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Umbrella plant are know for their whorls of calendered leaf . When they hang downward , the leaf resemble umbrellas or — when spread wide — many - finger hands . Scheffleracan engross bright , protected quoin in a living room or business office for years without kvetch .
Theseindoor treesare sedate type , though . Should you suddenly settle to move one or subjugate it to “ lead of change ” ( i.e. , drafts or blast of heat ) , umbrella works tutelage may turn challenging as its leafage drop in protest . The turgid schefflera tree diagram , S. actinophylla , can be encroaching when grow outdoors in state such as Florida and Hawaii .
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Umbrella Plant Care at a Glance
Common Name : Umbrella plant life , scheffleraScientific Name : Schefflera spp . Soil : Standard potting mixLight : fond sun or bright , indirectWater : ModerateFood : Balanced or low - phosphorus works foodTemperature and humidness : strong temperatures , high humidityPropagation : Tip press cutting , air layering , or seedsSafety : Toxic
Umbrella PlantCharacteristics
genus Schefflera actinophyllagrows to 40 or 50 feet mellow when alfresco inUSDA hardiness zones 10 through 12 . The plant ’s leaves ( in reality whorls of oval pamphlet ) sometimes are pen only of four leaflets each when the plant is youthful , but finally can include seven to 15 , which extend up to 15 inches long .
Outdoors , the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree may bring forth greenish - yellowish blooms that age to red on flower spike glow around a central stem like the upside - down radius of an umbrella . Those efflorescence will be followed by reddish - empurpled berries ¼ to ½ inch in size of it .
The dwarf umbrella tree , Schefflera arboricola , is similar in show but transcend out at about 15 feet , with unremarkably no more than 10 leaflets per whorl , each no longer than 6 inches . Its ¼-inch orange tree berries mature to inkiness . Neither plant is likely to surpass 10 feet in height when potted , nor will they likely bloom indoors .
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Types ofUmbrella Plant
Selecting Soil forUmbrella Plants
A received potting intermixture that contains peat moss unremarkably will suit the umbrella plant . instead , try a combination of 2 parts peat moss , 1 part dry land true pine bark , and 1/3 part coarse detergent builder ’s sand . Place the genus Schefflera tree in a container only about a third larger in diameter than its etymon ball .
Always utilize a pot with drainage holes to check that water does n’t accumulate in the dirt mix and cause the works ’s roots to disintegrate . This peculiarly applies if the schefflera will likely move out of doors during the summer months , since rainwater can build up speedily inside a non - draining potbelly .
The Right Light
The umbrella tree often grows in full sun out of doors and commonly require that much illumination to flower . However , most source advocate that houseplant types receive only partial sun — sooner in the good morning — or bright indirect light for the best foliation colour .
So , you may position the genus Schefflera flora near an east - face window or in a location where easy bounces off of ashen or cream colored paries to keep it well lit . If you come out it near a south- or west - facing windowpane , pall off the rays with a out-and-out drape between the works and the glass . Although the industrial plant sometimes is listed underlow - ignitor tree , direct for at least 250 foot - cd of illumination , and up to 1,000 .
WateringUmbrella Plants
After irrigate an umbrella works , wait until its soil is ironic about 1 inch below the surface before irrigating the plant life again with room - temperature water system . It is middling vulnerable to root rotting if hold on too blotto in a dull locating . So , reduce the amount of pee it receives in fall and wintertime , making trusted not to append moisture so frequently that the soil becomes soggy .
flabbiness and yellowing of the older ( low ) leaves , along with their eventual dropping , may designate that an umbrella plant is “ drowning . ” However , such symptom also can be because of nitrogen deficiency or low Christ Within .
FertilizingUmbrella Plants
An umbrella Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree indoors does n’t require much feeding , so inseminate it only once a month during spring and summer when it grows most rapidly — or no more than once every 2 weeks during those time of year . Plants receive sun by and large will need more nutrients than those that get small sun .
Use a balanced liquid houseplant chemical formula intended for non - flowering mintage such as 20 - 20 - 20 or the organic 2 - 2 - 2 . A high - atomic number 7 , low - morning star fertiliser such as 18 - 6 - 12 or the organic 2 - 1 - 1 also should be decent for schefflera care .
Refrain from feeding the industrial plant during autumn and winter . Since growing slows during that time , fertilizing then can cause excess salts in the soil .
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Setting the Temperature and Humidity
The umbrella plant life prefers temperatures between 70 and 80 degree Fahrenheit during the Clarence Day , down to no low-spirited than 60 or 65 degrees at night . In winter , keep the plant away from doorway and windows that are n’t well sealed , since dusty drafts may make it to evolve dead spots on its leaf or to drop foliage .
The flora enjoy high levels of humidity but stomach the deficiency of moisture reasonably well . However , to keep the umbrella plant as happy as possible , set it atop a humidity tray and mist it ofttimes or localise it in a humid positioning , such as a bathroom .
Propagating Umbrella Plants
The University of Florida urge 1 - inch leaf - spare stem cuttings taken from just below the uppermost leaves for propagating an umbrella works . After snipping off those 1 - in piece , lay them horizontally in a sterile medium such as damp semen starting admixture or root gel and overlay them lightly with the medium . Keep them warm and dampish until they root . If working with a leggy flora , the more complicatedair layeringprocess might shape better .
germ germinate most heavily if sown immediately after they are harvested , but also will keep for a while at room temperature . gazump them in red-hot water supply for 12 hours before sowing , barely deal them with damp seed get going mixing . Keep the container at 75 to 85 degree Fahrenheit until the seeds sprout , which may take 1 to 2 month .
Safety Considerations
If consumed , the umbrella plant is toxic to pets , citizenry , and livestock due to the Ca oxalate crystals in its foliation . Those can cause irritation to the back talk and tongue when the leaves are jaw , as well as vomiting and drooling . Therefore , gardeners with young children or cats prostrate to pick on greenery probably will require to avoid growing it .
During pruning , the plant also can drop irritating sap on the hands when handle it . So it ’s a just idea to bear shaping baseball glove when geld back a schefflera and to rinse off them off well under running weewee afterward .
Potential Pests and Diseases
Scheffleras are somewhat prone to leaf spots . If a industrial plant show dark chocolate-brown spots — due to fungi or bacterium — endeavor to keep its folio dry by avoiding misting or overhead tearing . smudge that appear to be made up of dead tissue instead can be cause by exposure to temperature below 50 degrees , so keep the plant away from doors and ill - fitting window and bring it indoors early on in fall .
As was previously mentioned , scheffleras also yield easily to root rot brought on by overwatering and indicated by yellowing leaves , soppy stems , and other signs . If you distrust you have oversaturated the container , you may want to bump off it from its mint , cut away the rotting source , and specify whether enough upright ones remain to pot it up again in drier soil .
FAQ About Umbrella Plant Care
To find some quick answer about umbrella Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree guardianship — all under the same umbrella — check out the questions below . If you ’d prefer more easy encyclopaedism , float about like Mary Poppins with her brolly through the more in - depth guidance above to prevent any potential problems from rain down on your plant ’s parade .
Q. Do umbrella plants need sunlight?
No . Umbrella plant can thrive in brilliant collateral light as well as in partial sun .
Q. How often do you water an umbrella plant?
Water the plant whenever its soil has dry out to 1 column inch below the Earth’s surface .
Q. Do umbrella plants like to be misted?
Yes . Umbrella plants favour mellow humidness , so they will enjoy an occasional spritz from a obnubilate bottle . Avoid spraying industrial plant that are suffering from fungous or bacterial leaf floater .
Q. How do I make my umbrella plant bushy?
Whenever the plant threatens to become leggy , cut it back to whatever elevation you prefer .
Q. Can you take cuttings from umbrella plants?
Yes . The plant reportedly root well from unforesightful stem cuttings , as detail under “ propagate Umbrella Plants ” above .
Q. Can I put my umbrella plant outside in the summer?
Yes . you may move an umbrella works to an outdoor location in fond sun or abstemious shade during summer , bring it indoors again before temperatures fall below 50 degree .
Looking for more broken - maintenance houseplants ? arrest out our guide on caring forpeperomia , zephyr plant life , andpolka dot plant .
Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners
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We ’ll serve you congeal up your first garden — whether that ’s a few slew on your patio , a raised bed , or an in - ground patch out back — and pick out the ripe plant for your dirt and neighborhood .
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