Read more articles about Schefflera Plants. Try to make your cuts above a leaf node to encourage more bushy growth. Remove dead foliage or damaged stems at any time during the year. Schefflera’s are a tropical plant and like water and a moister environment. Make the cut at any height above 6 inches for a taller plant. Schefflera with multiple stalks usually give you more options when pruning. It’s important to prune if you want to prevent your schifflera from becoming too large. I put schefflera on the porch for the summer that received direct morning sun. Harrington's specialties include small business information, crafting, decorating and gardening. It is necessary to duplicate that rich soil as much as you can for best Schefflera growth. Dwarf Schefflera is preferred by people who intend to grow the plant indoors in pots and containers. Schefflera are not difficult plants to grow, as long as they receive plenty of indirect light, warmth, and humidity. Repotting a Schefflera should be done when the container is crowded. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Outdoor Schefflera care differs somewhat from indoor plant maintenance. Schefflera plants are common in southern California, Florida, and in places like Phoenix. Be sure not to trim more than 30% of the plant–any more may shock your Schefflera. Plants tend to dry out more quickly and they are more exposed to pests and diseases. Smaller varieties known as arboricola are very popular - the all-green and the showy variegated arboricola are both cold hardy shrubs (unlike the full-size schefflera, which is more tropical) and take sun or shade.. Plant specs. Staking or support may be required for good care for outdoor Schefflera plants. Description The umbrella plant is a multi trunk tree that can grows over 15 metres tall outdoors and has to be pruned and topped at some point to keep its size manageable within a home. Fruit: small, globular stone fruitsT… It is important to prune schefflera stems for it to branch out. Indoor Garden Indoor Plants Outdoor Gardens Life Hacks Umbrella Tree Growing Plants Indoors Food Photography Tips Tree Care Green Plants. Every 2 or 3 years, you must repot your schefflera. Summary. 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Native to Taiwan, the umbrella tree, also known as schefflera, octopus tree or parasol plant, is named for its long horizontal stems that produce leaves at the tip that have a circular appearance like that of an umbrella. WATER & HUMIDITY. Prune the main stalk to a 6- to 12-inch height for a short plant. Schefflera, Arboricola 'Trinette' (Schefflera arboricola) Join the Club to Manage Your Garden Plant Details; Basic Care Instructions ... Pruning Instructions. Schefflera arboricola variegata has very distinctive dark green and yellow patterns. If your plant gets flowers, you may want to remove them in areas such as Florida, where the plant easily naturalizes itself. You can actually prune it at about three feet high despite it … {{gwi:89902}}From Schefflera arboricola (That is after I pruned about a third of it off last year... it responded with the tuft at the top, and a nice branch right at the base.) They can grow in fuller and bushier, as they just have more places for leaves to grow. A Distribution Map of the two most popular Schefflera, the S. actinophylla (Green) & the S. arboricola (Umbrella Tree) in Red. This tropical plant is native to Australia, New Guinea, and Java, where it is an understory plant. Do you have office plants or trees that need pruning? © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Surely you can grow this plant very easily in your garden with minimum caring. Fortunately, just like a Ficus the dwarf Schefflera can also handle some radical pruning and come back strongly. Schefflera or the Hawaiian umbrella bonsai tree, for indoor as well as outdoor gardens. Pruning a Schefflera plant is not especially hard – if you see a long and unhealthy looking stalk, cut it back! Wipe the foliage down with a damp cloth every so often to … Schefflera plants (Shefflera spp.) The plants are usually grown as indoor houseplants, which are sometimes kept outdoors during the warm summer season. Refer to our guidelines on how to repot your schefflera. On the flip side when leaf tips wrinkle if they are too dry. By: Bonnie L. Grant, Certified Urban Agriculturist. Schefflera arboricola (sometimes called dwarf schefflera) feature smaller, glossy leaves, sometimes with creamy variegation. The propagation of the Schefflera is simple, you can root it in a glass of water or put it in the ground. These take quite a while to break down and should be moved away from the root zone so insects and pests don’t have a convenient hiding place. My schefflera was doing so well that it outgrew it's pot. Leggy schefflera can be pruned to encourage a fuller plant. Remember, in its native range the plant would be growing in the humus-rich soil that is nurtured by a constant supply of overstory leaves, animal droppings, and constant moisture. This forces it to produce a denser form and branching. high. Cut through each stem above a leaf, using sharp bypass shears. There is also a variegated Schefflera variety. Remember, in its native range the plant would be growing in the humus-rich soil that is nurtured by a constant supply of overstory leaves, animal droppings, and constant moisture. Origin: Taiwan and South of China 8. average height when kept as an indoor plant: 30 – 180 cm 9. leaves: long-stemmed, leathery, lacquer-green 10. Strong winds can cause damage so choose a protected location. Its foliage produces stalks that bear 12 to 16 leaflets making it look like an open umbrella. Schefflera plant is a tree that originally grows in the forest. Sadly, the plant is not reliably hardy below United States Department of Agriculture zones 10 and 11, but it will make an interesting container specimen that can be moved indoors. Her published articles have appeared in various print and online publications. Schefflera, or Umbrella plants, are common houseplants that are easy to grow because they can thrive in artificial or moderately bright light conditions and are susceptible to few pests. You can … Apparently, some Schefflera plants can tolerate zone 9b but will require a sheltered location, and in-ground plants may die back. Only prune healthy plants. If leaves turn black and begin dropping off it’s a good signal the soil is staying too wet or moist. The Dwarf Schefflera has rounder leaves as opposed to the normal Schefflera that has pointy leaves. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! 71. Outdoors, umbrella trees produce tentacle-like flowers. Over time, the tree will drop its leaves as it produces new ones. How to prune a schefflera plant. This variety is preferred by people who intend to grow the plant outdoor and give it enough space. Saved by Bluebonnet In Troy. Outdoors, a schefflera can reach up to 8 feet tall, but indoor plants require careful pruning to maintain a more manageable size. Schefflera bonsai with dark green leaves. Cut the stems to the ground with sharp shears if you prefer a single-trunk tree, or trim the stems back if you prefer a bushy plant. Avoid pruning weak or sickly schefflera until the plant's health improves. Here it is after the most recent pruning: {{gwi:89904}}From Schefflera arboricola Order: Apiales 2. Examine your schefflera to see if it has a single stem or several stems. Plants can get bigger in the ground and may need supplemental support and nutrition as well as a regular watering schedule, but Schefflera plant care outside is low maintenance compared to many landscape plants. Make the cut at any height above 6 inches for a taller plant. If you’re looking for a variety that you can grow outdoors, I recommend the Alpine Schefflera because of its better tolerance to cold compared to other varieties. Schefflera plant care outside is not a lot different from indoor houseplant care. This is a fast grower for full sun to full shade. Moreover, it is one of the most suitable plants for making bonsai. The plants need a high humidity environment to produce bright red flowers, so most regions cannot expect blooms, but the attractive foliage will provide a tropical foil for other plants. Plus, this is a tall-growing variety. Be careful where you install Schefflera, as the roots are dense and strong and can damage driveways and foundations over time. But slow-growth can be a benefit for houseplants confined to small spaces. For good outdoor Schefflera care, some gardeners recommend topping the plant when it grows tall. It is also an important thing to do to keep it healthy and thriving. Low maintenance, they can handle being in low light, or you forgetting to water it every once in a while. Missouri Botanical Gardens: Schefflera Elegantissima, North Dakota State University: Questions on Schefflera. Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since 2006. 1. Previously, she owned her own business, selling handmade items online, wholesale and at crafts fairs. Schefflera arboricola. Repeat for each of the remaining stalks, leaving at least one set of leaves on each stalk. Cut these back to a leaf joint to shorten them or remove them completely where they emerge from the main stem. Schefflera is a common house and office plant. A schefflera shrub has stronger wood but requires frequent pruning during the growing season to control its shape and size. A: A schefflera can usually recover nicely from severe pruning but needs to be in bright shade, probably outdoors, in order to sprout new limbs faster. Repot the plants annually as needed. 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