I've Got A Yukka And It's A Blimmin' Big ............ Plant!

[willyboy]

It must be over 6ft tall now, and the leaves are lethal.
However, the lower leaves are starting and/or becoming rotten.
Can l just cut them back just to remove the "bad" parts?
Thank you

[Tilly2]

Yes, you can.
Chop the ends off the leaves to make it less dangerous.

[wolf63]

I have to ask - what do the leaves do that makes it dangerous?

[pastafreak]

Yuccas grow as trees so its natural that they will shed their bottom leaves.
Are the leaves dry/yellow or mushy? If the latter it could be overwatering.

[Tilly2]

They are like daggers, Wolf. Very sharp.

[wolf63]

Thanks Tilly, I don't have any plants due to previous non-human house members.

[willyboy]

Thank you all for the quick replies.
Will cut the "rotten" leaves off then.
Here in SW France, it is open to all of the elements.
It gets very hot sun, also wind and rain.
Blimey Wolf, if you ever scraped yourself against the leaves,
which l have done many a time, it's like putting fishing hooks in your arm.
However, it's just a beautiful plant
Thanks again and regards

[hellywelly4]

Be very careful you protect your eyes when trimming a yucca - I ended up visiting the out patients after scratching my cornea. Very painful.

[Tilly2]

Cut the spines off first.

[Chipchopper]

Often planted without any thought for safety, I remember seeing a yucca planted outside the entrance of a care home, at eye level to anyone in a wheelchair.
I found that the dead leaves will just pull away from the stem, without too much effort, watch out for those spines though!

[1ozzy]

A Yukka will put out new shoots near the base.
These can be cut off, dried and replanted.