with your hand, neem oil, horticultural oil, or rubbing alcohol. These are good solutions and work pretty well.
The two diseases which can be caused by overwatering, including fungal disease and blight. These can be controlled by limiting the water induction for your yucca plant.
Conclusion.
This may answer the question, “why is my yucca plant dying?” they are simple plants that do not require all of the maintenance and do not need excessive watering or fertilizers, keep the plant in a natural environment and help it out once in a while and it will give you beautify growth. Give yourself credit for growing a beautiful magnificent plant that can survive with you and enhance the architectural look of your surrounding. Give your home a statement yourself a friend to look after and love.