Even though aphids react to being sprayed by water alone, using the soap-and-vinegar formula ensures they don't come back. smartgardenguide.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and other Amazon stores worldwide. You might notice that the leaves become burnt which appears as yellow and white spots. Hosts: I found them on Red yucca (hesperaloe parviflora) ... One of the red aphids that can be found on top of mule fat plants. Aphids are also commonly killed by parasitic wasps. yuccas love the sun, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. stress from the temperature. It is cold hardy only down to about 25F or -4C. Simply put, your yucca plant probably doesn’t need as much water as you think it does. If you provide a habitat of flowering ground covers (especially varieties like cosmos and stonecrop that supply nectar throughout the growing season), you’ll draw them to the garden and successfully keep the aphid population in check. A yucca plant is susceptible to a few diseases that may be responsible for poor health. First, we’re going to take a close look at the potential causes They attack the leaves and steal the stored moisture. make a quick recovery with a few small changes! Fungal Disease: You by drying it out. Plant red yucca in full or paritail sun in well-drained soil, preferably a bit sandy. lot of water and should be properly drained of moisture to thrive. Consider using a product containing Imidacloprid, which will kill aphids when ingested but won’t harm pollinators like bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies (view example Imidacloprid-containing insecticide on Amazon). In addition, you can grow plants that attract aphids, like calendula and nasturtium, on the opposite side of your property; they may draw aphids away from the affected area. Note: Please understand that that insects do not adhere to man-drawn borders on a map as such they may be found beyond the general "reach" as showcased on our website. If you have been applying excessive fertilizer, this will result in fertilizer burns and a sickly plant. necessary. The big takeaway is that the number one cause of a dying yucca The potato aphid is a common brown aphid. Read my article about repotting plants to learn more. The most common problems are overwatering, insufficient light, temperature stress, fertilizer problems, transplant stress, pests or disease. extra careful not to overwater your yucca plant. Avoid repotting a stressed plant, as this can often create additional stress for your plant. If the sticky substance is accompanied by a black sooty coating on leaves, the honeydew is coupled with sooty mold.. Learning what causes sticky honeydew sap and how to remove honeydew can get your plants back to normal and allow you to repair the damage. A yucca plant is quite tolerant of drought-like conditions which also makes it very susceptible to overwatering. In the early stages of overwatering, simply cutting back on watering and letting the plant and soil dry out is sufficient. Unlike yucca, the leaves are spineless, and have fibrous threads along their edges. Ensure that the As with anything, there is a balance to be had and, even though Reapply per the manufacturer’s directions. Next, do not use a pot that is too A yucca plant is a great, easy way to add some foliage to your home or garden. Waging war with larger numbers of aphids? It shouldn’t be. PROBLEMS: Aphids and scale if over watered. Natural enemies of aphids include lady beetles, flower fly larvae, lacewing larvae, and parasitic wasps. Aphids are very tiny insects that suck the juices from plant leaves and stems. I would recommend using either a water-soluble or liquid fertilizer, made up at half the recommended strength. Wilting leaves and yellowing of lower leaves, A build-up of fertilizer salts in the soil. For this reason, you should be can often spot a fungal disease by the effect it has on your yucca’s leaves. It only takes one aphid to make a plant sick with a virus. The yucca plant does not need a lot of hydration so be careful to avoid overwatering. Aphids cause damage by sucking sap from tender plant parts. a spot that gets a lot of sun. This means that you have to use a pot with sufficient drainage. Note: As they feed, aphids secrete l… There’s over 4400 species of aphids, about 250 of which are destructive on most common garden plants. Mix the dormant oil with water in a garden sprayer, according to the directions on the packaging, and apply to the leaves, stems, branches, and trunk of the tree. If you live in a colder climate, remember that this is not a Yuccas only need to be watered once the soil has almost completely dried out. temperature range. Read this article to learn how to identify and fix root rot for more info. Red yucca prefers full sun, but can take part shade. They have long legs and antennae in the front with two short appendages protruding from the rear. Don’t water your Yucca on a schedule, but assess the plant and the dryness of the soil before deciding whether to water it or not. The yucca plant is a relatively low-maintenance plant and, luckily, that usually extends to pest problems. Fertilizing every 2-3 months during the growing season should be more than sufficient. So, what are aphids? Why Is My Yucca Plant Dying? Repeat this process every few days until you’ve successfully eliminated all aphids, which could take up to two weeks. The deer do not eat the foliage of red yucca, but they will eat the blooms. If this was the cause of your Aphids look very different depending on their stage of life. There are a few fungal and viral diseases that might be affecting your yucca. A yucca plant is seen by many as a great way to bring a unique, even tropical vibe to any indoor or outdoor space. It’s very drought-tough, surviving on rainfall alone, even in the harshest of times. While this plant is generally healthy, it is susceptible to infestations of a red and black insect known as the yucca plant bug, which damages yucca plants by feeding on foliage. Enjoy your stay at Smart Garden Guide. view example Imidacloprid-containing insecticide on Amazon, The Best Winter Camping Destinations in America, 5 Easy Steps to a Successful Paint Makeover, 10 Sprinklers to Quench Your Garden's Thirst. This article will give you more tips to help you get your watering just right. Mealybugs – These wax-coated insects are easy to spot on yucca from the nearby deposits of waxy scales. In cold weather and drought, the foliage takes on purple or reddish-bronze tints. Apparently there is some controversy as to whether this species actually inhabits plants other than ragweed, but it sure seemed to key out to this. If you notice leaf spots or leaf disfiguration, it might be due to Several species of bugs—like lady beetles, lacewings, and parasitic wasps—happily munch on aphids. of your yucca plant’s troubles then we’ll tell you how you can identify and Transplant stress or shock could be the cause of your yucca plant dying, as this causes an abrupt change in growing conditions for the plant. The bane of gardeners everywhere, they feed on the plant’s sap and literally suck the life out of leaves, stems, buds, flowers, fruit, and roots. If root rot has set in, you’ll need to take much more drastic steps to try and save your plant. Most species have a pair of tube-like structures called cornicles projecting backward out of the hind end of their body. big. As the University of California experts comment, aphids have soft pear-shaped bodies with long legs and antennae and may be green, yellow, brown, red, or black depending on the species and the plants they feed on. Deer are browsers rather than grazers, so they prefer stems and broadleaf plants to grass. Aphids that cluster within leaves that curl, such as the leafcurl ash aphid, are wax covered as are most aphids that live on plant roots. There’s tiny black bugs. If your yucca Read my guide to fertilizing houseplants for more information about how to get this important aspect of plant care right. They also grow well in loam or shallow rocky soil textures. Oregano, chive, sage, garlic, leeks, onions, and other plants with strong scents can deter aphids. The Aphididae family of insects is incredibly wide. Because they’re so widespread they can be a cannabis pest almost anywhere in the world! The DIY aphid spray works by coating the aphid body and clogging the holes used to breathe. Mix and apply according to the manufacturer’s directions. The flowering spikes of Hesperaloe will often attract aphids to their soft, sugar rich flowers and flower buds in late spring. Any ant colonies that are caring for the mealybugs will need to be baited to prevent reinfestation. YUCCA, RED (RED HESPERALOE) Evergreen ¨C Sun. Check the undersides of the leaves, and you may find the culprit: large groups of aphids and/or the sticky residue they leave behind after feeding. As with aphids, they may attract ants with their honeydew but are easily dispatched with blasts of water from the garden hose just like aphids. Some aphids are darker colors, like brown. Hi, I’m Andrew, and Smart Garden Guide is my website all about indoor gardening and houseplants. Copyright © 2021 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. If you keep your yucca in the house, place it in You’ll be happy to know that, in most cases, your yucca plant can Over time, it will adjust. A balanced fertilizer is best. Read this article to learn how to identify and fix root rot for more info. Yucca endlichianas (mature plant in pot, and my own on right showing caudex) Yucca endlichiana in ground older plant in habitat (photo Cactus Jordi) Flowering plant (photo Cactus Jordi) Run water all over the plant, making sure to target the underside of each leaf. Homeowners can also purchase these natural predators via mail-order. Aphids of Southern California. Yuccas have slow growth patterns and do not need a lot of fertilizer, so it is much more common to have problems due to excessive fertilizer. near a window where it will receive more sun. What you should do in this situation is to always be sure to properly transplant or repot your yucca. You should ideally only fertilize your yucca plant a few times a year.