Yucca garden: description, photo, reproduction, planting and flower care. Yuka flower: how to care for yucca at home and in the garden Yucca planting and care at home

Yuka is a heat-loving flower from the Agave family, which fell into temperate latitudes from the tropical and subtropical climate of Central America. The tree or shrub plant is also known as the "denim tree", since it was this culture that became the raw material for the production of denim fiber. A beautiful and unpretentious culture in the wild is represented by 30 species, some of which are cultivated in Central Russia on the window sills of apartments and in garden open ground.

The yucca flower has its own characteristics that should be considered when growing:

• Bright lighting - culture, being a native of desert areas with a scorching sun, needs good lighting.
• Flowering - buds are laid only when the flower is in the cold for a long time.
• Growth rates - the development of yucca is very slow, which forces impatient flower growers to acquire an already adult plant.

Yuca flower (Yucca): home care

The yuca home flower, reaching a height of up to 2 m, requires the implementation of only the most basic rules.

Lighting and location

To provide the necessary bright lighting, similar to natural, it is recommended to place the yucca near the southern windows. In the absence of such an opportunity, the brightest rooms are selected, where, if necessary, an additional light source is organized.

Temperature

For the spring-summer period, the temperature values ​​\u200b\u200bin the range of 20-25 ° C are suitable for the plant. In winter, the decrease in temperature should be limited to a limit of 10°C.

Substrate requirement

Yucca needs light, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5-7.5 and excellent throughput water. The substrate can be purchased at the store or prepared independently, taking humus, compost, soddy soil and sand in equal parts.

Irrigation system and air humidity

Watering yucca should not be plentiful and frequent, which may darken the edges of the leaves and begin to develop root rot. With an optimal irrigation regime between procedures, the substrate should have time to dry to a depth of 5 to 7 cm. Yucca growing under the hot sun does not need spraying, with the exception of some moisture-loving species.

Advice! If the air in the apartment is too dry, it is better to install a humidifier or a container of water near the flower.

Top dressing and fertilizer

The plant responds well to foliar feeding, which is carried out twice a month from mid-spring to late summer. As fertilizers, preference is given to mineral complexes, the concentration of which, when used, should be half that indicated on the package.

How to care for the leaves, cleaning from dust

To facilitate the breathing of a flower and rid the leaf plates collected in sockets of accumulated dust, you can resort to spraying from a fine spray gun. However, this procedure should not be abused.

Yucca flower transplant

The culture is transplanted only when necessary - the pot has become small, the rhizome has become rotten, or the yucca was purchased 2 weeks ago.

During the procedure:

1. A high stable pot is selected, on the bottom of which a drainage layer of expanded clay is placed.
2. Using the transshipment method, the instance is moved to a new container.
3. The remaining voids are filled with soil, which is compacted and moistened.

Attention! In case of disease, the earthen lump is broken, and the diseased parts of the rhizome are removed, after which the plant is planted in a new substrate.

Landing in open ground

Often, yucca adorns home gardens with its exotic appearance. country houses. And in this case, one of the main stages for successful cultivation is planting.

Soil preparation and site

For garden varieties a well-lit place with a deep bedding is chosen ground water. If the relief of the site allows, then it is better to select sites on hills with slight shading at the peak. solar activity. When digging the site, peat and sand are introduced to ensure a loose soil structure.

Landing technology

Planting yucca is carried out in the spring after the establishment of stable heat or in early autumn. Wherein:

1. Planting pits are prepared, twice the diameter of the root system of seedlings.
2. A layer of gravel is placed at the bottom.
3. After planting the seedlings, the soil is lightly compacted and moistened.

garden care

Yucca in the open field requires a little attention. For exotic flower it is necessary to provide two main components - watering and top dressing.

Watering

The main rule when watering is to avoid excessive moisture. The drooping foliage will become a signal for the next portion of watering, which is carried out with settled water.

Fertilization

After planting a young plant in the garden for the first two years, the yucca is fertilized during the active growing season twice a month with complex mineral fertilizers. After the flower reaches the age of three, top dressing can be carried out with the inclusion of organic fertilizers.

Winter Care

In order for the yucca to successfully overwinter in the open field, its foliage is collected in a tight bundle and covered with organic material. It is also possible to cut the stem in half and then wrap it.

Plant propagation

Yucca breeds like seed way, and vegetative, which is more acceptable due to the too slow growth rate of the crop.

cuttings

With the advent of spring and until the end of summer, cuttings are carried out, in which:

1. Sections of prepared cuttings are dried in the shade.
2. After 12 hours of being in the air, the planting material is deepened by 4 cm into moistened sand.
3. Rooting is noted after 3-4 weeks when plantings are kept indoors with bright light and a temperature of 25-30 ° C.

Barrel parts

From an adult, overgrown specimen, you can get several young plants.

If you use the method of reproduction, in which:

1. The tops of an adult plant are cut off.
2. The cut sites are treated with an antiseptic.
3. After drying in the fresh air, the tops are immersed in boiled water.
4. After the formation of roots, new plants are planted in separate pots.

Advice! If the trunk is of considerable size, then you can divide it into several parts, each of which should be planted in an individual container.

Pests, diseases and control methods

When the immune system is weakened due to a violation of the regulations for the care of yucca, scale insects are noted, spider mite, aphids and thrips. The shield can be successfully treated with a saturated soapy solution, which is left for an hour. After that, it is washed off. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated. In the fight against harmful insects, insecticidal preparations are the most effective. Among the most common diseases, rot and spotting stand out, which can be cured at the initial stages of development by spraying with fungicides.

Potential Growing Problems

Cultivation of a representative of exotic flora is often associated with certain difficulties:

• Yellowing of leaf plates- if the yellowness touched only the lower tier of the leaves, then this is a natural process associated with the maturation of the yucca. When yellow spots elliptical shape, brown spotting is diagnosed, which must be treated in a timely manner.
• Drying of the leaves- the lower leaf plates dry for natural reasons, while the reason for the drying of the upper ones is heat and lack of light. If the problem touched only the tips, then this is due to the dryness of the air.
• leaf shedding- an excess of moisture in the soil can provoke a similar situation, which is easy to deal with when the irrigation regime is normalized.

Garden yuca flower in landscape design

An exotic representative fits perfectly into Mediterranean-style gardens. A drought-resistant culture is indispensable for the design of rockeries and composite flower beds, where the yucca is located in the center. The flower looks great flights of stairs and rocky patios. An exotic representative in a flowerpot will decorate any architectural art objects.

Thus, the undemanding yucca flower, the care of which is not at all burdensome even for a busy person, is a beautiful plant that can decorate not only a living space, but also a personal plot, bringing notes of overseas design to the landscape.

In the southern regions, yucca, a native of Central America, can grow in open ground, but in the middle lane it lacks warmth, so it can only be found in interior design. Yucca care at home should be based on the habits and preferences of the plant, laid down back in the homeland.

In nature, yucca is a fully or partially leafy, large shrub. If the plant's foliage from the lower tiers dries up and falls off, the yucca is very reminiscent of a palm tree with a bare lignified trunk and a bunch of stiff leaves at the top. However, it is wrong to consider this culture belonging to the agave family as a palm.

Yucca has dense, sticking out in different directions or slightly drooping leaves, pointed lanceolate in shape. The edges of the leaf blades are covered with long stiff hairs. In nature, the length of such a leaf can reach up to a meter, in indoor varieties the leaves are more modest and often do not grow more than 50 cm. But in indoor yucca, as in the photo, the leaves can be not only green, but variegated, decorated with bright yellow or white stripes.

With such a harsh appearance, characteristic of plants of deserts and semi-deserts, yucca blooms amazingly beautifully, throwing out powerful vertical peduncles strewn with a mass of buds. The flowers resemble white, yellowish or pinkish bells.

Getting into the house as a fairly small plant, the yucca in a few years turns into a large bush or tree that requires special treatment and care.

How to care for yucca in order to keep its compact shape, small, room-friendly size? What needs to be done to make the plant feel like at home?

Features of caring for yucca at home

As a houseplant, varieties are most often grown that are accustomed to a dry climate and an abundance of sun in nature. Such specimens endure temperature fluctuations, are not afraid of dry apartment air, and are unpretentious in terms of soil composition.

And yet such a hardy plant has weak sides. For yucca, the main danger is excessive, especially in combination with cold indoor air.

For those who doubt whether it is necessary to water the yucca, it is better for the grower to postpone the procedure for a day or two. The plant will endure short-term thirst without any problems, but will immediately let you know about excess moisture.

The frequency of irrigation and the amount of irrigation moisture depends on:

• from the season;
• from the temperature and humidity of the air in the room or in the garden, where the plant is taken out for the summer months;
• from the size of a room yucca flower, as in the photo;
• on the volume of the pot and on the ability of the soil to evaporate water.

From spring to autumn, the soil is moistened frequently and abundantly as the substrate dries to a depth of 2–5 cm. Then watering becomes less frequent and sparing. The colder the room less water the plant consumes. Therefore, care for yucca at home is constantly being adjusted. Irrigation moisture should not penetrate inside the leaf outlet. It is better not to pour water between closely growing trunks in the same pot. In both cases, there is a risk of decay, which threatens to lose the flower.

Watering is combined with, which is carried out from spring to autumn. It is especially important to support the plant during the flowering period.

For yucca, dry air is not terrible, but to keep the leaves clean and improve their breathing in hot weather, the crown can be wiped with a damp, well-wrung napkin. To avoid burns, after such a procedure, yucca should not be taken out in the sun. It is more correct to arrange a “washing” of the flower in the evening, because the crown will dry out well overnight.

Yucca loves light, warmth, but can not stand the cold wind and draft. To facilitate flower care at home, yucca find a place on the south window.

Large specimens are placed near the window. Plants also like this penumbra. The main thing is that direct sunlight falls on the crown for at least three hours a day, and the plant does not suffer from excessive dampness. In summer, the pot is taken out to the balcony or veranda. If the year is warm, and the owner of the flower is not afraid of its growth, then the yucca can be planted in the ground.

For submitted to Fresh air room yucca, as in the photo, a temperature of the order of 18–25 ° C will be acceptable. But with a decrease in night temperatures to 12–16 ° C, it is better to return the pot to the house. Minimum allowable temperature for this crop is +8 °C.

How to transplant yucca at home?

Transplanting for yucca, as well as for other indoor crops, is a serious stress. Therefore, it is worth carrying out such a procedure in two cases:

• when the root system has grown so much that it occupied the entire pot, leaving no space under the ground;
• when the plant needs urgent help due to root rot or other mistakes made when caring for yucca at home.

In the first case, small plants are transferred to a pot of a slightly larger diameter, in which drainage is previously poured. Empty places are filled with fresh substrate, simultaneously updating upper layer old soil.

But how to plant a room yucca, in the photo, and care for it, if the plant already takes up a lot of space, and the owner does not want to allow further growth?

To limit growth, the pot is not changed. And before transplanting the yucca at home, the root system of the plant is cut off by about a quarter with a clean, sharp knife. Places of cuts are treated with ground charcoal. New drainage and soil are poured into the pot. And then the plant is planted. Be sure to pour a fresh substrate on top. The annual addition of new soil is also limited in a situation where the plant is already too large for transplanting.

After transplanting, the yucca is not watered at all for two days, and then the soil begins to be moistened very carefully and moderately, waiting for the surface to dry.

Yucca grows well in ready-made purchased substrate, but you can make the soil yourself by mixing sand and leafy soil in equal proportions. To provide nutrition, half the amount of humus is added to them.

Reproduction of yucca at home

As it grows, the trunk of the yucca becomes bare, and it becomes like a potted palm tree. The higher the tree becomes, the faster it loses its decorative effect. Keeping and caring for him is more and more problematic. How to return the plant to an acceptable size and former attractiveness?

It turns out that if you cut off the top of a yucca with a bunch of leaves and trunk fragments of at least 10 cm, then you can rejuvenate the old plant and get a new one. At the same time, caring for the yucca "palm", in the photo, at home is not at all difficult.

The operation is carried out in the spring, when the growth period begins. Water the plant well beforehand. And after a couple of days, the top of the yucca is cut off with a sharp knife. The remaining stump can be trimmed, leaving the desired height. When the weeping cut dries a little, it is treated with garden pitch.

The pot is transferred from the shade, where the plant will spend about two months. In this case, the yucca does not need to be watered. Without a crown, the plant cannot consume water, which only becomes a source of disease and rot.

In the warmth on the stalk of the yucca, the kidneys that had slept before will soon become noticeable. When new rosettes of leaves develop from them, the plant is transferred to the light and the usual care of yucca at home begins.

The top is not thrown away, as it is an excellent planting material for the rapid propagation of yucca at home. The lower leaves from the top are carefully cut off, and then the stalk is added dropwise to wet sand, covered with a bag or film and put in heat. Rooting takes no more than a month, and then the top with its own roots is transferred to a pot where the yucca will grow further.

Yucca transplant after purchase - video

Yucca (Yucca)- a beautiful evergreen plant with a tree-like stem from the Agave family. The family includes a little more than fifty species of these palm-shaped plants, but the varieties popular with our flower growers include 5-6 decorative indoor options and several garden ones. Despite the fact that homemade yucca is very reminiscent of a miniature palm tree, nevertheless, it absolutely does not apply to palm trees (as well as Marginata dracaena, which looks very similar to yucca). Lovers of indoor plants really appreciate the yucca for its graceful trunk, on the top of which beautiful long leaves of a bluish or dark green color grow.

Depending on the type of "miniature tree", narrow leaves can be either drooping or erect, and a tree-like stem can have several growth points and branch beautifully. The shape of the trunk and the degree of branching can be controlled by annual pruning of the shoots. Caring for an unpretentious yucca at home does not cause difficulties even for beginner gardeners, but it is important to strictly follow the few rules for growing this houseplant, which we will discuss below. Photos of popular homemade yucca species will help you choose the right option for decorating a room or office space. Interior designers often choose yucca to create a composition along with popular flowers such as phalaenopsis orchid, house violets (Saintpaulias), bluebell flower gloxinia, decorative pot rose, European or Persian cyclamen.

Blooming yucca is a rather rare occurrence among similar houseplants. Even if you organize the cultivation of this miniature tree at home in accordance with all the rules, you will not be able to see yucca flowers very soon - usually flowering does not occur earlier than 5-7 years from the moment the plant was planted in the summer. Experienced flower growers stimulate the formation of flower buds by organizing a cold dormant period in winter (12-14 ° C), when the plant reaches the required age. Yucca flowers are collected in panicle inflorescences and look like small white bells.

With unpretentious home care yucca elephant (Yucca elephantipes) or with aloe yucca (Yucca aloifolia), some drought-resistant indoor plants (for example, flowering Kalanchoe or homemade geranium pelargonium) get along well in one container, which can be used to form an interesting composition in phytodesign residential premises.

- photo of species of yucca home -

In addition to the above-mentioned elephant and aloe-leaf domestic species of yucca, in our country the cultivation of such varieties as Yucca Whipple (Yucca whipplei) with a crown of grayish-green leaves in the form of a prickly ball, Yucca gray (Yucca glauca) with drooping long leaves on a short stem is practiced. , as well as Southern Yucca (Yucca australis) with densely spaced dark green leaves and a branched trunk. Outdoors (in the garden or in the backyard), you can grow filamentous yucca (Yucca filamentosa) with dark green leaves that form a rosette with lateral offspring.

♦ WHAT IS IMPORTANT!

Location and lighting.

It is advisable to put the pot of yucca in a sunny place, well lit during the day. The best location for this home plant- window sills or floor stands near the window on the east or west side of the room. If the yucca is placed next to the south window, then be sure to shade the glass in the summer and on sunny spring days so that diffused light falls on the plant. In the autumn winter period Yucca may lack natural light. Therefore, it is advisable to place fluorescent lamps next to the plant (at a distance of 50-60 cm) as additional lighting. If possible, place the plant pot on the balcony or near the house during the summer, slightly shading from direct sunlight.

Temperature regime.

The optimum temperature in autumn and winter is 10-14°C. Problems can begin with the onset of the heating season - at temperatures above 16 ° C (especially in low or insufficient lighting), the leaves are drawn out, thinner, and the turgor weakens. If possible, place the plant pot on a glazed balcony or install an air conditioner near the plant, and also ventilate the room more often. Comfortable temperature for homemade yucca in summer is 18-25°C.

Air humidity.

The best option is a moderate level of humidity in the room (40-50%). But dry air will not harm the plant if you regularly spray the yucca with settled, boiled and warm water from a spray bottle. In summer, you can wash the leaves of the plant several times in the shower so that water does not enter the substrate. In the heat, you can put a pot with a plant on a pallet with wet river sand or expanded clay, and place a wide container of water next to it to increase the level of humidity.

Watering.

In summer, yucca is watered abundantly after the top layer of soil (4-5cm) is completely dry. It is important not to allow water to stagnate at the level of an earthen coma - immediately pour out all excess water from the pan. AT autumn-winter period water the plant very rarely (1 time in 10-15 days). Yucca quite calmly tolerates drought, but overflow can cause rotting of the root system, as well as damage to the plant by diseases and pests. Some beginner growers use a special moisture indicator to determine the degree of drying of the soil layers.

Earth mix and top dressing.

You can make your own soil mix for your yucca. If the plant is young (up to 4 years old), then mix soddy soil, leafy soil, coarse sand and humus in a ratio of 2:2:2:1. A mixture for planting an adult plant: sod land, leaf land, river sand in a ratio of 3: 2: 2.

For top dressing, you can use diluted mineral fertilizers or prepared on your own (for example, an infusion of horse or cow manure with leaf humus). You can additionally spray leaf plates with diluted mineral fertilizers from the underside. In spring and summer, top dressing is applied once every few weeks. It is not recommended to fertilize the soil in winter and autumn.

Transfer.

They transplant homemade yucca as needed (given that the plant grows very slowly) in the spring about once every two years, except in emergency cases, if the roots begin to rot badly. It is advisable to use the transshipment method when transplanting into a ceramic potto keep the earth ball intact. Carefully inspect the root system of the yucca and, if necessary, remove rotten roots.

Pruning.

Trimming can greatly improve appearance yucca, make a "lush palm" out of it, using the rudiments of new shoots to grow additional tops. It is desirable that the height of the plant is 60-70 cm, and the diameter is about 6 cm. The procedure is performed in March-April, watering abundantly a few days before. use only sterile pruning tools, thoroughly disinfect a sharp knife with alcohol. We choose the place of the cut, stepping back 7-8 cm from the lower leaves. Grab the leaves with your hand and sharply cut off the trunk in one motion. Then the place of the cut is sprinkled with crushed activated carbon. A few weeks later, or earlier, apical buds (from 2 to 5 pieces) will appear in the upper part of the cut trunk. If the thickness of the trunk is less than 5 cm, then leave 2 buds, and cut off the rest. And if the thickness is 6-8 cm, then we leave 4 buds, from which the tops with new leaves will grow.

Reproduction.

Yucca is propagated by seeds, stem segments and apical cuttings.

Cuttings. Usually done during pruning (to improve the decorative qualities of the plant). Cut off the top with a sharp knife and sprinkle the cut with crushed activated charcoal. Within a few hours, the cut point will dry out and the cutting can be planted in clean, wet sand. After 2-3 weeks, roots will appear and the sprout can be transplanted into the prepared substrate.

Stem sections. In summer, cut (or saw off) several pieces (20-30 cm) from the trunk. Sprinkle the cuts with crushed charcoal, and cover the cuts on the parent plant with garden pitch. Pour a mixture of peat and clean river sand into the container, moisten and plant parts of the trunk into the mixture (the place of the cut is in the substrate). We close the container with a film and maintain the temperature regime - 20-25 ° C. The substrate must be moistened regularly. After a month or more, roots will appear.

Seeds. Sow in mixture leaf ground, sod land and sand in equal parts. Cover with a glass container. The earth mixture must be regularly moistened and ventilated daily. After about a month, sprouts will appear. A few months after the appearance of sprouts, we dive seedlings into pots with prepared earth mixture.

♦ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR BEGINNER FLOWERS:

Question: What should I do if the leaves curl and become too soft, lose their tone?
Answer: Usually this problem appears due to too low a temperature. In this case, you can put the pot of yucca away from the cold window.

Question: Why do the lower leaves of yucca turn yellow and fall off?
Answer: This is normal during the growth period (spring-summer). In rare cases, the cause may be damage to the plant by pests (for information on pests and diseases of yucca, see below).

Question: Why did brown spots begin to appear on the outer side of the leaves, while the leaves themselves dry?
Answer: This often happens in the summer, if the air is too dry, the room is not often ventilated and watering is quite rare.

Question: What should I do if light spots appear on the outside of the yucca leaves?
Answer: Most likely, the leaf plates received sunburn. It is necessary to shade the window glass a little and rearrange the pot a little further from the window (especially if the windows are south).

♦ COMMON DISEASES AND PESTS:

Yucca (Yucca)- a genus of attractive evergreens of the family Agave (Agavaceae) native to North and Central America.

The genus Yucca has about 40 species.

Yuccas are tree-like plants, with a stem or rosettes (depending on the species). Rigid xiphoid leaves of various yuccas reach a length of 25-100 cm, a width of 1-8 cm, they are collected in a bunch at the top of the shoot or form a basal rosette. Depending on the species, yucca leaves are green or gray, semi-rigid or rigid, erect or drooping, with serrated or smooth edges. The edges of the leaves are often covered with threads, sometimes they have a sharp spike at the end. From the leaves of some species of yucca, fiber is extracted, which is used to make ropes and other wicker products.

Yucca has numerous flowers (about 300 pieces) up to 7 cm in length, bell-shaped or cup-shaped, white in color or with creamy greenish, yellowish tones. The flowers are collected in a large panicle 0.5-2.5 m long, erect or descending. In room conditions, yucca blooms extremely rarely. Yucca fruit is a dry box or juicy fruit (in some species it is edible).

Yuccas are wonderful plants that are used in many ways in their homeland. Cut flower juice contains a lot of sugar. And the fibers that are extracted from filamentous yucca have good strength. The very first jeans were made from tough yucca fibre, not cotton. In the US, denim is still made with about 5% yucca fiber to add durability. Ropes and paper are made from yucca, it contains substances with valuable medicinal properties.

Indoor adult yucca resembles false palm and can reach a height of 4m, so it is more suitable for decorating a hall or big room. Flowering can be achieved only after many years, when the plant becomes an adult. Yucca will bloom with white bell-shaped flowers. Green, bluish xiphoid, linear leaves are collected in a bunch at the top of the trunk. On the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, many types of yucca grow in open ground. Recently, yuccas and similar plants have become very fashionable and are widely used in interiors. In this regard, many flower farms abroad began to propagate these plants, receiving leafless trunks from America and Holland and rooting them in a loose substrate. Particularly valued specimens with branched trunks, forming several points of growth. Plants are undemanding to temperature, do better in cool rooms, young specimens need a lot sunlight.

Yucca is used as a tapeworm in modern high-tech or minimalist interiors. It looks good in a classic interior. Several plants that differ in height, planted in a large container, will decorate the office.

Yucca species

. Lives in arid areas in the south North America, in Central America, Jamaica and Bermuda. It grows slowly and eventually takes the form of a spherical bush or a small tree up to 8 m high. The tree-like stem, with traces of fallen leaves, is strongly branched in adult plants, at the ends of the branches there are dense rosettes of hard fibrous leaves. The leaf blade is oblong-lanceolate, dark green, leathery, up to 50 cm long, serrated along the edges and ends with one prickly spine. In summer, in adult plants, a paniculate inflorescence 45 cm high grows from a rosette with many bell-shaped flowers 3 cm long, the petals are creamy white with a purple tint.

. It grows in the Northwestern regions of Mexico, Arizona, California. A bushy, slow-growing species with a shortened stem, hard fibrous leaves are collected in rosettes with a diameter of more than 1 m. In summer, in adult plants, a paniculate inflorescence up to 2 m high grows from a rosette with many bell-shaped flowers up to 3.5 cm long with a delicate aroma, creamy white petals that have a purple hue. The rosette of leaves is monocarpic: it blooms and bears fruit only once, and then dies off, but many shoots are formed at the base of the plant.

Yucca shortleaf (Yucca brevifolia) . Sometimes seen as Yucca tree (Yucca arborescens) , also referred to as Yucca giant . Grows in dry open places in southeastern California and Arizona (USA). Trees 4-9 m tall, trunk up to 50 cm in diameter, strongly branched at the top. The leaves are densely spaced, triangular, short, 15-30 cm long and 0.6-1.5 cm wide in the middle, almost triangularly widened towards the base, grooved, brownish at the apex and spiny, with elliptical pale green edges. Peduncle short; the panicle is thick. The flowers are pale yellow.

. A tree up to 3 m high with a thick trunk and branched crown. Numerous leathery leaves are thin and long, narrow (about 1 cm wide), flat or biconvex. The leaf has a sharp spiny apex, striped, with yellow serrated edges. A long peduncle bears a branched panicle inflorescence with white flowers.

Yucca radiant (Yucca radiosa) . Synonym: Yucca high (Yucca elata) . A tree reaching a height of 5-7 m in nature. The leaves are numerous, densely spaced, linear, 45-60 cm long and up to 1 cm wide (in the middle). The leaf tapers towards the base, slightly grooved, with a sharp apex. Leaf margins are white, narrow, covered large quantity thin threads. The inflorescence up to 2 m high bears a long branched panicle with flowers.

. Native to eastern North America. Nearly stemless plant. Grows thanks to root offspring. The root system penetrates deep into the soil. One of the most frost-resistant yucca, endures short-term frosts down to -20 ° C, sometimes more. The leaves are bluish-green, up to 70 cm long, with a width of 4 cm, with a pointed apex, the edges are pubescent with numerous white, thin, curling threads. Germinating seeds can only be obtained through artificial pollination. Flower panicle up to 200 cm tall. Flowers yellowish-white, drooping, up to 8 cm long. The fruit is a round capsule up to 5 cm in diameter.

Has a variegated shape "variegata" with yellow or white variegated leaves.

Yucca recurvifolia (Yucca recurvifolia) . Synonym: Yucca gloriosa var. recurvifolia . An evergreen plant with a short trunk up to 1-1.5 m, the trunk is single or branched, hard fibrous leaves are collected in a rosette at the top of the trunk. The leaf blade is oblong-lanceolate, leathery, grayish-green, up to 90 cm long, drooping, with serrated edges and a spiny spike at the end.

. Grows in Central America. The specific epithet comes from two Latin roots: "elephas"- elephant and "pes"- leg. Indeed, this yucca in old age resembles a huge 4-8-meter leg of an elephant. It grows slowly and eventually takes the form of an upright bush or a small tree 8-10 m high. A tree-like, highly branched stem, at the ends of the branches bears numerous rosettes of hard and fibrous leaves. The leaf blade is oblong-lanceolate, light green, leathery, 50-100 cm long, serrated along the edges and with a short sharp spike at the end. In summer, a paniculate inflorescence up to 1 m high with many hemispherical flowers 5 cm long grows from a rosette in adult plants. culture common variety "Variegata", with leaves that have a yellowish-white border.

. It grows in the western regions of the USA. An evergreen plant up to 2 m high with a strongly shortened stem. Leathery and fibrous leaves are collected in dense rosettes up to 90 cm wide. The leaf blade is elongated-lanceolate, bluish-green, up to 60 cm long, the edges are white or gray with peeling fibers. In summer, in adult plants, a paniculate inflorescence up to 1 m high grows from a rosette with many bell-shaped flowers with creamy white petals that have a brownish or greenish tint.

Glorious yucca (Yucca gloriosa) , popularly called "Spanish Dagger". grows on southeast USA. It grows slowly, in its natural environment it takes the form of a spherical bush or tree 2 m high. Tree-like stem, single or slightly branched, with rosettes of hard and curved leaves. The leaf blade is elongated-lanceolate, leathery, bluish-green, up to 60 cm long, with smooth or slightly serrated edges and with a long sharp spike at the end. In summer, in adult plants, a paniculate inflorescence up to 2.5 m high grows from a rosette with many hanging bell-shaped flowers 5 cm long, with cream petals that have a purple hue.

grows in Mexico and the southern regions of the USA. Slow-growing evergreen species with a tree-like, slightly branched stem, up to 5 m high. Bluish-green leaves, straight or slightly curved, collected in dense rosettes. The leaf blade is oblong-lanceolate, leathery, more than 1 m long and about 7 cm wide, pointed at the end. In summer, in adult plants, a paniculate inflorescence up to 1 m high grows from a rosette with many hanging bell-shaped flowers with creamy white petals, sometimes with a purple hue.

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Yucca Schotta (Yucca schottii) . Synonym: Large-fruited yucca (Yucca macrocarpa) . Grows in sandy gravel soils of southern Arizona. It has a straight or slightly branched trunk 3-4 m high. Straight hard leaves are smooth, 20-50 cm long and 2-4 cm wide, bluish. The leaf tapers slightly at the base, covered with thin threads along the edges. Branches and peduncle recurved; inflorescence - loose panicle.

Southern yucca (Yucca australis) . Synonym: Yucca filifera (Yucca filifera) . Grows in Mexico. This is a powerful, strongly branched tree in the upper part, in nature 8-10 m high, with leathery short leaves 25-30 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. The leaves are dark green, with filaments along the edges, densely arranged. Long (1-2 m), branched, hanging multi-flowered inflorescence with cream flowers.

Yucca care

Lighting. Yucca grows well in light and warm room. This plant is very photophilous - especially at a young age, yucca requires a lot of sunlight, but it is better to shade it from direct sunlight. Optimal for her windows with east or west orientation. On windows with a south orientation at noon, it is better to shade from direct sunlight.

With a lack of light, you can grow under artificial lighting for 16 hours a day using lamps daylight placing them at a distance of 30-60 cm above the plant.

In the summer, yucca can be taken out into the open air, while protecting it from precipitation and providing it with diffused lighting. It should also be remembered that when placed outdoors, the place should not be damp and dark. If it is not possible to place yucca outdoors, then it is necessary to ventilate the room regularly in the summer.

In winter, it also needs good lighting.

Temperature. The temperature in the spring-summer period yucca prefers moderate, 20-25°C. In case of extreme heat, a plant standing in the sun should be shaded, if the plant has been standing in the sun for a long time, it can overheat, so it is removed in the shade, after it cools down it is sprayed. In the autumn-winter period, it is necessary to ensure the temperature is within 8-12°C. If the temperature is too high in winter, combined with a lack of lighting, the yucca grows: the bases of its shoots are strongly extended, the leaves become thinner, brighten and hang, losing their natural density and juicy color. Pests appear on a weakened yucca (,); her leaves turn yellow and fall off. Plants that will not be placed in a cool (10-12°C) place in winter should be kept outdoors as long as possible, and taken outside to a protected place as soon as possible next year. In a sheltered place, the plant can withstand even short frosts.

Watering. The frequency of watering yucca depends on many factors: the size and material of the pot, the size of the plant, the characteristics of the substrate, temperature and humidity. In the warm season, yucca is watered abundantly - but only after the top layer of soil has dried to a depth of about 5 cm. In hot summer, yucca is watered more often; but do not forget that between watering the earth in a pot should dry out.

During the rest of the year, watering the yucca should be moderate (watering is reduced in winter), otherwise its roots will rot due to stagnant water in the substrate, and the plant may die.

Air humidity. Yucca species that are sensitive to dry air should be regularly sprayed with boiled water at room temperature from a fine spray bottle. To increase the humidity of the air, you can place a pot with a plant on a pallet with wet expanded clay, moss, gravel. When spraying yucca in the sun, stains from sunburn. For better decorativeness, the plant must be washed from time to time in the shower or under running water, making sure that water does not fall on the substrate (for example, close the pot with polyethylene).

Fertilizer. You need to feed yucca in spring and summer, with an interval of two to three weeks, with a diluted solution of mineral fertilizers. This plant responds well to fertilizing with infusion of mullein, horse manure, leaf humus. The best results are given by foliar top dressing (leaves are sprayed with a solution of mineral fertilizer from the underside). You can not feed the plant immediately after transplantation, and also if the yucca is sick.

Growing features. Yucca often grows with one trunk, but it can also be branched. In order to grow several tops in a yucca, choose a young, well-rooted plant with a height of at least 30 cm (the higher, the better). In spring or early summer, the top of the yucca is cut off with a sharp knife or blade (stalk 5-10 cm long), but leaves should remain on the stem - the more leaves, the better. Slices are sprinkled with crushed coal.

Transfer. It is better to transplant yucca in the spring, or if necessary in the summer. This plant thrives in well-drained soil. When transplanting yucca, drainage from expanded clay, fine gravel or broken bricks must be poured into the bottom of the pot. Earth mixtures are better to choose medium. If a mixture with peat is used, then it must be neutralized to neutral values ​​(pH 6.0-6.5). It is desirable to add coarse-grained sand to the earth mixture (up to 30% by volume).

When transplanting yucca, it is desirable to preserve the earthen ball around the roots as much as possible, so it is better to transship rather than transplant a healthy plant. A transplant is required when the roots of the yucca begin to rot from excessive watering. Rotten roots are very soft and spread under the fingers, the smell of rot emanates from such roots - they must be removed when the plant is transplanted.
Yucca is successfully grown hydroponically.

Reproduction. Propagated by seeds, stem segments, apical cuttings.

Yucca seeds are sown immediately after collection in a light mixture (turf and leafy soil, sand in equal proportions). Crops are covered with glass; air them daily and wipe the glass, regularly moisten. Yucca shoots appear a month after sowing. Seedlings dive into 6 cm pots, gradually accustomed to the conditions of care of an adult plant, next year they are transferred to 8-9 cm pots.

Delivered from Holland trunk sections elephant yucca. Leafless cuttings with waxed sections evaporate relatively little moisture, which allows them to be transported over long distances. Inspect the cutting in the store: it should be elastic, not dried out or rotten, it should have upper and lower ends indicated. Reproduction by segments of the trunk becomes a necessity even with long-term maintenance of the plant, since the yucca grows excessively. To this end, in the summer, an arbitrary number of segments should be sawn off from the trunk, which should be at least 20 cm long. The lower end is stuck in a slightly moistened mixture of peat and sand and taken out to a shaded place in fresh air. The place of the cut on the mother plant should be covered with garden pitch. Cuttings with leaves cover transparent film preventing moisture from evaporating. The temperature should be at least 20 ° C, and the substrate should be moderately moist (overmoistening is dangerous). Rooting yucca is a long process that takes 1-2 months.

If you received a poorly marked cutting when buying (it is not clear where it has the top and where the bottom is), then lay it horizontally and half deepen it into the substrate. Dormant buds will wake up on the trunk, which, after rooting, can be separated from the mother trunk.

For rooting apical cutting Yucca plants cut off the top (with a sharp knife or blade), sprinkle the slices with crushed charcoal or activated charcoal tablet powder. At the resulting cutting, the cut is dried (leave it in the air for 2 hours) and then the yucca cutting is planted for rooting in wet sand or placed in a container with boiled water at room temperature. It is useful to put a piece of charcoal in the water as a means of inhibiting the growth of bacteria. During the rooting of the cuttings of yucca, the lower leaves may rot on it, then an unpleasant odor will appear. Decaying leaves must be removed, spoiled water must be changed; it is important that the trunk of the rooting cutting does not rot. After the appearance of the roots, the stalk of the yucca is planted in the substrate.

Possible difficulties

plant death often caused by either too much watering in winter or too cold temperatures. If the roots of the yucca began to rot due to excessive moisture of the substrate, and dark spots and softened areas appeared on the trunk - but at least a few leaves and part of the trunk remained light in color, hard and elastic to the touch, then you can try to grow new roots in the affected plant in two ways :

1. Rooting a healthy part of the yucca trunk by air layering. On the living part of the stem (not less than 10-15 cm above the decaying part, and not less than 60 cm from the top), the bark is removed with a sharp knife with a “ring” 0.5 cm wide. In the place where the bark is removed and slightly higher, the trunk is tied yucca with wet sphagnum moss, and on top of it - with a plastic film so that moisture does not quickly evaporate from the moss. The moss should be constantly kept moist, if necessary, wetting it from a spray bottle. After 2-3 weeks, the plant usually develops new roots above where the bark was removed. For another two weeks, the roots are grown without removing moss and films from them. When new yucca roots grow and branch out, upper part plants with new roots are cut off below the place where the bark is removed. The cut is sprinkled with crushed coal, slightly dried and the plant is planted in new pot with fresh substrate. The soil should consist of garden or humus soil and coarse sand (at least a quarter of the total soil volume).

2. Rooting a healthy part of the yucca trunk in a mini-greenhouse. With a sharp knife, cut off the living part of the plant from the rotting part. It is desirable that the length of the resulting cutting be no more than 30 cm, and the remaining living part of the trunk can be rooted separately. The cut of the cutting is sprinkled with crushed coal, dried a little and the cutting is planted in a pot with wet coarse sand. To ensure high air humidity, the cutting is covered from above with a large jar or a mini-greenhouse is arranged: 3-4 thin sticks are stuck vertically into the pot with the cutting so that they are higher than the cutting itself, and cover the pot with the cutting with a transparent plastic bag, tying its edges on pot. The updated plant takes root in a month and a half; It is important at the same time not to overmoisten the soil, but also not to let it dry out.

Yellowing lower leaves- if the leaves turn yellow slowly, this is natural and inevitable for old plants. Yucca tends to have green leaves only at the top of the bare stem. This appearance is explained by the fact that their leaves do not live long, after two years they turn yellow and die.

When transplanting or acquiring a plant also may shed some of the lower leaves is a natural response to changing conditions. If this is massive, then hypothermia or drafts are possible.

Brown tips or leaf margins- dry air. Most yucca require high humidity air. Other causes may be cold drafts or insufficient watering.

Brown spots on leaves- insufficient watering. The earth ball must be kept moist all the time.

Soft twisted leaves and brown edges- temperature too low. In tender species, similar signs appear if left near a window on a cold night.

Light dry spots on the leaves- too much sun.

Greyish-brown spots on the leaves (leaf spot). fungal or bacterial disease caused by high humidity air and soil. It is necessary to remove the affected leaves. Spray systemic fungicide, reduce watering and stop spraying.

Stem rot. A disease caused by a fungus. Part of the stem or crown becomes soft and rots. The fungus that infects the plant usually develops quickly and, as a rule, the entire plant dies. Contributes to the development of the fungus waterlogged soil and poorly ventilated area. AT initial stage disease, you can try to save the plant by removing all affected tissues. In case of a serious defeat, destroy the plant along with the soil and pot.

Damaged

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To make a unique note in the design of the room, indoor plants are used. One of them is yuca, a flower that grows naturally in central and southern North America. The use of this plant in interior design is mainly due to its high decorative qualities and rather unpretentious properties, both to environmental conditions and care.

exotic plant

Yucca is a genus of monocotyledonous, mostly treelike perennials belonging to the agave family, although until recently yucca was classified as a lily family.

At the top of an upright stem, which has scars - a trace of fallen leaves, there is a plume of long, flat or groove-shaped, hard leaves, usually prickly, sometimes serrated. Some types of yucca do not have a trunk, and the basal rosette of leaves forms a lush bunch with long, xiphoid and erect or drooping leaves. The color of the leaves, depending on the type of plant, is from pale green to dark green with a bluish tint.

Blooming yucca is a magnificent sight. Tall panicle-shaped inflorescence with numerous bell-like flowers, white or pale cream or slightly yellowish. Fruits - juicy or dry fruits-boxes with seeds.

To date, about 30 species of this amazing plant are known, in the homeland of growth, some species are grown on an industrial scale to obtain a particularly strong fiber, the so-called pita. Interesting fact: the first jeans were sewn from a fabric woven on the basis of this fiber, and only much later, when denim gained worldwide popularity, cotton fiber was added to it.

But more famous are the decorative varieties of yucca, which serve as decoration for parks, gardens, home gardens and, of course, cultivated indoors.

Yucca - elephant foot

More recently, particular popularity among fans indoor floriculture won Yucca elephant (Yucca elephantipes), which got its name due to the thick trunk, surprisingly similar to the leg of an elephant. AT vivo growing this tree-like perennial reaches 8 meters in height. It has long (up to 80 cm), xiphoid, dark green leaves with a bluish undertone. The flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences, about 6 cm long, white with a slightly greenish color.

In room conditions, Elefantis, of course, has a more modest size. It grows quite slowly and reaches a maximum of 1.5-2 m in height. This is an extremely beneficial quality for indoor floriculture. If we add to this the simple care of the plant, then its popularity in the art of interior gardening becomes clear.

Features of caring for room yucca

But still, this exotic has some specific qualities: the yucca houseplant is very demanding on lighting and heat, especially in the summer. This is due to the fact that under natural conditions it grows in semi-desert and desert zones, where the maximum sunlight and a very high temperature environment. Therefore, the plant must be placed in front of windows that have southern, southeastern and southwestern exposure, thus providing it with maximum sunlight. With insufficient light, the plant stretches, and the leaves gradually turn pale. In order for the southern guest to develop evenly, the plant must from time to time be turned to the light with its darkened side. Or add more lighting.

It would be nice to keep the temperature regime in the room where the room yucca lives within + 20-26 ° C. However, you need to know that yucca definitely does not tolerate any drafts!

Since the southern guest moved to us from the semi-desert lands of Mexico, the dry and not very humid air of the apartments is quite comfortable for her. But still, on hot summer days, light spraying or wiping the leaves from dust with a damp cloth will not be superfluous. After spraying, it is best not to put the indoor flower in direct sunlight, but to wait for the leaves to dry.

Proper care for yucca at home - this is, first of all, the correct watering of an indoor flower. The plant is not capricious, but does not tolerate excessive moisture and stagnant water. Watering must be carried out very carefully and rarely, but plentifully. And only when the surface of the soil in the container dries out by at least 5 cm. The excess water from the pan should be in without fail merge. Irrigation water must first be kept at room temperature so that disinfectant additives evaporate from it.

Top dressing and fertilizer

It is known that yucca elefantis, being a plant of the semi-desert zone, is not spoiled by the high nutritional value of the soil, therefore it should be fertilized or fed less than other indoor flowers, diluting the indicated rate of complex mineral fertilizer on the package with double the amount of water.

The plant responds well to foliar feeding, for this it is enough to spray the lower part of the yucca leaves with a liquid fertilizer solution during the active growing season. You should not abuse frequent dressings, it is enough to carry them out 2 times a month, or even once every 3 weeks, making sure that the plant has adapted to the conditions, and is healthy. Yucca can also be fertilized with organic liquid infusions of mullein or compost.

Top dressing or fertilizer is carried out only in spring and summer. From the very beginning of autumn, it is time to prepare the flower for the winter rest period and gradually reduce top dressing until it stops completely. In the autumn-winter period, the plant should not be fertilized.

Care and maintenance of yucca at home

Quality care is not only about right choice places and timely watering, but also competent pruning, as well as transplanting this plant.

Pruning. Time passes, and the yucca tree grows, losing its decorative qualities. In order to return the plant to its magnificent appearance, it is necessary to cut the grown flower. Pruning is carried out in early spring or in the first month of summer. The trunk is cut almost to the warp, leaving only 2 to 4 buds, trimmed with a sharp knife or blade. The cut point should be treated with crushed activated carbon or covered with garden pitch. The cut part should not be thrown away. It can be rooted, thereby getting a few more plants.

Transfer. As noted above, the yucca tree grows quite slowly at home. Therefore, she rarely needs a transplant - 1 time in 4 years is enough for an adult plant. The only exceptions are young, well-developing or diseased plants. Young transplanted once a year, and sick - as needed.

Transplantation, as well as pruning, is desirable to do in the spring, before the start of an active growth period. As a rule, the overgrown root system of Elefantis serves as a signal for transplantation.

The new container for the plant should be significantly larger than the previous one. It is advisable to use ceramic pots, since yucca root rot occurs much more often in plastic containers.

A prerequisite for good growth is high-quality drainage and the composition of the soil mixture. At the bottom of the new pot, you need to pour a layer of special materials intended for this purpose - agroperlite, vermiculite or expanded clay. These products are specially processed, sterile and have excellent protective properties: adsorb harmful substances from the soil and perfectly conduct moisture, promote air exchange of the roots. Drainage material is sold in specialized flower shops.

The soil mixture can be prepared independently at the rate of: 3 parts of soddy land, 2 parts of sheet and 3 parts of coarse river sand. But you can also use ready-made soil mixture, remembering that it should be with a neutral pH and not exceed 5.9-6.6, since yucca does not tolerate acidic and alkaline soils.

It is desirable to transplant yucca by transshipment, carefully preserving the earthen ball, trying not to damage the root system. Carefully inspect the roots of the plant for rotting, and if any, remove immediately.

Self-propagation of yucca

Yucca palm, although this name is not entirely correct - this plant is classified as an agave, and is called a palm tree only because it looks very similar to this woody plant, propagated by cuttings, seeds and basal processes.

For example, cuttings. The trunk remaining after trimming is divided into segments of 10 cm. The apical part is slightly dried and placed in a vessel with boiled water, or in a light, slightly moistened substrate until the first roots appear. After that, the top is transplanted into a prepared pot. You should not delay the transplant and wait for the growth of a full-fledged root lobe, otherwise the cutting may rot.

Stem segments are laid out horizontally in a previously prepared container with moistened soil or sand, slightly deepening them. Cover with glass or film and put in a bright and very warm place. The mini-greenhouse should be periodically ventilated, the soil with cuttings should be sprinkled with warm water. Condensation on glass or film must be wiped off. After the shoots appear, the cuttings are taken out of the ground, the shoots are divided and planted in small pots. Cuttings germinate within a month and a half.

Propagation by seeds is practiced much less frequently. Freshly harvested seeds are sown in a light mixture of sand and soddy and leafy soil. Cover with glass and put in a warm, lit place, periodically checking the moisture content of the substrate and airing the crop. The temperature for seed germination is 25-30°C. Shoots appear within a month. They are dived into small pots when 2 full-fledged leaves are formed in the sprouts. A week later, 1 top dressing is carried out with a very weak solution of nitrophoska (1 g per 1 liter of water). Sprouts with 5 leaves are treated as complete plants suitable for normal care.

winter period

How to care for yucca in winter? The specificity of the plant is such that, being a plant of southern latitudes, Elefantis tolerates winter temperatures as low as 10°C. But at lower temperatures, the exotic dies. And finding yucca in winter at high room temperature and insufficient winter lighting will cause damage to the root system and yellowing of the foliage. To avoid such troubles and create the plant as much as possible comfortable conditions in winter, it must be placed on a well-insulated loggia, where there will be enough light, but not much heat. At the same time, watering should be reduced to a minimum so that excess moisture does not lead to the death of the plant.

In room conditions, yucca blooms extremely rarely. But some flower growers manage to achieve such a result. If a yucca stands in front of a sunny window and pleases with its flowers, the owner cared for it impeccably.

Interesting! Astrologers believe that the yucca flower neutralizes negative emotions and thereby improves the atmosphere of relationships between people. Is this so, you can check on own experience: enough to get this amazing plant at home.

Video - Yucca, reproduction and care