QuestionQUESTION: my yuucca cane wasnt "happy" living indoors--it got brownand a kind of silvery discolation at the base of the leaves. this was rememdied by having it live outside in the spring and summer--greened right up. when i would bring it in for the winter, same problem developed. unfortunately, this winter, we had a death in the family and i wasnt paying attention. my yucca was left out in freezing tempeatures for at least 2 days. ive had it inside for 2 weeks--the leaves are brown, mottled and dry--drooping as if dead. i feel just horrible. im afraid to take off all the leaves because i thought that is the only way for it to "receive sunlight" and have any hope of recovery. is there anything i can do--or is it likely dead?
ANSWER: Hi Sammie, without seeing it makes it difficult, but from what you have said it doesn't look good, and if the trunk eventually starts to look mushy then it is in fact beyond help. All you can do right now is maintain proper irrigation for it and hope for the best. Give it time though, sometimes any recovery can take awhile. Nick
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QUESTION: after some internet research, my brother removed the dead leaves. the little "bulbs" attached to the trunk(sorry im not familiar with plant anatomical terms) that the leaves grew out of are still intact--and the surface left behind after the cut is firm, moist and pale green color. weve read some recommendation to allow the plant to hibernate-no water, fertilizer or light. could you clarify? also, i have a ponytail palm--grown like a bonsai it seems (15"tall with the trunk 3" diameter at its base)in a shallow ceramic dish with rocks and gravel permanently afixed to the potting soil surface--that suffered a different trauma 6 weeks ago. our new kitten tried to "climb" it and tipped it upside down off the 2 foot table it was on. there were 7 bulbs at the top which spouted leaves. on 3 of them, the leaves broke clean off leaving little stumps behind. these are dry and brown and one of them is just a shell. leaves were broken on the remaining 4, but ive trimmed them and there is sign of new leaves sprouting there now. the "permanent" gravel was completely broken and is now laying loosely on top of the soil. also, the top of the trunk was previously cut (?to keep the palm small?)and a cap had formed over its 1.5" diameter top. 4 days ago, this came off--actually as dust--and i see that the trunk itself is hollowed out about a half inch down--right to about the level where the leaves sprout from the trunk. can new leaves form from the 3 "stumps"? if i dont "glue" the gravel back in place, will the entire plant grow taller (i could plant it in a deeper pot...)--or would it be traumatic for a palm maintained as a bonsai to suddenly be given breathing room? is the hollowing at the top a sign of disease? thank you so much for your time..sammie
Answer...The Yucca needs to heal (if it is still viable..), forcing dormancy now, in its stressed condition, is not an option; cut away any damaged leaves and place it in a warm area where it can rejuvenate, just maintain slight irrigation (water when the soil is almost dry and then only lightly). The Pony Tail will be just fine, if you glue the gravel lock back into place it should eventually repair itself and continue on as a Bonsai, but if you put it in a larger container, it will begin to grow larger. I have a 10 foot one growing outside in my yard here in Florida. The area where the stumps snapped off will not develop new growth, but new growth will continue where the remaining 4 are and you may even see new growth appear elsewhere on the main trunk. The hollowed top is just calloused over from being cut, and the new growth just beneath it is normal, I wouldn't be concerned about that at all. Keep in mind though, that Pony Tails require very little water, they store what they need in that bulbular base, so only irrigate slightly once every 2 weeks or so, and if the leaves begin to turn yellow, then you are watering too much. Nick
