Guest Author - Wendy Lee

Schefflera arbicola, also known as umbrella plant, Hawaiian Elf Schefflera, or octopus plant, is a member of the Brassaia genus. Other members of this group of plants are of the Araliaceae family; such as Ginseng, Aralia, and Fatsi (Castor Oil Plant). The plant is most commonly recognized by its distinct leaves. The leaves are palmately compound with three to seven leaves arising from one point, think of the palm of your hand with your 5 fingers radiating out from it. There are many types of Schefflera but this article will focus upon the most common house plant species of arbicola. This plant normally has dark green glossy leaves, however it can also be found in varieties such as variegated with gold or leaves that are a deep burgundy or purple color.

These plants are well liked because of their quick growth, often sold when they have reached a height of a foot or more they can achieve a healthy 8 feet if taken care of properly. Also popular for their ease of care and bushy appearance even when mature, this plant can easily get out of control if not pruned correctly or given the correct growth conditions. Schefflera most likes bright light so as to avoid spindly growth, take care to rotate your plant about every week to eliminate ‘reaching’ in that the plant grows toward the light for so long that it develops a windswept look. Watering of this plant should be done on a regular basis with excess water dumped out after a few hours as Schefflera is highly susceptible to root rot so soil that allows for optimum drainage is desirable. Root rot is a main cause of leaf browning. Extended periods of time of temperatures under 50 degrees Fahrenheit will also cause leaves to brown and fall off.
Another common problem of the Schefflera are mites and mealy bugs which are both systemic pests and can be treated by using a pesticide that is diluted into water.

Propagation methods that work for this plant include air layering and cuttings. Air layering is used when you want to save a branch that you were going to prune off anyways to make a new plant. What needs to be done is to slice bark a little more than three-quarters of the way around the stem you are going to prune off, in effect girdling the stem. Then wrap this ‘wound’ with moss, usually sphagnum, and then wrapping the site with plastic to keep in said moisture. Cuttings can be rooted in water and planted later or rooted in rooting media, which really is just sterile soil that allows for superb drainage. Do not ever be scared to prune your Schefflera, it is one of the few plants that readily bounces back quickly and thrives on being pruned. With patience you may even prune your Schefflera into a long lived bonsai tree.

As with many houseplants grown for their foliage, Schefflera's rarely bloom inside; one way to get your scheff to bloom is to allow it to become pot bound, thus minorly stressing the plant and causing it to bloom out. If you decide not to stress your plants, re-potting, if required, should usually be done during the spring season or after a period of ‘rest’ from fertilizers and the like so that when you start feeding your plant again it will have plenty of room to grow.