The Schefflera is a perennial tropical tree highly appreciated for its graphic appearance and its great adaptability to indoor cultivation. In addition to being very ornamental, plants of the Schefflera genus are also very easy to maintain and cultivate.
Summary
Which Schefflera to cultivate indoors?
The Schefflera genus includes around 150 species and 900 varieties of tropical trees from the Araliaceae family. Native to Asia and Central America, these trees can reach a height of 30 m in their natural habitat.
In our climates, we mainly cultivate the Arboricola and Actinophylla varieties as indoor tropical plants. In pots, the tree can reach a maximum height of 1.50 m to 3 m.
- Schefflera Actinophylla is the most commonly cultivated variety indoors. It has a glossy and uniform foliage of a beautiful bright green. Its cultivar ‘Variegata’ has original foliage dotted with white leaves, while its cultivar ‘Dalton’ produces variegated foliage of green and yellow.
- The Schefflera Arboricola, also known as the umbrella or dwarf umbrella tree, is native to Taiwan and has a dark green uniform foliage. Its cultivar ‘Charlotte’ has variegated foliage of green and white, ‘Mélanie’ produces ivory-colored leaves, ‘Gold Capella’ has variegated foliage of green and yellow.
Note: trees of this genus are considered air-purifying plants that are capable of purifying the air in our interiors.
Cultivating Schefflera in a pot
As a humid tropical and subtropical plant, Schefflera is sensitive to cold and must be cultivated in a pot and indoors in our climates. The tree therefore requires temperatures between 16 and 22 °C throughout the year.
Preferably place it in a bright room, although it tolerates partial shade perfectly. However, never place it in direct sunlight.
Water your Schefflera regularly and make sure the substrate has time to dry between waterings.
Place the pot on a saucer filled with clay pebbles and a little water to increase the humidity around the plant (the pot should not be in direct contact with the water).
Schefflera can be fertilized in summer. It grows rapidly and also needs to be repotted every 2 years. Plant it in a light and rich substrate.
This tree does not need to be pruned. However, you can pinch its main stem to encourage branching.
Also remember to regularly dust the foliage with a soft, damp cloth to make its leaves shiny.
Practical Sheet Schefflera |
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| Origin | originating from Oceania. |
|---|---|
| Family | Araliaceae |
| Species and genus | Schefflera actinophylla |
| Particularities | The Schefflera is called “umbrella tree”; it can reach a height of 30 m in its country of origin. As an indoor plant, it can easily reach 2 m; its foliage can be variegated. |
| Foliage | variegated green with yellow or glossy green, evergreen. |
| Flowering | non-flowering. |
| Dimensions | 2 m in height, 0.50 m in width. |
| Culture | green foliage plants adapt to partial shade, variegated foliage plants need more light. |
| Planting period | repot in spring. |
| Soil | mixture of peat, compost, and sand. |
| Exposure | lots of light. |
| Spacing | isolated subject. |
| Implementation | when repotting the plant, be careful not to break the root ball. Add special indoor plant potting soil. Ensure good drainage and water after repotting. |
| Care | stake the flexible and fragile stems as they develop. |
| Watering | regular, allow the soil to dry between waterings. |
| Fertilizer | liquid fertilizer for green plants, every fifteen days from March to October. |
| Pruning | prune the stems in early spring if you want a branched plant. |
| Treatment | plan to combat scale insects in winter. |
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The ideal temperature for the Schefflera is 16° to 20°. Spray water on its foliage if the humidity level is low. Shower your plant to remove dust. You can take it outside in summer to a partially shaded location. |
