Question From:
Dave in Cambria, Cambria International
Nature of problem:
Yucca Tree/Plant kill and removal.
Type of Plant (if known):
Very large mature, healthy Yucca plant, about 5 ft in diameter. Height about 15 feet
Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself):
appears health
Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type:
clay
How often do you water the plant:
never
How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day:
8-10 hrs
How long since you planted it:
Mature tree
Have you fertilised? If so, with what and when:
no
Is the plant indoors or outdoors:
outdoors
Is the plant in a pot or in the ground:
ground
What other treatments have you given the plant:
none
Upload photo if available:
Other Comments:
I want to remove this Yucca plant and don’t know how deep the root structure is or the best way to kill the tree and the roots so that I can have a stump grinder remove everything he can. I would like to replant an olive tree in it’s place, but I don’t want regrowth of the Yucca. Cambria is on the California Central Coast.
Any advice would be helpful, thank you
Answer:
Hi Dave, There are lots of different Yuccas, so I am not sure which one you have. In general, remove the leaf-tip spines first and discard them. Then cut all the leaves off at the base. Now saw off the trunk into manageable bits. You should be able to grub/axe out the stump quite easily as the trunk is just fibrous material. Anything left should not shoot out any new growth, but if you are worried, paint the freshly-cut stump with pure Roundup (ie Glyphosate). Olive trees need Lime or Dolomite to do their best. Don
