The yucca or palm lily originally comes from the deserts and semi-deserts in the south of the USA and parts of Mexico. As a result, the agave plant is ideally adapted to heat, sun and drought. Nevertheless, specimens cultivated indoors can quickly suffer from sunburn if they are suddenly placed in a sunnier place.

Sunburn starts at brown tips

signs of sunburn

Anyone who likes to put their indoor plants outside over the summer - which is usually an advantage for them, plants also thrive better in plenty of fresh air - may be familiar with the phenomenon: first the tips of the leaves turn brown and dry, later the whole leaf dries up and will eventually be shed by the plant. Sometimes burns are also indicated by brown spots on the leaves. But be careful: the latter in particular can also indicate a fungal disease or disease caused by another pathogen. However, the cause should be clear if the discoloration occurs immediately after being in the sun.

How to recognize a sunburn

  • brown or black colored leaf tips
  • yellow or brown discolored dried leaves
  • yellow or brown spots on the leaves

Measures after a sunburn

First of all, dry leaves should be removed, because the damage caused by the sun is irreversible - this means that the damaged areas will not turn green again. On the other hand, you can leave brown or black leaf tips on the plant or just cut off the discolored area. Otherwise, take the affected plant out of the blazing sun and place it in a bright, but not directly sunny place. Above all, ensure that the yucca is shaded during the intense midday sun. Furthermore, plants in sunny locations generally need more water than specimens in darker / shady places. But be careful: the drought-loving yucca does not get too much water either!

Prevention: Always slowly accustom the yucca to the new location

To prevent sunburn from occurring in the first place, you should slowly get the plant used to the new location before moving or rearranging it - this is especially true if an indoor plant is to be moved outside from the naturally darker interior in spring or early summer . Don't turn it into a heave (the yucca will most likely take offense at that), but place the plant in the new location a little longer each day.

tips

You can occasionally read in guides that the plants should be sprayed with a nebulizer to increase the humidity. Basically, this is also a good idea for the yucca from time to time - but not when the sun is shining. Then the water droplets on the leaves act like magnifying glasses and cause burns.

Category:

Trees