If you’re a Yucca lover, you probably know that their biggest enemy isn’t a bug or a lack of sun—it’s actually too much water. When the soil stays soggy for too long, the roots and trunk start to rot. You’ll know you’re in trouble when parts of the trunk start feeling soft or mushy to the touch.
Fungi and Bacteria
The real culprits behind a soft trunk are fungi and rot-causing bacteria. As they eat away at the roots and move up into the trunk, they essentially cut off the plant’s “plumbing.” Once those supply lines are gone, the Yucca can’t take up water or nutrients anymore, which unfortunately leads to the plant’s demise if left alone.
Saving Your Yucca
I’ll be honest: once the main trunk has gone soft, you can’t save the plant in its current form. However, all is not lost! You can often salvage healthy sections of the plant to grow brand-new Yuccas. Think of it as a fresh start for your plant’s “kids.”
Inspect and Divide Your Yucca
How much you can save depends on how far the rot has spread. Here’s your step-by-step rescue plan:
- Gently lift the Yucca out of its pot.
- Lay it down carefully on the floor or a work table.
- Use a clean knife to cut away any soft, mushy sections of the trunk. Be generous—you want to get rid of all the rot.
- Check the cut ends of the remaining healthy pieces to make sure they are firm and solid.
- If you see any discoloration or softness, keep cutting back until you hit healthy wood.
- Mark the top and bottom of each piece so you remember which way is “up” (they won’t grow if planted upside down!).
- If any branches broke off during the process, inspect them too and trim away any rot.
Planting Your Healthy Yucca Cuttings
After dividing everything up, you’ll likely have some “log” cuttings and some “head” cuttings (the ones with the green leaves). For the leafy pieces, check the ratio of stem to foliage. If a small piece of stem is trying to support a massive amount of leaves, it’s a good idea to trim back some of the greenery. This helps the cutting focus its energy on growing new roots rather than keeping all those leaves hydrated.
When it’s time to plant, give each piece its own individual pot with fresh potting soil. This prevents any lingering rot from spreading between your new starts. And a pro tip: ditch the old pot or give it a very thorough bleaching, as it’s likely contaminated with those nasty fungi.
Saving Outdoor Yuccas
While overwatering is way more common with potted plants, outdoor garden Yuccas can run into the same issue if the soil doesn’t drain well. If your garden Yucca is looking mushy, follow the same rescue steps above. Just make sure that when you’re ready to put the new babies back in the ground, you choose a different location in the garden with better drainage!
