Yucca palms are popular indoor plants because they look exotic. The desert plants have adapted to special habitats as they grow. The subterranean root system differs significantly between stem-like and bushy species.
Yucca roots are eaten in Latin America
growth
Yucca is the name of a genus within the asparagus family. Perennial species with a main stem or multiple branches become woody over time. There are also stemless plants. The leaves are arranged in a rosette, causing the plants to develop a typical tuft. Do not confuse this plant with cassava. The roots of this milkweed plant are known in the Spanish-speaking area of Latin America under the term yuca.
Stem-forming palm lilies
A root network spread out in the topsoil is typical for species from arid regions. These yucca palms belong to the flat-root family that do not develop a main root. Its root ball consists of reddish and slightly brittle fine roots. In this way, you can make optimal use of the low amounts of precipitation, because the rainwater does not penetrate into deeper soil layers, but evaporates beforehand.
Bush-forming yuccas
Stemless species grow bushy and are characterized by fleshy, thickened parts of the plant that act as water reservoirs. These plants develop underground rhizomes from which numerous fine roots sprout. Over the years, it develops many branches and rhizome shoots two to three centimeters thick.
propagation
Dividing rootstocks is only possible with the bushy growing representatives of the genus, since stem-forming specimens do not develop rhizomes. Some plants from this group occasionally reproduce vegetatively via root suckers that sprout close to the parent plant. They can be carefully removed and put on, although success is not guaranteed.
How to proceed:
- Break off rhizomes that are seven to ten centimeters long
- Fill the seed tray with a mixture of seed soil and sand
- Put pieces in the substrate and moisten
- Keep the soil consistently moist for the next six to eight weeks
You must pay attention to this
You should not cut the rhizomes into smaller pieces, as this does not guarantee root formation. Usually the rhizome is protected by a corky and thick outer layer. The cells of the inner rhizome tissue are exposed at interfaces, so that microorganisms can easily settle in the soil. Cut rhizome parts are exposed to mold without protection.
The risk of colonization increases with the number of open wound areas on the plant material. A wound cork only develops over time. It is better for the plant if the corked surface is larger than the cut. If you still want to cut the daughter rhizomes, let the cut surfaces dry for about 24 hours. Dust them with charcoal powder, which has proven to be an effective wound protector.
tips
Occasionally you will come across tall yucca palms with trunks online that are offered for sale without roots. Exercise caution here. Only the species Yucca rostrata, linearifolia and thompsoniana reliably take root after subsequent planting.