Question
Palm
Not sure what type of palm this is. I rescued it from the Walmart markdown for a $1 about five years ago and with TLC it's now huge and root bound and in need of something. I thought I might be able to take cuttings and make more plants but not really sure how to start or finish such a project. Because I do not know the type of palm (or if actually a palm I have trouble locating info about this on the internet. Can you advise?
AnswerRosie,
It is not a palm, it is a yucca plant. Yuccas come from the desert. Yucca plants are appreciated for the tropical look they give to a room. If you would like a second yucca plant or are concerned your plant my die, you might want to propagate it. Professional yucca plant growers propagate the plant by cutting up the large trunk of the plant. It's a long and difficult process, but fortunately there is one way amateurs can successfully propagate a yucca plant. This is best done in the spring of the year when the days are getting longer and the roots are going into a growing season and are not dormant as they are now. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Wait for your yucca plant to produce an offshoot from its trunk that you want to remove. When you purchased your yucca, it probably had two of three offshoots, but removing one of those might detract from the look of the plant. If the plant does not appear to be near death, wait until a third or fourth offshoot is produced. In your case you can cut a section of six to 12 leaves off the top of the cane and continue following these instructions.
Step 2:Remove the offshoot when it has leaves six inches in length or longer with shears or a sharp knife. For best results propagate in the spring, when the plant is most actively growing. However, propagation can be successful at other times of the year if necessary.
Step 3:Dip the tip of the removed offshoot in rooting hormone powder to stimulate root growth and prevent rot. Place it in a 4-inch pot filled with regular potting mix with a little sand or perlite added to give it more aeration.
Step 4:Water the potting mixture thoroughly at first and then keep it just barely moist afterward. The top of the potting mix must be dry to the touch before you give the cutting more water.
Step 5:Place the cutting in bright light, but avoid direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can harm a weak new cutting.
Step 6:Treat the yucca plant as a mature new plant when new growth begins. A yucca plant takes about two months to propagate. After four months, transplant into a larger pot of regular potting mix and resume fertilization. The old plant will send out side shoots and continue to become an even more beautiful plant.
If you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.
Darlene
