Do you believe in extraterrestrials? Look at the interesting and strange appearance of Schefflera, as if she came from another planet. Schefflera will grow well alongside your other tropical plants. It is better to place similar plants (in terms of storage conditions) close together to make it easier for you to meet their needs. This makes the care for Schefflera houseplants much easier. Continue reading this article in TooPlant in order to learn more about how to grow and care for Schefflera.
Introduction of Schefflera (Umbrella Plant)
Before addressing how to care for Schefflera, please allow us to give you a brief introduction about this houseplant.
| Name | Schefflera |
| Botanical Name | Schefflera spp. |
| Common Name(s) | Schefflera, Umbrella Plant, umbrella tree |
| Plant Type | Perennial |
| Family | Araliaceae |
| Mature Size | Height: 4 to 6 feet [up to 25 feet tall (outdoors)]; Spread: 3 to 6 feet (indoors) |
| Sun Exposure | Bright but indirect |
| Soil Conditions | Average, rich and moderately moist, well-drained |
| Bloom Time | Summer (outdoors) |
| Toxicity | Mildly toxic to humans[1]University of California. Safe and Poisonous Garden Plants. ucanr.edu., toxic to cats and dogs[2]American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Schefflera. ASPCA.org. |
| Native | Hainan, Taiwan |
| Hardiness Zones | 10 to 12 (USDA) |
Schefflera usually does not bloom indoors, so if you keep Schefflera as a houseplant, do not wait for the flowers to bloom. But if you plant it in the garden, you may see white, pink, and similar blooms. This plant is poisonous to pets and humans.
In this article, we want to provide you with information about how to care for Schefflera, so stay tuned with Tooplant.
Types of Schefflera (Umbrella Plant)
Schefflera has a wide variety of species that are grown as houseplants, and in this section, we want to introduce the most popular species of Schefflera.
How many varieties of Schefflera are there?
This houseplant has two different species:
Schefflera actinophylla
The most famous species of Schefflera is Schefflera actinophylla. It has rhomboid shaped leaves. The leaves of this plant are also large. Sometimes the leaves reach 15 cm.
Schefflera arboricola
Another species of Schefflera family is Schefflera arboricola. This houseplant has smaller leaves than Schefflera actinophylla. The leaves of this type of Schefflera are between 5 and 8 cm. This plant grows massively.
The “Trinette” type of this plant is also available in the market. This type has cream-colored parts and needs more light. The more light it receives, the more cream-colored parts it has.
Care for Schefflera
In short, about the maintenance and care of the Schefflera, we must say that two points are particularly important in maintaining all kinds of flowers and houseplants, especially Schefflera plants: One is proper lighting and the other is watering. Of course, humidity also plays an essential role in maintaining houseplants. Tropical plants usually love moisture. To have a Schefflera that is always beautiful and fresh, it is necessary to observe and consider the vital items such as light, watering and other items that we have mentioned in detail below.
Schefflera Light Requirements: What light is best for Schefflera?
Light is among the first important issues to care for Schefflera. Schefflera prefers bright but indirect sunlight. You can move the Schefflera outdoors in the summer and put it in the shade. If the plant withers, it does not receive enough light. Do not forget that Schefflera should never be exposed to direct sunlight as it will burn its leaves. So, as shown above, light plays a significant role to care for Schefflera.
Schefflera Watering: How often should you water a Schefflera?
In the rest, concerning the tips of caring for a Schefflera, it is better to know that during the growing season, water the plant every week and moisten the leaves with a spray. You can wait until the soil is completely dry and then water the soil in large quantities. With the coming of winter, greatly reduce watering. The most common mistake people make when caring for Schefflera is overwatering them, a mistake that will eventually lead to plants’ death. Yellow leaf fall is a sign of overwatering. Therefore, watering is another important aspect in order to care for Schefflera.
Always keep the tray full of water and let it soak in the water. Never pour water on top of the leaves on the Schefflera. If the water you use for other plants is heavy and full of various salts, it is better to use purified water for Schefflera. Because heavy water causes the stone to turn white.
In this way, to care for Schefflera, watering is considered to be of great significance.
Schefflera Soil: What is the best soil for a Schefflera?
Intending to care for Schefflera, the other crucial matter is soil. Schefflera soil should be rich and porous. It is better to add moist compost to the soil. We suggest you use potting soil. The pH of Umbrella Plant soil should be acidic to slightly alkaline. Thus, it can be said that, soil is another basic and important issue so as to care for Schefflera.
Schefflera Temperature Tolerance
Now, we come to temperature and humidity which are assumed to be principal to care for Schefflera in addition to light, watering and soil that are mentioned above. Umbrella Plant (Schefflera) is a tropical plant, so it prefers high humidity and temperature. In general, each plant enjoys its original habitat conditions more; Therefore, the closer the environment is to the tropical climate, the more satisfied Schefflera will be. This beautiful plant will be disturbed at temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius.
Schefflera Humidity: Does Schefflera like humidity?
Moisture is another thing which we need to inevitably pay attention to when talking about how to care for Schefflera.
Do not place Schefflera near heating/cooling devices. Humidifiers or air dryers are also harmful to Schefflera.
If the storage temperature of the plant is cold or the plant receives little water, the leaves will fall. So take the leaf fall seriously and fix the problem quickly.
The suitable temperature for Schefflera is between 18 and 27 °C.
Therefore, please do not forget to take humidity into consideration in order to care for Schefflera in the best way.
Schefflera Fertilizer: What is the best fertilizer for a Schefflera?
When you want to care for Schefflera, one of the important questions that may come to your mind is “what is the best fertilizer?” In what follows, we will address how to fertilize this plant:
Fertilize the plant twice a week during the growing season. You can also use a series of fertilizers with gentle release. These fertilizers are very rich and heavy, so the plant will enjoy a lot of minerals!
In spring and summer, along with water, add a little liquid fertilizer.
As a result, we could say that fertilizer is regarded as one of the fundamental issues when someone wants to care for Schefflera.
Schefflera Toxicity: Is Schefflera poisonous to humans and pets?
In order to care for Schefflera, toxicity is considered to be a major issue because it directly relates to your health especially children and pets. According to scientific studies, Schefflera is poisonous to humans, cats and dogs. This plant contains particles of the dangerous substance “calcium oxalate“, which can lead to inflammation of the oral cavity, severe burns and inflammation of the mouth, tongue and lips. Vomiting, excessive euphoria, and difficulty swallowing have also been reported.
These side effects are caused by eating the leaves of the plant, so touching it will not be a problem. Keep this plant out of the reach of dogs, cats or children who may chew it.
What Should You Do To Care for Schefflera To Grow Well?
Taking care of Schefflera is not a big deal, but there are some things to follow.
Schefflera Repotting: How to repot Schefflera?
One of the things you need to do to care for Schefflera is repotting. An adult Schefflera can grow into a small tree, reaching a height of 3.5 to 4.5 meters. But this does not usually happen to apartment Schefflera. Umbrella Plant that are kept at home temperature will eventually grow to 1.8 meters. You can reduce the growth rate by delaying the repotting.
Schefflera Pruning: How to prune Schefflera?
Another thing to keep in mind when caring for a Schefflera is pruning it. Your Schefflera will probably need constant pruning, especially if it does not get enough sunlight.
It’s simple: cut any part you feel has grown or risen a lot! Umbrella Plant quickly replaces pruned parts and rewards your efforts with its beautiful appearance; As a result, you will have a fuller, healthier and greener plant.
Propagating Schefflera: How to propagate Schefflera?
When you want to care for Schefflera, another important question that may come to your mind is “how to propagate it.”
The best time to propagate Schefflera is from early spring to mid-summer. This houseplant is usually propagated in three different ways: 1- Propagating by seeds, 2- Propagating by cuttings, 3- Propagating by layering.
The three above-mentioned methods of how to propagate Schefflera is explained below in detail:
Schefflera Propagating by seeds
♦ First, sow the seeds separately at a temperature of 20 degrees in a seed tray with compost.
♦ When the seeds grow and are 4 cm, take them out.
♦ Plant small seedlings in pots with a diameter of 5 cm that contain compost.
♦ Place the Schefflera seedling pot in the light.
Schefflera Propagating by cuttings
🔺 First, cut 10 cm diameter cuttings from the mother plant.
🔺 Remove the leaves from the lower part of the plant.
🔺 Dip the end of the cutting into the rooting fertilizer.
🔺 Plant the cuttings in small pots that have compost and have a diameter between 5 and 10 cm.
🔺 Put a transparent plastic around the pot to have greenhouse conditions.
🔺 When the plant is rooted after 30 days, plant it in a slightly larger pot.
Schefflera Propagating by layering
¤ First, bend the plant’s stem and place it under the soil.
¤ The soil depth on the stem should be about 7 cm.
¤ After 5 to 7 weeks, the plant starts to take root.
¤ When the plant is rooted after 30 days, plant it in a slightly larger pot.
In this part, we tried to teach you how to propagate Schefflera in detail.
Common Pests and Diseases
Schefflera, like any other plant, can be exposed to disease or pests.
Common Pests
Schefflera is attacked by pests more than other houseplants. Among the most common pests related to this plant are mealybug, Diaspididae, spider mite and fly agaric.
Treatment: Special pesticides such as imidacloprid and other types can be used to eliminate mealybugs and spider mites. Also, the only way to get rid of fly agaric is to use sticky traps, little watering and complete drying of the soil in a few days.
Schefflera Honeydew
The sticky and shiny surface of the leaves, and in more acute stages, the twisting of the leaves of the Schefflera, is called honeydew. Honeydew is actually the secretions of pests such as ticks and mealybugs that feed on plant sap. By eliminating pests, this problem will also be solved.
Common Diseases
Fungi
Fungi usually appear in the form of brown and black spots on the leaves and stems of the Schefflera. Fungal spots on the plant are soft and watery. The lack of air conditioning and high humidity and watering cause the spread of fungal diseases in Schefflera.
Treatment: If the fungus has infected a few leaves, remove them from the plant. If the fungal disease is spreading, use a variety of fungicides for houseplants (mancozeb, carbendazim etc.). During the treatment period, reduce watering and humidity (spraying, steam device etc.).
Caring for Schefflera: Common Problems With Schefflera
After a description of taking care of a Schefflera, we will explain the problems and their solutions:
Why are Schefflera leaves turning yellow?
As “leaves turning yellow” is one of the common problems that you may face when you want to care for Schefflera, we will try to describe the reasons and the ways to solve it in details.
In general, overwatering is not good for any plant. Schefflera is not exempted from this and overwatering causes the leaves to turn yellow and drop. The soil must be dry between each watering.
If the amount of watering is sufficient and not excessive and you still have this problem, be sure to check the drainage and see if the water comes out of the holes under the pot.
If the leaves turn yellow and do not drop, maybe the soil nutrients are low. If you have not given it nutrients, be sure to act soon.
Plant fertilizers are available in the market that you can buy. There are soluble fertilizers that are special for ornamental plants. Do not over fertilize the plant.
Liquid fertilizer is the best type of fertilizer for Schefflera. Dr. Bio fertilizers are suitable for this plant.
Why are Umbrella Plant leaves turning brown?
One of the problems and diseases of Schefflera is the attack of fungi, which manifests itself in this way. It means that the leaves of the plant turn black and have gray-brown spots.
The leaves turning black is either due to low light or bacteria, which also causes the leaves to drop. To avoid this problem, create humid conditions for the plant, and spray it. Infected leaves should be removed, because they will cause the disease to spread more.
Fungal leaf spot is caused by Alternaria, Phytophthora and Cercospora fungi. Excessive moistening of leaves and lack of good ventilation cause the appearance of fungi.
To treat the fungus, dissolve Mancozeb fungicide in one liter of water and give the plant when watering it. Repeat this process three times and repeat it again after a week.
To avoid such a problem, check the drainage of the pot and make sure that water does not accumulate in the pot. In this case, you should use fungicide.
Since “leaves turning brown” is another common problem that you may face when you want to care for Schefflera, we tried to describe the reasons and the ways to solve it in details.
Why are Schefflera leaves curling?
Sometimes the leaves of Schefflera become wrinkled and wilted without changing their color. This problem can be due to lack of water. If the soil dries, water the pot.
Another problem related to curling is that sometimes the leaves turn brown and wrinkled, this change is due to too much cold or even too much heat.
Try to have moderate air and if the plant is next to the entrance door or window, move it to a better place.
Why are Schefflera leaves dropping?
One of the problems that people face is the sudden dropping of Schefflera leaves. To some extent, this condition is normal in Schefflera, and the lower leaves of the plant usually drop and produce new leaves. This is due to stimulation of plant growth. But sometimes, in addition to the lower leaves, the young leaves also start to drop and you don’t know the reason. This can be due to overwatering.
Why is my Schefflera wilting?
One of the main problems that you may face in maintaining Schefflera is the wilting of its leaves. In the case of thirst and dehydration, Schefflera leaves wilt. To solve this problem, put it in a large container full of water for about 15 minutes.
Why is my Schefflera not growing?
Schefflera, like any other houseplant, needs special conditions to grow. If you have just repotted the plant and it is not growing, first of all, do not use fertilizer. Second, move the plant to a bright place. After Schefflera produces new leaves, you can fertilize it. Schefflera growth is not predictable and depends on its maintenance conditions.
How to Fix Root Rot in Umbrella Plant?
This resistant plant can also have problems. One of the problems and diseases of Schefflera is root rot, which is caused by a type of fungus. This fungus develops and grows due to overwatering and can destroy the plant. Due to the rotting of the plant roots, the leaves turn yellow and the branches turn black.
To solve this problem, take the plant out of the pot, remove the rotten soil and roots, and plant it in a new pot and soil.
Infographic Of How To Care For Schefflera
In this article, we tried to explain to you in an infographic the essential tips in the care of Schefflera, so that you can briefly and usefully learn the methods of caring for this plant.
In The End
In this article, we tried to provide you with the necessary information about the methods of caring for a Schefflera.
However, if you have any questions regarding this indoor plant or you need to get advice from our houseplant experts, please share your questions with us through the comments section below.
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