Schefflera Care

Schefflera is an extremely popular houseplant that can enhance the look of the interiors of your house. Basically, it belongs to Araliaceae family and is native to tropical regions. It is a shrub that grows up to a height of 8 feet. There are many different species of this flowering plant. Among them, Schefflera actinophylla (Umbrella Tree) and Schefflera arboricola (Dwarf Umbrella Tree) are most widely grown in homes. It is often referred to as umbrella tree because its lush green foliage looks like a large sized umbrella. Schefflera care is a simple task and even beginners with no previous experience can do it.

Caring for Schefflera Plants

No matter which species of schefflera plant you are growing in your homes, the procedure of nurturing a plant remains the same. For growing it indoors, it should be planted in a regular standard potting soil with a good drainage. The other important aspects that have to be taken into account are as follows:

Temperature and Humidity
The temperature and humidity should remain consistent for proper growth of schefflera. The day temperature should be in the range of 75 to 90 degrees F and at night it should be in between 65 and 70. Spray some tepid water on the foliage every morning to keep its humidity level constant.

Light Requirement
This plant prefers medium light. It should be placed in one such location where it receives enough bright light. Insufficient light can make it leggy and floppy. However, it should not be exposed to direct sunlight as it will burn its leaves.

Watering
Schefflera plants require sufficient watering regularly. Put your finger one inch into the soil. If it feels dry, then it is time to water the plant generously. Over watering should be avoided as it leads to rotting of the root. Less amount of water can make the leaves yellow. In winter, when the plant is dormant, it should be watered only when the soil is dry up to 3 inches.

Fertilizing
This plant does not demand too much of fertilizer. You have to add fertilizer once a month. Use a 10-10-10 NPK fertilizer for this purpose. Water the plant thoroughly before fertilizing. This will prevent damage caused due to nitrogen burn.

Pruning
Most varieties of schefflera require occasional pruning. It mainly involves cutting down of overgrown parts of the plant in order to maintain its shape and size. Schefflera arboricola is one such variety of the plant which is popularly grown as indoor bonsai. The unique characteristic of this variety is that it produces aerial roots when it is grown in humid and moist condition. A vital part of schefflera (arboricola) care is heavy pruning of its aerial root and branch. The plant recovers from this kind of pruning within a very short span of time. It is advisable to avoid using any concave cutter for this purpose.

Protection
The plant is often susceptible to be attacked by spider mites and mealybugs. It can be identified with small black spots on the underside of the leaves. Therefore, check out for such signs on the leaves of the plant from time to time and take action as soon as you notice them. If the infestation is mild, then washing the plant with soapy water is helpful to get rid of the problem. For a heavier infestation, neem oil is an effective insecticide.

With the right knowledge of care, you can keep the plant in your house for many years to come. Schefflera can be grown outdoors as well. Many people like to keep the ornamental plant outdoors during the summer. Outdoor schefflera care is more or less the same as when it is kept indoors. However, make sure that you place it in shady location and bring it back indoors at the onset of winter.