What's happened to my yucca?

Discussion in 'Outdoor Tropicals' started by chichikoko, May 28, 2008.

  1. chichikoko

    chichikoko Member

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    My yucca was transplanted about 2 months ago. It was planted in a container and now we have it in a front south facing garden. Recently most of the bottom leaves are going brown. It this normal or have we done something wrong?
     

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  2. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    what kind of soil do you have? have you watered it at all??

    they DO need some watering after being transplanted...especially if you needed to cut the tap root.
     
  3. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Are you sure what you have isn't Yucca but Cordyline?
    Have you got heavy soil (clay)? Drainage issues?

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  4. chichikoko

    chichikoko Member

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    The nursery where we bought it called it a yucca tree. The garden is fairly heavy soil but when we replanted we mixed in a bunch of top soil to lighten it up. It gets a TON of water, I live in the Vancouver area :)
     
  5. Flaxe

    Flaxe Active Member

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    Top soil? There are different qualities of top soil. I stay away from top soil especially for potted plants, bedding plants, veggies. Clay content may be too high. Top soil is generally considered "too heavy" and nothing really grows in it. Some people discourage using top soil to even grow grass seed. I'd just use regular potting mix mixed with sand for further porosity/drainage.
     
  6. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    maybe the nursery had it in the shade and it is just getting used to (and a bit burned) its new spot?

    Ed
     
  7. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Your nursery should be selling these as, Cordyline australis which is not a Yucca. If this was out over winter, it's likely now exibiting stress from the winter cold. Temps below about -8 celcius (perhaps less) will set these back and the tops and even top portions of the stems can die down. The full effects of this isn't seen until May or later. These also are poor candidates for moving.

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  8. chichikoko

    chichikoko Member

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    Need help with yucca

    My yucca has began to turn yellow and after posting pictures it is generally thought that the ground in which it is planted is too hard (clay). Is it possible to rehab my soil or must I find a new location for the tree? Also, would the tree do well in a container (ie half barrel)? Thanks
     
  9. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Need help with yucca

    Mine are in clay and are doing fine!!
    Can you post a pic...

    Ed
     
  10. chichikoko

    chichikoko Member

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    Re: Need help with yucca

    Here it is
     

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  11. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Need help with yucca

    That appears to be a Cordyline, and it looks like it has some sunburn or similar...

    Ed
     
  12. chichikoko

    chichikoko Member

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    Re: Need help with yucca

    I know its not a great picture. This plant is about 4 feet tall with no folage on the bottom 18". Is that Cordyline? The garden center called it a yucca tree and said it loves full sun. We have it at the back of a south facing raised garden. Do I need to move it?
     
  13. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Need help with yucca

    Compare with this
    Some nurseries often have the wrong name for plants, mostly because the wholesaler has mislabelled it, originally.

    Ed
     
  14. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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  15. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Need help with yucca

    And all is revealed : )
    I thought it looked familiar Barrie, Short Term Memory Loss kicking in again...

    Ed
     
  16. DGuertin

    DGuertin Active Member 10 Years

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    Re: Need help with yucca

    Ed's being rather a bit kinder than I will be.

    I don't know about Oz or Canada, but at least with the nurseries I've been to between California, Texas and Florida, most nurseries often have the incorrect name, common or proper, for a plant because they have no real particular interest in plants. Most are interested to one degree or another, but if it's not a pansy, or something equally as pedestrian that they can make 300% profit off of until you come back for more next year because they bloody well should know full well that they won't survive in the climate they're being sold in, they haven't a clue...

    Now, to be fair, this particular plant has been confused within its own identity by innumerable growers. Doesn't excuse the growers from not knowing what they are growing, but there is no reason there should ever have been so much confusion regarding what this actually is. I would hold the nursery owner to an even higher standard, as they are the face of the entire industry to thier customers, and the ones directly affected by mistakes, even if it is the grower's fault entirely. If you are going to try to make your living selling plants to people, you should at least know what you are selling, what the cultural requirements are!

    In this case, Cordyline australis is only rated to zone 8b, versus your 8a, so I certainly hope they increased the hardiness while they were twiddling around with its genes, otherwise you're back next year for another...
     
  17. chichikoko

    chichikoko Member

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    Re: Need help with yucca

    Thanks guys. Ed, the photo you posted looks the same as mine as I guess I do have Cordyline. It looks as though this variety may be hardy enough to withstand my zone 7 if it's close to a house. Any suggestions?
     
  18. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Re: Need help with yucca

    I'd have to agree with DGuertin with his comments regarding nurseries and their knowledge of plants verses profit. The worst offenders are the big box stores and really shouldn't be selling plants / trees at all. BBQ's and electrical supplies OK, plant material NO.
    Many large garden centers rely on big turn over in stock to pay staff, taxes etc so it's difficult for them to know specific and detailed info on each of the thousands of items they sell. Staff are often cashiers with limited knowledge about the products being sold. You pay them $10 an hour, you get that level of service and knowlegdeable staff (in most instances).

    With specific reference to your Cordyline australis, it would be a zone 8b at best, damaged in the worst winters there. Larger, longer term specimen are only seen in the mildest climates of our region, marine coastal areas around the southern Gulf Islands and the southern and western coastal locations of Vancouver Island. Similar environments around Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast also have some nice specimen of Cordyline australis.

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  19. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    (merged threads, hence the reID of the plant as a Cordyline)
     
  20. chichikoko

    chichikoko Member

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    So what do I do now? I have only had it a few months (April) so I don't think it has been cold enough to be effected by the weather. It's a beautiful plant and I'd hate for it to die. Container planting maybe that I could bring into the garage in winter?
     
  21. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Can't help you with the "ovewintering" as I am sub tropical...
    I have tried this plant a couple of times, without success, and I think it is suited to a more temperate environment. I don't think it likes too much water??

    Ed
     

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