Schefflera arboricola in pot
Bright green foliage Schefflera arboricola
8-leaf leaf and flowers of Schefflera arboricola
Dwarf parasol tree in pot
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Schefflera arboricola, the dwarf parasol that lights up your home
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Schefflera actinophylla grows in the wetlands of Taiwan and China. But you don't have to turn your living room into a tropical rainforest to enjoy the lustrous foliage of this Araliaceae.
How to recognize Schefflera arboricola, the dwarf parasol tree?
In its natural environment, the Schefflera arboricola reaches a height of barely nine meters. That's almost half the height of its cousin, schefflera actinophylla, which reaches 15 meters. Indoors, this bushy shrub grows to no more than 1.5 metres.
The trunk of a young Schefflera arboricola is green and tender. Over time, it lignifies and takes on a gray color. The plant can develop multiple trunks. This is why it is sometimes sold with several braided trunks, like pachira aquatica.
The leaves are attached to the stem by a stalk 30 to 50 centimetres long. They are webbed and comprise seven to nine leaflets. They measure between nine and twenty centimetres long and four to ten centimetres wide. The leathery leaf blades are bright green on the upper side, matte on the underside.
In the wild, the dwarf parasol tree flowers from midsummer to early autumn. The yellow flowers bloom in panicles. They are arranged in umbels, in groups of five to ten. Once faded, they give way to fruit. These are oval drupes, half a centimetre long. Orange in the early days, they turn reddish-purple when ripe.
Schefflera arboricola berries are not edible for humans. The plant is even toxic to animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, goats and especially turtles) if ingested. It causes digestive disorders that can be fatal. What's more, the sap of the dwarf parasol tree contains latex, a potentially skin-irritating substance.
Our maintenance tips
Schefflera arboricola are easy-care plants. They won't mind if you forget them for a few weeks. On the other hand, they don't forgive over-watering.
Watering
Schefflera arboricola needs a regular supply of water. But, like many plants, the plant cannot tolerate excess. Check that the potting soil has dried on the surface (two to three centimetres) before watering. If this is the case, use non-calcareous water at room temperature. You only need to moisten the root ball, not the soil.
Don't forget to drain off any stagnant water in the saucer or planter. It could rot the roots.
Spray
In nature, schefflera arboricola benefits from high humidity. Indoors, the air is too dry for them. To remedy this, spray the foliage with rainwater at room temperature.
Fogging also combats attacks by mites and red spiders.
Repotting
Every spring, repot your Heptapleurum arboricola to give it more space.
Schefflera arboricola have shallow roots. Get a pot with holes wider than it is tall. You can cover the holes with drainage felt to prevent the soil from clogging them. You can also line the bottom of the pot with clay balls.
Soak the root ball of your Schefflera arboricola. Once the bubbles have disappeared, remove the plant from the water.
Prepare a mixture containing equal parts: heather soil, sand and garden soil (or potting soil for green plants). Pour on a layer of substrate. Then plant your plant. The root ball should be a few centimetres below the edge of the pot, to leave a watering trough. Add more substrate until you've reached the surface of the rootball.
Press down and water generously.
Fertilization
To promote the growth of your Heptapleurum arboricola, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.
Add green plant fertilizer to the watering water in the doses prescribed by the manufacturer.
Cleaning
Dust on the leaves slows down photosynthesis and hinders your plant's growth. Clean foliage with a clean, damp sponge. This operation also helps prevent invasions by mites and other pests.
Prune
Cut stems that have become too long just above a leaf.
To avoid the appearance of disease or pests, always use a clean, sharp instrument (pruning shears or scissors, for example).
To avoid the appearance of disease or pests, always use a clean, sharp instrument (pruning shears or scissors, for example).
Pinch
Pinch your Heptapleurum arboricola during its growing season.
Pinching the main stem stimulates branching and helps densify foliage. Pinch where you want new leaves to grow.
Cutting
Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.
Take a portion of stem with three or four nodes. Remove the leaves at the base.
Cut your cutting with a clean, sharp tool, such as secateurs or scissors.
Fill a pot with potting soil for seedlings and cuttings. Before planting your cuttings, water the substrate by capillary action to keep it moist.
Plant your cuttings in the center and press down. You can place several stems in the same pot. Once they've grown to 20 cm, you can braid them.
Cover with a translucent lid (a bell jar or cut-out water bottle, for example). To improve humidity, you can place your pot on a dish filled with moist clay balls.
Diseases / Threats
Information
| Family | Araliaceae - Araliaceae |
| Type | Heptapleurum - Heptapleurum |
| Species | Heptapleurum arboricola - Heptapleurum arboricola |
| Lifecycle | Perennial |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Exposures | |
| Substrat | |
| Planting methods |
In pots In tubs |
| Categories | |
| Tags |
Beginner Toxic |
| Origin |
Southeast Asia |
| Hardiness (USDA) | 11a |
| Leaf color |
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| Flower color |
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| Fruit colors |
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