The Umbrella Tree (Schefflera actinophylla) is a large evergreen shrub or small tree that is native to Queensland, Australia. It gets its name from its umbrella-like canopy of large, compound leaves. Each leaf has 7-9 leaflets that are arranged in a radial pattern around a central point. The leaves are dark green and glossy, and the leaflets have serrated edges. The Umbrella Tree blooms in spring and summer, with small, white flowers that grow in clusters. The flowers are followed by small, black fruits.
Benefits:
The Umbrella Tree is a fast-growing tree that can reach up to 20 feet in height.
It is drought-tolerant and can grow in a wide range of soil types.
The Umbrella Tree provides shade and is often used as an ornamental tree in landscaping.
The Umbrella Tree is also a popular indoor houseplant.
How to care:
Rotate your schefflera to maintain a healthy, full plant.
Remove any dead or dying foliage to prevent pests and disease.
These plants can be propagated in soil, so make some new plants!
Water requirement:
These indoor plants like to dry out between watering sessions and quickly decline if the roots are left sitting in water. Let the water saturate the soil completely when watering. If your plant is in a terra cotta pot, you will be watering more frequently as these containers absorb moisture. The smaller the pot the plant is in the faster the soil will dry out.
Soil type:
Umbrella tree will perform best in a well-drained, sandy potting soil.
Pests and Diseases:
Your Umbrella plant is prone to insects like aphids, scale, and spider mites. Eliminate these pests by coating your Umbrella plant liberally with 5 tablespoons of horticultural oil mixed in 1 gallon of water.
Toxicity
Umbrella plant is toxic to pets or small children. If ingested, it can cause heart and respiratory problems, kidney problems, tremors, and vomiting.
Propagation:
The umbrella plant is easy to propagate vegetatively, which means that no seeds are used. This method, also known as asexual propagation, creates clones of the mother plant from individual parts of the plant. Using cuttings has proven to be a particularly easy technique which gives you the best chance of success. Another way to propagate the Schefflera is by what is known as “air layering”, but this is a bit more time-consuming and has less promising results. In nature, the plant reproduces with its seeds.