QuestionI've had a yucca for years, it grew loads was too cramped for its pot so I put it in a bigger one last week and then today I found it looking... well... not healthy!
http://alukeonlife.com/images/yukka.jpg
Its next to a south facing window.
Should I chop it and hope it regrows?
The stem feels soft in a section at the middle... tell me straight doc, is it terminal? :-(
AnswerI'm not good with Yuccas but I hate to reject questions, Luke -- sorry this took so long to make up my mind. Just loved your question. I had to do something. I wish it was good news.
Nice pic, by the way.
There's a disease called 'Fusarium stem rot' that attacks the stem tissue of many plants, Yucca included (which I did not know until I asked around). This Fusarium genus comes in lots of shapes and sizes - see the Wikipedia entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusarium
which is fairly accurate.
So when you replanted your Yucca with the best of intentions, and no doubt big plans for your life long future together, it caught something. Probably this.
Trouble is, it needs a wound to enter the stem. Any trouble transplanting that Yucca? Any break in the stem?
This is hard to see without being able to take a good look at it. Although it's easy to overpot a plant, Yuccas included, this is clearly not the trouble with yours.
No other symptoms of your dear Yucca?
Here's a possible cure: A product called 'Messenger'. Protein-based stuff invented at Cornell. Very impressive and patented. Harpin protein -- licensed to Eden Bioscience, which did not market it very well. I am told they get a lot of air time from Ralph Snodsmith but this is a tricky product. SPRAY IT on the leaves for best results along with soil soaking. A regular spray bottle will work fine. I hate spraying, but this is worth it. A plant with this much time invested in it is worth keeping around a hundred years. And keep me posted. Thanks for writing and I hope it's not too late. If you can't find Messenger let me know and I'll write back asap -- and watch for your question.
