# Why Is My Yucca Laying Flat?
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Heat
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Regular exposure to extreme temperatures can cause yucca plants to appear visibly flattened. Rather than planting the yucca in an area that receives direct sunlight throughout the day, it is better to put it in a spot that does receive some sunlight during the day but also gets adequate shade as the sun moves across the sky.
Watering
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Given that succulent plants, like the yucca, are typically pictured in a desert setting, it should come as no surprise that these plants can do with a minimum amount of water. In fact, not only can they get by on little water, they actually thrive on little water. A flat yucca plant may appear as if it is not getting enough water; but if the issue is water-related, the opposite is more often the case. The best practice is to water the plant thoroughly but don't flood it, then wait one to two weeks before watering it again. The soil should be completely dry at this point.
Soil Conditions
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Good watering practices will not make much of a difference if the soil conditions are not adequate. It is imperative that the soil be well-draining. Otherwise, yucca plant problems, flatness being only one among several, will arise. Soil that does not properly drain off liquids will amass water that will make the plant look as though it has been under-watered -- it will appear somewhat deflated, flattened and generally unhealthy. This can occur even if irrigation practices are appropriate. If the yucca has yet to be planted, a spot with well-draining soil should be selected; but if it has already been planted and soil conditions are not optimal, adding pumice to the soil will be a great help in resolving the problem.
Scales
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Scales can cause a number of succulent plant problems, but the most obvious will be a weakened structure. Scales, which are small, round and brownish in color, receive nourishment from the stems and leaves of the yucca plant; and when a large number of them settle on an individual plant, this may result in loss of support for the plant, and it will begin to collapse in on itself, appearing to lay flat. Applying an insecticide on the plant is the only way to completely eliminate a problem with scales.
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