Yucca Rostrata (Beaked Yucca)

Yucca Rostrata (Beaked Yucca): Correctly Planting, Care, Cut And Winter

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The beautiful exotic needs special protection in winter. Everything you need to know about wintering Yucca Rostrata is explained in this article. Yucca, often also called palm lilies, are extremely popular indoor plants in our country. Less well known, however, is that some species of yucca can also winter outdoors.

But no matter whether in the house or in the garden – the right protection is important so that the plant can survive the winter well. Therefore, this article tells you whether the yucca palm is winter-hard, when it gets too cold and how to properly winter yucca indoors and outdoors.

In this country, the yucca palm is a much sought-after indoor plant that often provides a good indoor climate in living rooms or in the office. No wonder, since the palm tree is considered to be easy to care for and robust and can reach impressive sizes of up to five meters in height. But the palm lily does not only cut a fine figure as an indoor plant.

Yucca Rostrata can also be cultivated outdoors – not only in pots but even in garden beds. But palm trees in our garden – is that even possible? Yes, it is possible! If a few tips and tricks for proper wintering are taken into account, you too can enjoy snow-covered Beaked Yucca in your winter garden.

Is The Yucca Rostrata Hardy?

In order to understand whether the yucca palm is hardy or not, it must first be taken into account that there are about 50 different yucca species worldwide. Of course, not all of them have the same requirements and characteristics. It is true that the yucca originally comes from dry to desert-like areas of the American continent.

One could therefore think that the palm tree prefers to be warm all year round. But this is only partially true. Among the Yucca Rostrata, there are very well hardy and frost-tolerant species. In total, about ten yucca species are considered hardy. Which of these are particularly well suited for cultivation in our domestic gardens, we have briefly summarized for you below.

Winter-hardy yucca palm species at a glance:

Banana-Yucca (Yucca baccata): Winter hardiness down to -25 °C
Beaked blue Yucca (Yucca glauca): frost tolerance down to -18 °C
Yucca filamentosa: lowest temperature is -25 °C
Candle yucca (Yucca gloriosa): frost tolerance down to -20 °C
Short-leaved yucca (Yucca brevifolia): frost tolerance down to -20 °C
Soap Tree Yucca (Yucca elata): Winter hardiness down to -20 °C

Beaked Yucca in the snow

Apart from these, the other yucca species are not hardy and must therefore be wintered indoors. In order to be sure which yucca palm you are dealing with, it is best to pay attention to the exact species and variety designation of the plant when buying it.

When Does The Yucca Rostrata Get Too Cold?

Even though most Yucca Rostrata is indoor plants, they too enjoy a summer outdoors. The fresh air and the higher level of light are good for indoor plants. But if the temperature drops below 20°C, it is time to bring the Beaked Yucca indoors. Of course, the situation is different for outdoor yuccas. Depending on the species, they can tolerate temperatures as low as -25°C and can therefore spend the whole winter outdoors.

Summary: When does the Beaked Yucca get too cold?

  • Room yucca: Temperatures below 20 °C
  • Yucca in bed: -18 °C to -25 °C
  • Yucca in a pot in the open air: -18 °C to -25 °C

Yucca palms in pot like temperatures above 20 °C

Yucca Rostrata winter indoors or outdoors?

So whether your Beaked Yucca should be wintered outdoors or indoors depends on the species. Non-hardy varieties must be wintered indoors in any case. Winter-hardy varieties in the bed can survive the winter outdoors if they are properly protected. For actually hardy species in a pot, the age of the plant is important. If the plant is less than three years old, it is recommended to hibernate indoors. After three years, the plant is finally large enough to survive the winter outdoors in a pot.

The next section explains in detail how to winter Yucca Rostrata outdoors, whether in a bed or in a pot, and how to winter indoor plants.

Wintering Yucca Rostrata outdoors in a bed

To prepare the Beaked Yucca in time for winter, stop fertilizing in the fall. The last fertilization should take place at the end of July, at the beginning of August at the latest.

The biggest challenge when wintering plant in the garden is the moisture. Yucca originally comes from desert areas and therefore has difficulty coping with the increased humidity in winter.

Therefore, moisture protection is the most important thing. If the palm tree is still young, it may be advisable to provide it with a small roof for the winter. It is important here that the air can circulate sufficiently despite the roofing.

Alternatively, you can also tie the palm head together with some bast. In this way, the sensitive palm heart is protected from moisture and frost. Young plants can be additionally secured by wrapping a fleece or a jute bag around the palm mop.

The greatest enemy of the yucca palm in the cold season is too much moisture

Here again, good moisture protection is absolutely essential to prevent moisture from accumulating in the material. To protect the roots from frost, apply a mulch layer at least 20 centimeters thick around the plant. Bark mulch leaves or even fir branches are suitable for this.

In this way, your palm tree will survive the winter undamaged. It is important that you remove the frost protection quickly after the last frost, otherwise, too much water can collect at the roots and in the palm head.

Beaked Yucca in the bed hibernates at a glance:

  • Last fertilization: July/August.
  • Install moisture protection.
  • Or tie palm mop of hair together.
  • If necessary, protect with fleece or jute bag.
  • Apply the mulch layer.
  • Early winter after the last frost.
Tip: If your Beaked Yucca has suffered frost damage despite all protective measures, all is not lost. As long as the roots have not suffered damage, the yucca will sprout again.

Beaked Yucca hibernates outside in a pot

Also with Yucca Rostrata in pots, the most important thing is to protect them from too much moisture. The advantage of potted plants is their mobility. Therefore, in autumn, place your yucca in a pot in a protected place such as a house wall, where it is partly protected from the rain. The second step is then to install moisture protection from below.

This can be a wooden plate or a plexiglass panel on which the pot is placed. Now the pot is insulated by wrapping it several times with insulating material such as jute bags, coconut fibers, or bubble wrap. This prevents the roots in the pot from freezing to death.

Finally, cover the substrate in the bucket with a mulch layer at least 20 centimeters thick. Once winter is over and frost is no longer expected, you should also remove the frost protection from the potted plant at a good time.

Jute bags are well suited as insulation material for the pot of the yucca in winter

Beaked Yucca outside in a pot hibernating – in short:

  • Bring to a protected place in autumn.
  • Ensure protection against moisture from below.
  • Insulate bucket.
  • The cover substrate with a mulch layer.
  • Early winter after the last frost.
  • Yucca indoors winter.

Palm lilies indoors should first be prepared for winter by stopping fertilization. The last fertilization is therefore applied in October. From November onwards the plant can then move to its winter quarters.

Although the Beaked Yucca could also winter in a warm living room, a cooler place is better, because the palm feels most comfortable in winter at temperatures between 5 and 10°C.

Another important factor is light. The winter quarters should be as bright as possible, but also not exposed to the blazing sun. Yellowed lower leaves indicate a lack of light.

Room-Yuccas feel comfortable in winter in a cool and bright place

An air humidity of 50 to 60 percent is ideal for overwintering. If the air in your home is dry, you can also spray your yucca with water occasionally (not too often). The watering will be less in winter.

Too much moisture should be avoided at all costs, otherwise, the roots could rot. Therefore, before watering, it is better to check the substrate with your finger and determine the moisture. Yellow and later browning leaves can be an indication of either too much or too little moisture.

You should not fertilize at all in winter. The room in which the plant stands should be aired from time to time. It is also important to check the palm tree regularly for pests. Yucca is particularly susceptible to pests if the conditions for hibernation are not optimal.

Spider mites (Tetranychidae) and scale insects (Coccoidea) then frequently infest Yucca Rostrata. In order to be able to react in time and control the pests, regular monitoring is therefore essential.

If the winter is well over, the plant can move back to its original place in the home or office in spring. At temperatures above 20°C, it can also be put outside again.

Step-by-step instructions: Beaked Yucca hibernates indoors

  • Last fertilization in October.
  • Place in a light and cool room from November.
  • Ideal temperature: 5 – 10 °C.
  • Air humidity 50 – 60.
  • Alternatively, spray from time to time.
  • Moderate watering.
  • Do not fertilize.
  • Ventilate now and then.
  • Regular pest control.
  • Yucca after the winter.

If your yucca has survived the cold season well, it will receive more light and warmth again in the spring to be able to grow undisturbed. You can read all about the proper care of Beaked Yucca here.

In spring the wintered yucca palm is happy about water and fertilizer

Frozen and dried plant parts can be removed immediately in spring. Spring is also a good time to repot the palm tree if necessary. In spring it is time to increase watering again, but you should still not overdo it and remember that the palm lily is a desert plant. From spring onwards, the yucca will be fed every three weeks, using an organic liquid fertilizer.

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