What Causes Branches of Yucca Cane Plant to Hang Down?

Yucca Cane Description

• Yucca cane (Yucca guatemalensis, syn. Yucca elephantipes), also called spineless yucca or giant yucca, is a member of the lily family of plants and is native to hot, sunny areas of the Yucatan Peninsula. In its native environment yucca cane grows to 30 feet high. Home gardeners commonly grow it in 10-, 14- and 17-inch pots in which case it grows from 38 inches to 8 feet tall. It will grow well outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture Zones 9 through 11, but you should keep it indoors during cold winter weather.

Watering

• Water your yucca cane only enough to keep the soil slightly moist in the spring and summer growing season. If you are growing your yucca cane in high light, let the top 1/4 to 1/3 of the soil dry completely before watering it well. If you are growing it indoors in low light, let 3/4 of the soil dry completely before you water it. Reduce your watering in the winter. If you overwater it during the winter when it is not actively growing, the leaves may droop and the plant may develop root rot at the soil line.

Light and Temperature

• Yucca cane likes sun. A lack of sun can stress your plant, contributing to drooping leaves. If you are growing your plant indoors, it should face east, south or southwest. If your yucca cane gets fresh air, it can tolerate low humidity and temperatures ranging from the upper 30s to above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Potting

• Yucca cane leaves will droop if the plant is allowed to sit in wet soil. Do not let water accumulate in the bottom of the pot. If you cannot resist watering your yucca cane on a regular basis, you should not repot it. If you do repot it, the increased amount of soil in a larger pot will not dry out. If the tips of new leaves are brown, it is a sign that the roots are suffering from sitting in water.