Question
Palm?
I'm not sure what this tree is- I think it's some type of palm, but it's very unhappy. There's a little sprout that seems to be sucking the life from the top....anything I can do? The plant was happy for about a year after I repotted it, but now it's not doing well to say the least...
AnswerDear Kthiele,
Your plant is a yucca plant. It is a desert plant and needs lots of sun, very little water , and sandy soil. The sprout is just a side shoot and it is trying to survive. It appears to have been overwatered and the top is collapsing from that. If the trunk is soft in that upper section you need to cut it back to where the trun is firm. The plant will then send out 1 or 2 more side shoots. Do not water it until it has been very dry for a full week. During the winter I ony water my large yucca once a month and not more than 2 quarts of water. Also open the mini blinds from sunrise to sunset so it gets as much sun as possible. During the summer it can sit outdoors under a shade tree (not in full sun or it will get sun burned) but you will need to water it twice a week when it is hot and once a week when it is in the 70's. Good luck.
Darlene
