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Schefflera ( shef - LER - uh ) might not seem like a large genus at first , but when you consider its 600 to 900 coinage that make up half of the Araliaceae house , those turn become a lot more telling .
Schefflera plant life are common in southern California , Florida , and in place like Phoenix .
A wide number of Schefflera are grown domestically , but the two most common are Schefflera actinophylla andSchefflera arboricola(commonly live as the umbrella tree and dwarf umbrella tree , respectively ) .
Depending on the species you have , these plants may be from Africa , Asia , Australia , or any of the southwest Pacific Islands .
While these plant are best known as simply “ Schefflera ” , other common name admit umbrella tree diagram ( or plant ) , StarLeaf , and octopus tree , with some Australian species brewing have it away as Australian ivy palm .
genus Schefflera plants have had quite the indistinguishability crisis among botanists , having been known by a number of different genus names over the years , including :
But the unspoiled news is that these plants tend to have very standardized care requirements , irrespective of what name you use .
And even in effect intelligence is that you may enjoy these wonderful trees and shrub alfresco seasonally , even if you ’re in a cooler mood .
Schefflera – Umbrella Plant Care
Size and Growth
Schefflera can vary in size and form depend upon the species or cultivar , but they will usually range from 13′ to 33 ’ foot marvellous domestically , with a raging increment sometimes surpass 40 ’ foot .
Potted plants lean to be a bite small , with dwarf umbrella trees often only reaching 6′ to 8 ’ feet grandiloquent in a pot .
The number of base can also affect Schefflera ’s increment habit .
For representative , a single stem will result in a tree - like appearance , while multiple theme will start out close together and diverge as they get taller , giving the flora a bush - like show .
Some species may even take on a vining habit , much like lianas .
The leave tend to mould in groups , sometimes tipping the stem in a splayed group of five that resemble fingers and other time in an almost mavin pattern .
depend on the species or cultivar , these may be solid or variegated , and new growth almost always appear at the top of the stem , although it ’s not unusual to see a bit of newfangled foliage appearing low on a stem ’s legion growth lymph node .
Flowering and Fragrance
Potted Schefflera almost never blooms , unlike those grown in the earth .
If you ’re lucky enough to get blossom , they ’ll seem as groups of showy heyday spikes in pinkish , cherry , or white , which sometimes resemble octopus tentacle .
Light and Temperature
You ’ll want to give our Schefflera a spot with bright , collateral sunlight .
When choose a summertime spot to bring it outside , you may shelter it behind a taller tree for some mottled sunlight .
Alternatively , you could position it in a spot where it will get full sun in the morning or even but have light to partial shade during midday .
Never expose the plant to full sun in the afternoon , as the beam are more intense and may scorch the sensationalistic leaves .
As these plant may only develop outdoors in USDA hardiness zone 10 to 12 , you ’ll need to convey them inside when the temperature is due to drop below 50 ° degrees Fahrenheit .
Never leave your Schefflera outdoors if the temperature drops to 45 ° degree Fahrenheit or below , as this can induce permanent harm to the industrial plant .
Note that you may also need to obnubilate your Schefflera occasionally while it ’s outdoors , as it prefer high humidity grade .
Watering and Feeding
The soakage - and - ironic method is thoroughgoing for these tropical marvel .
This means that you will desire to stick your fingerbreadth into the potful occasionally and only H2O when it feel dry 2 ” inches down .
If you are celebrate your genus Schefflera in a sheltered spot , such as on a porch , it will postulate more frequent lacrimation than one left on a patio or other area that lets it bask the rainfall .
It needs brilliant full sun photo and benefit from regular watering and feedings of all - purpose tree food .
utilize elbow room - temperature distilled water or rain and pour easy and evenly around the container ’s circumference until moisture begins to seep from the drain mess . It should find indirect instinctive sparkle and gamy humidness as it grows .
While your plant is out of doors , you may wish well to supplement its feeding with some fresh constituent compost .
In terms of fertilizer , a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer works great when given once per calendar month during the grow time of year .
A dependable rule of thumb for your genus Schefflera is to feed it only during months the deal is outside and guard it back when it ’s within .
Soil and Transplanting
As your umbrella works is in a container , garden ground wo n’t be sufficient , even though the industrial plant is out-of-door .
Instead , choose a calibre tropical potting mixture and amend it with a bit of sphagnum moss and perlite .
you may add rooting hormone to the expose bed if you want . Then wrap that wound with pre - moistened sphagnum moss and then twine the moss in plastic to make certain that it does n’t dry out .
Indoor nanus umbrella trees expand in sandy pot soil – they wo n’t grow properly inside a container if the garden dirt is used .
Schefflera get laid organic matter but detest water supply , so the perlite help see to it good drainage .
A slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to 6.5 is ideal . However , you may have to occasionally test the soil if you employ tap body of water due to the chemicals and mineral content often raising the pH of otherwise proficient dirt .
Repotting Schefflera is a relatively dewy-eyed task and should be done when the plant becomes rootbound ( you will start out to see ascendant prod out of the drainage holes ) or every 3 years .
Always give it fresh soil when potting and seek to clock it for late wintertime , about 24 hours after tearing , for the best results .
Grooming And Maintenance
Schefflera is not the sort of industrial plant you’re able to leave alone for a long point of time without it becoming leggy .
Umbrella plants can deal aggressive pruningas necessary but can also delight a fiddling light maintenance here and there .
There ’s a bit of a trick to pruning , as you will take to plan ahead and prune differently based on whether it has one or several stems to get the look you want .
If the stem cutting is n’t immediately planted , the slip should be sustain in light water until the roots lead off growing . A planted cut should have indirect twinkle as it grows .
However , these flora are very exonerative if you make a misapprehension and can usually recover when lobbed as poor as 6 ” inches from the soil .
How To Propagate Umbrella Plant
Most Schefflera enthusiastsprefer to use stem turn cuttingsin either grunge or water .
However , these plant life may also be propagated using leafage carving , air layering , and via seeds .
Proper extension ensures a full garden of healthy plant and tree . unconventional propagation will foreclose new plant from maturate .
Schefflera Pests or Diseases
Schefflera are fairly repellent to pests and disease but can be more likely to play both while their container is alfresco .
Both bacterial leafage spots and Alternaria leaf spot affect Schefflera . Be on the lookout for aphids , mealy bug , scale , and wanderer mites .
Go raw with pest control by applying Neem oil color or insecticidal scoop .
They are also more prostrate to root rot if they ’re exposed to too much rainwater or lacrimation .
All species and cultivars of Schefflera are toxic to some degree when assimilate by humans or pets , with some being more dangerous than others .
The toxicity is due to calcium oxalate crystal which may have mild to severe effects when use up in sufficient quantities . Wear gloves when handle plants , as the sap can cause tegument soreness .
Finally , clean mealybugs , a case of scurf insects , may move into your flora ’s foliage .
Schefflera Uses
There has been a lot of research regarding the medicinal use of various Schefflera species .
When grow as a container plant , these wonderful plants can make a spectacular summertime accent to your porch or terrace , as well as being arrant for entryways .
They ’ll keep on to shanghai during the winter months if hold on near a sunny window .
