How to grow Yucca

Yucca gigantea · spineless yucca, giant yucca

Central American shrub or small tree with a thick woody trunk and rosettes of stiff, sword-shaped leaves; unlike other yuccas its leaf tips are soft, not spiny. Indoors it stays far smaller than the 10 m it can reach outdoors.

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Family	Asparagaceae
Light	Full sun
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Soil for sowing	from 10 °C
Where it grows	At home

When to plant

Planted as a young plant from a nursery while it is dormant — in early spring before the buds open, or in autumn after leaf fall.

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 10 days	10…32 °C	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 28 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 42 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 56 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 70 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 84 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 98 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 112 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 126 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 140 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 154 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 168 days into the stage
Winter rest	every 21 days	7…18 °C	—

Growing notes

Light

Needs a sunny spot all year, ideally a south-facing window in winter and an east- or west-facing one in summer, with light shade from the strongest summer sun. In low light the leaves sag and droop.

Soil

Very free-draining mix, for example one part potting mix to three parts perlite or sand, or loam-based compost with 20–30 % extra grit. Surplus water must drain out of the pot.

Care

From April to September water freely and give a balanced liquid feed every two weeks. In winter do not feed; water sparingly, letting the top 5 cm of compost dry out, then water thoroughly. It survives 7 °C at night in winter but should otherwise stay above 10 °C, away from cold draughts. Sudden yellowing and limp lower leaves mean overwatering. A plant that grows too tall can be cut back by half in spring. Leaves and roots contain saponins and are toxic to cats and dogs, causing vomiting.

Pests and diseases of Yucca

Scale insects

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.