Question
QUESTION: Hello
I have had this houseplant (which I believe is a Yucca but could be wrong) for nearly 20 years, it having been given to me by a fellow student at university as a birthday present, hence I am rather attached to it... However, it has grown way too tall now and is bending over as it is too high for our ceilings (our ceilings being about 250cm). Many of its leaves look as if they are wilting and yellowed.I water it about once a week, though I fear it has been overwatered as some sites seem to indicate that this is probably the cause of the wilted leaves. It stands by a large window hence gets plenty of sunlight. It stands in a large pot of 45cm diameter and the same depth.  I have sent a photo by email. If you were able to advise me how a) to cut it down to a shorter height without killing it and b) what I can do to stop the leaves wilting, I would be extremely grateful!

Kind regards
Vikki

ANSWER: Vicki,

You live in a country that I have always wanted to visit. Your plant is a Dracaena deremensis 慗anet Craig?also known as a Corn plant because of it's resemblance to corn stalks. Corn plant care is easy. This hardy Dracaena is an unbranched, tree-like plant with sword-shaped arching leaves. Its dark-green leaves are 2 ft (60 cm# long and 4 in #10 cm) wide. Strongly scented yellow flowers are occasionally produced on a plant grown in its native habitat, but it rarely flowers indoors. It will only flower if it has been rootbound for several years.

As it grows, it will shed its lower leaves, leaving a bare stem with a cluster of leaves at its top. New plants may drop a few leaves. This is normal. It needs time to adjust after the shock of being moved to a new home. With your corn plant, care should be taken to keep it away from drafts and direct sun, which can scorch the leaves.

Yellow wilting leaves do indicate that it has been overwatered. It must be in a pot with a drain hole and a drain tray under it. Overwatering causes rotting roots and then they cannot absorb water so the plant wilts. This plant needs to be very dry for 2 days before you water it. You can get a water meter with a probe to insert into the soil to tell you if it is dry or moist down 5 inches into the soil. Or you can insert a bamboo skewer or a chopstick into the soil and leave it there. Then pull it out when you think it may need watering and if it is dry water the plant, if the lower portion is still wet wait a few more days and check again. This plant also hates water that has fluoride or chlorine in it. That can cause brown patchy spots on the leaves. If your water has fluoride or chlorine switch to distilled water or allow the water to sit in an open bucket for 2 days before using it to water the plant. Both the fluoride and chlorine will dissipate into the air leaving water that is healthy for your plant.

It is one of the few plants that does not love the sun. It needs to be in a very bright room but not near the window. It can go outdoors in the summer but needs to be under a shade tree.

You ask about pruning it because it is too large. Prune it back in spring or early summer to control its growth. You can cut off the cane at any height. It will sprout a new cluster of leaves from where it was cut. If you want, you can propagate the stem tip cuttings for more plants. I recommend cutting it off at no higher than 91-122 centimeters. To sprout what you cut off you will need to let it dry for a couple of days. But I 1st recommend that you cut it in at least 2 pieces. Mark which end of the pieces is the bottom, this is especially important if one or more sections have no leaves as they must have the right end down when planted to root. Dip the bottom of each cutting in rooting hormone, available at most garden centers, then insert it in the soil. The top cutting will root and continue to grow, the cane cuttings will root first and then put out new growth from the top.

In my opinion Dracaena plants and yuccas look best with 3 plants in the same pot. So I recommend that you place the cuttings in the same pot with the parent plant after their 2 day rest. This will also help with the overwatering problem as 3 plants in the same pot will use up water faster and this plant likes to be rootbound. When it has been rootbound for several years it may bloom. If you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck!

Darlene

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I just wanted to say thank you very much for this extremely helpful answer (and sorry for my delay in responding) - really greatly appreciated and I am now watching the newly propagated stems to see if I have done it properly!

Answer
Vikki,

You are welcome! Don't get discouraged if lower leaves turn yellow. Just leave them be until the plant is well rooted or cut them off very gently with scissors. You don't want to disturb any newly forming roots so don't just pull the leaves off. You should leave a short bit of the yellow leaf to have something to pull on when the roots are well established. On some of my yucca plants I have only had a few top leaves left by the time the plant rooted. It will look great when it starts growing. Good luck!

Darlene