Yuccas are ideal houseplants for beginners, as they can grow both indoors and outdoors. That’s not to mention that they don’t need much attention and can tolerate a dry environment.
Yucca plants do require regular pruning, though. This begs a few questions: how can you prune a Yucca? Can you cut its head off? What happens if you cut the top off a Yucca?
In this post, we’ll answer all these questions so you can have an aesthetically pleasing greenery scene in your home. Stick around!
What Happens If You Cut Off a Yucca’s Top?
While it may seem like a violent act at first glance, there’s more to cutting a yucca’s top off than what meets the eye.
One of Yuccas’ most unique qualities is their ability to regrow. So, when you take the top off of a Yucca plant, new shoots will grow around the severed part!
Generally, pruning can stimulate healthy growth. When you cut a portion of the plant, the rooted part receives more sunlight and air.
It’ll look unpleasant for a while. However, you’ll end up with healthier leaves and a more pleasant-looking, appropriately-sized plant.
Why Cut the Top Off a Yucca in the First Place?
Now that you know what happens when you cut a Yucca, you need to know why you’d want to do it in the first place.
It’s Growing Out of Control
This is the most common reason people cut these plants.
Yuccas grow at different rates depending on their type. Some of them can grow to be as tall as trees. If you’re growing your Yucca indoors, you can’t let it grow that much.
The most effective means to control its growth is to cut the excessively growing parts.
It’s Not Pleasing to Look At
While Yuccas don’t require much attention, they can grow thin and weak. Their leaves can even get dry and start to discolor.
It’s an unattractive sight to look at. In that case, you can cut the stem of the Yucca and give more room for new leaves to grow.
How to Prune a Yucca Properly
Pruning refers to selectively cutting parts of your plant, whether it’s to control its growth or make it aesthetically pleasing.
To prune a Yucca, simply take it out of the pot. Then, identify how much of the plant you want to cut.
The most common method people use is to cut it at the halfway point. But if you have a specific length in mind, you can mark the point where you want to cut before you start.
If there are too many leaves down the stem, take them out to ease the process. Once you cut the Yucca, place the rooted part in a new pot and water it well.
If your plant only has discoloration issues, you don’t have to go as far as cutting the stem. You can just cut the leaves off.
Trimming the leaves may seem like a simple task at first glance. However, if you completely separate them from the trunk, you can leave your Yucca vulnerable to external threats.
You see, leaves protect the trunk from insects and diseases. So, when you cut them, make sure to leave the base of the leaf intact to keep the trunk protected.
What to Do With the Top Half
You don’t have to throw the top half of the Yucca when you cut it. You can always propagate it. Propagating refers to using the severed part of the Yucca to grow more plants.
When you cut the top half off, plant it in a pot of soil, water it well, and it’ll grow a whole new Yucca plant.
If you’re going to cut all the leaves off and plant the bare stem on the pot, make sure the side that holds the leaves is on top.
The roots of a Yucca only grow from the bottom. So, if you plant the top side of the Yucca on the ground, it won’t grow. It may even die.
What to Watch for When Cutting a Yucca
Yuccas’ leaves can be quite sharp. They won’t cause any serious harm, but it’s better to wear gloves when you’re pruning them.
Additionally, while the rooted part of the Yucca receives more light and air when you cut it, it also becomes more susceptible to external threats.
It’s common practice for a lot of people to apply wax on the cut part.
The general idea is that wax protects the tissue of the plant from insects and keeps moisture inside the plant, preventing it from getting dry. It also prevents rain from entering and causing rot inside your plant.
That’s not entirely true, though. You may not need wax, or any wound sealer, if you use proper pruning techniques.
By cutting the Yucca properly, you stimulate its natural healing process. In fact, wound sealers can slow the compartmentalization process of your Yucca.
What Is the Best Time to Prune a Yucca?
Ideally, you should prune your Yucca in early spring. It’s right before their growing season. That means they’ll grow faster.
You’ll also be giving it time to grow before winter.
Final Thoughts
Now you know what happens if you cut the top off a Yucca: it’ll regrow again!
There are a lot of reasons to prune a Yucca: it’s an effective solution to control its growth and make it more aesthetically pleasing.
The process, however, can leave the cut portion quite vulnerable. So, use proper pruning techniques to speed up the process of compartmentalization.
Once you cut the stem, though, you don’t have to throw the top half. You can just propagate it to regrow more Yuccas.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.