Content
- If the trunk softens, the yucca palm is too wet
- Yellow leaves, soft stem: waterlogging is the cause
- Fungal pathogens cause wilting
- How to prevent a stem rot
- Tips
If the stem of the yucca palm is soft, it is too wet
If the trunk softens, the yucca palm is too wet
The yucca "palm" - which looks a bit like a palm tree, but is an agave plant - comes from the arid areas of the southern United States and parts of Mexico. There, the houseplant so popular with us has adapted perfectly to the prevailing living conditions, gets along wonderfully with heat and drought. On the other hand, an excess of moisture does not appeal to the plant, which often leads to root rot and later to stalk rot.
Yellow leaves, soft stem: waterlogging is the cause
Waterlogging is initially noticeable by a yellowing of the leaves. These become lighter, hang down and finally dry up. Only at an advanced stage does the trunk become soft; In this case, the affected Yucca as a whole is beyond saving. They can only try to cut off remaining healthy plant parts and rooted as cuttings in a planter filled with potting soil and sand. Do not place the cuttings in a glass of water for this purpose - this merely promotes further progression of decay.
Fungal pathogens cause wilting
Muddy, brown roots and a soft trunk with brown, possibly even putrid spots are a clear indication of an advanced rot due to waterlogging. But not the wetness itself provides the symptoms, but fungal pathogens. These mushrooms - these are different species - feel particularly comfortable in the humid, warm environment and multiply rapidly. Starting from the roots, the pathogens penetrate through the pathways of the plant into the aboveground parts and cause there the decay. On the other hand, the yellow, drying leaves that appear first are a sign that the putrid roots can no longer fulfill their task and dry up the above-ground shoots and leaves.
How to prevent a stem rot
To prevent waterlogging and thus root and stem rot, you can do the following:
Tips
Respond as soon as possible - as soon as the first yellow leaves appear, the yucca should be thoroughly checked for any rotting roots.