Whether it’s sick, dead, or simply growing in a poor spot, sometimes a yucca just has to be removed. Unfortunately, doing so is easier said than done.
As you probably know, species of Yucca are pretty tough in general, with their extensive root systems and tolerance of many environmental stressors.
Plus, if even a small bit of root tissue remains in the ground after removal, a baby plant could easily spring up.
Of course, you also have different species of Yucca to consider.
A small specimen may be lifted pretty easily, while a larger, tree-like species will take considerably more work to do away with. Different types, different techniques.
In our guide to growing yucca we discuss how to cultivate these stately plants in your landscape.
This article gives you all the know-how you need to remove those bad boys when you’ve had enough of them.
Here’s what’s ahead:
Why Remove Yucca Plants?
Yucca plants can be striking additions to the landscape, but they aren’t always the right fit.
Sometimes they become infested with pests, develop chronic diseases, or suffer from persistent environmental stress.
If a specimen is severely damaged, visibly declining, or nearly dead despite your best efforts, removing it may be the most practical option.
Even a healthy plant might have to go if it’s in the wrong place.
Yuccas are armed with rigid, pointed leaves that can easily snag clothing, skin, or passersby, posing a hazard if grown near walkways or children’s play areas.
Poor placement in a shaded spot, where the plant will never thrive, or it may simply clash with the surrounding landscape design.
Then there’s the maintenance factor. These desert natives are highly drought-tolerant, but prone to root rot in wet soils.
Their sword-like foliage and architectural form don’t always blend well with softer, temperate designs. And let’s be honest, succulents aren’t for everyone.
Whatever the reason, removing a yucca may be the most sensible choice. But doing it properly is essential if you want to avoid regrowth.
With the right approach, you can eliminate it for good – and save your neighbor from a surprise jab on their morning walk.
How to Remove Yucca
Removing a yucca plant takes more than just chopping it down. These rugged perennials have extensive, stubborn root systems that are built for survival.
If you don’t eliminate the roots completely, you’ll likely see new shoots popping up before long.
Step 1: Cut Back the Top Growth
First things first: before you can tackle the root system, you’ll need to remove the aboveground foliage.
The species of yucca that you’re cutting will determine the tools that you’ll need.
Smaller species like Adam’s needle (Y. filamentosa) can be cut down with pruning shears or loppers, while the large, strong trunks of tree-like species may need a saw or an axe.
Yuccas are fibrous and tough, so be sure your tools are sharp and in good working condition.
With your choice of tool, cut your plant down to ground level.
For some low-growing species, this may entail removing flower stalks and cutting back each leaf at the base to reach the central stem. Be sure to dispose of the clippings to avoid spreading seeds.
For other upright varieties or tree-like species with accessible central stems or trunks, there’s no need to cut away the foliage. You can just fell the plant straight away, Paul Bunyan-style.
Make sure you wear some personal protective equipment to keep you safe from sharp tools and pointy spines. Protective eyewear and work gloves are mandatory, I’d say.
A final note on timing: since you’re removing these plants without much care for their health, the timing of all this doesn’t matter much.
But I wouldn’t try to remove these plants during the winter, because that’s when the soil is often frozen and hard to penetrate with digging tools.
Step 2: Remove the Stump and Root System
If you cut the shoots down to the ground correctly, you should be looking at the top of an exposed stump that’s about level with the soil.
From here, you have a handful of different options for taking care of the stump.
Dig It Out
This one can be tough, and may not be feasible depending on the size of your specimen.
If you’re dealing with a small species, then digging it up shouldn’t be too difficult. It’s the larger ones that can be a pain, though.
Use a sharp spade or shovel to dig a wide circle, at least three feet out from the center of the stem.
Depending on the size and age of the specimen, you may need to dig several feet down, severing roots as you go with a mattock or hand saw.
This method may take a while, and it may not even remove all the root tissue. But it’s pretty cost-effective, and it’ll give you a great workout!
Moisture-Induced Decay
Yucca roots are susceptible to rot in saturated soil. By keeping the root zone consistently wet, you can encourage decay in the stump.
This may take several months or more and is most practical in climates with high rainfall.
Be prepared to use a lot of water if you’re trying to do this manually, and it’s not the most efficient method in dry areas.
Light Deprivation
Depriving the stump of sunlight and oxygen can be effective. Cover the stump and the area around it with thick black plastic or several layers of cardboard.
Weigh your covering down with bricks or stones and leave it in place for a year. Check periodically and replace damaged coverings as needed.
This process does take a while, it may not work on especially large or tough stumps, plus, you’ll have a rather ugly covering in your landscape for a while.
Chemical Control
Poisoning the stump is a pretty effective way of killing it, but the use of toxic chemicals may not be something you want to attempt.
Drill several evenly-spaced holes about 10 inches deep into the top and fill them with a dedicated stump remover, a herbicide such as glyphosate, or even epsom salts.
Wear gloves and eye protection while handling chemicals, and apply only during dry weather to avoid runoff into surrounding vegetation.
Mark the treated stump clearly with dye to warn others. Once dead, you can either leave it to decay naturally or have it removed, it should be quite easy to dig out at this point.
Professional Services
If all this sounds like more than you want to take on, hiring a professional is a valid and often efficient option.
There are qualified professionals out there who can efficiently excavate stumps, safely poison them, or even grind them down and slice up their roots using specialized machinery.
The biggest drawback with this one is the money you’ll need to spend!
Preventing Regrowth
Yuccas are very resilient, which is unfortunate in this circumstance.
Even if you do an effective job of killing and/or removing the root system, there is a very real likelihood that additional plants will pop up from pieces of root in the soil that were missed or left alive.
Thankfully, removing these baby yuccas is a lot easier than dealing with full-sized specimens.
So as soon as you see baby yuccas sprouting up from the ground, dig them up and throw them in the compost pile. Keep this up, and eventually the area will be yucca-free!
Yucca Be Gone
Yucca plants can be tough to remove, but it’s entirely doable.
Cut down the plant, deal with the roots using your preferred method, and check the area regularly for any regrowth.
Remove new shoots as they appear, and over time, the plant will stop returning.
Still have questions? Have your own tips and tricks to share? Let us know in the comments section below!
And for information about how to grow yucca plants, check out these guides next:
