yucca and majesty palm dying please help :(

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

New plant dad, here! I recently picked up these two plants from someone on craigslist. They seem to be dying and I'd like to learn what I can do to rescue them. I'm new to this, however, I have a passion to learn.

So far, I'm realizing that the white spots on the palm are some sort of powder mildew. Also, the majesty palm is wrapped in this ugly dead leaf stuff that I'd like to get rid of, but without it I feel it'd drop to the floor so I'm not sure what to replace it with.

The yucca has dying leaves and one of the trunks seems completely dead and another seems salvageable. In checking out the soil in both plants, it smells horrible and moldy. So bad the I coughed. I think I need to re pot and get new soil but don't know where to start.

I'd appreciate any help at all! I've searched all over but I can't find much on how to fix these specific plants' issues. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! <3

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Comments (3)

damask_rose_zone9b
4 years ago
Hi Justin Stevens! I'm afraid I have some bad news about the palm. The white spots are pests, spider mites I think, and they are very difficult to deal with. Also, majesty palms are notoriously difficult to grow indoors and are hard to keep alive. The yucca doesn't seem to be in good shape either, and needs a lot of light to truly thrive. They are grown outdoors in full sun here in California. I'm not sure if you paid for the plants or not, but if they were free I would recommend tossing them and starting over. It would probably take more time and money to rehabilitate these two then it would take to get two, healthy, new plants. Plants that look similar but are much easier to care for are parlor palms, in place of the majesty palm, and a dracaena in place of the yucca. If you would like to rehabilitate these plants, I would recommend purchasing some neem oil. Dilute it in water in whatever ratio is recommended on the bottle, and spray it all over the leaves and stems of your plants, then wipe down the leaves and stems with a paper towel or cloth. Do this once every week until the pests are gone. Trim off the dead trunk on the yucca, and trim away all the dead leaves on the palm. When you re-pot them, check if they are root-bound. If they are, move them into pots one size up from their current pot. If they are not root-bound, you can re-use the pots, but make sure to disinfect them with some rubbing alcohol. I like to use MiraceGro African violet soil or MiracleGro Housplant soil mixed with 30 to 50% perlite. The majesty palm likes lots of humidity, so you can place it on a humidity tray or purchase a humidifier. Water them when the top inch of soil is dry. I hope this helps and good luck!

damask_rose : )
Justin Stevens
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks a bunch!! I luckily have a lot sunlight so I'm going to just try. I am not sure that it is a yucca, I think it's actually some form of Dracaena cane. I got them both for $5 each, but as of now I have an emotional attachment so I'm going to try to nurse them back to health! I'm also not sure if the palm is a majesty palm, but we will see. Thanks for the advice, I'm definitely going to try these things!

Also, for the root of the dracaena or yucca- how do you recommend cutting nit and at what point of the base? I'm 100% new to this. Do I just cut it like an inch above the roots on the stem of the plant or just cut the roots or what?
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damask_rose_zone9b
4 years ago
Hi Justin Stevens! You're very welcome, I'm happy I could be of help. Haha, I know what you mean about having an emotional attachment to the plants. I'm sure the dracaena (you're right, it's a dracaena not a yucca) will be looking lush and beautiful in no time after it gets a little TLC, they are very easy-care and are resilient plants. The palm will be a challenge, but it may very well recover. I would trim the dead cane on the dracaena a few centimeters below the soil line. I notice that there is a cane that is green but it does not have leaves. For this cane, cut off the top inch or two, and it will produce an offshoot on the side. Also, make sure you keep the dracaena away from the palm, and use a different cloth to wipe the leaves for each plant, so the dracaena does not get the pests.

I hope all goes well, and enjoy your new hobby!

damask_rose : )