Umbrella plant (Schefflera) care

Umbrella plant care is straightforward: medium to bright indirect light, thorough watering once the top 1/2-1 inch of soil is dry, 65-75°F days and nights above 60°F, and no cold drafts. It's one of the toughest large houseplants, but it answers overwatering, chill and dry air with leaf drop. Pruning in spring is how you keep it full. The ASPCA lists Schefflera as toxic to cats and dogs.

Which schefflera do you have?

Two species are sold as schefflera or umbrella plant. Botanists have moved both from Schefflera to Heptapleurum, but labels still use the old name.

Clemson Extension HGIC notes scheffleras are usually sold at 2-3 feet and can exceed 8 feet indoors; mature actinophylla leaves carry up to 12 leaflets, each up to 12 inches long. Clemson names 'Amate' for resistance to spider mites and disease, plus arboricola cultivars 'Green Gold' and the dwarf 'Pittman's Pride'.

Look-alike: the money tree also has palmate leaves, but grows from a swollen, often braided trunk and is non-toxic to pets.

Light and placement

Clemson says scheffleras prefer medium to bright light; in low light leaves yellow and stems get weak. Variegated forms need the brighter end, or they revert to green. Rotate the pot a quarter turn every 2-3 weeks. Big actinophylla plants work well in offices with large windows; see office plants and large houseplants.

Watering by season

Clemson's rule: water thoroughly, let the soil dry to about 1/2 inch deep before watering again, and never leave water standing in the saucer, because overwatering causes root rot. In winter and in dimmer spots, let it dry deeper, to about a third of the pot.

Water sooner if the pot feels light, leaves soften or a heat register is nearby. Water later right after repotting, in a cool room, or during a cloudy week. General technique in our watering guide.

Feed monthly in the growing season with a general-purpose liquid fertilizer, as the RHS recommends; Clemson notes plants in reduced light need feeding less often. See fertilizer.

Temperature and humidity

Clemson gives 65-75°F during the day and nights above 60°F; below 50°F leaves get dead, damaged areas. Keep it away from heat vents, radiators, AC units and drafts. Aim for 40-60% humidity: in dry, warm winter air spider mites multiply quickly.

Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth every 2-3 weeks and give it a lukewarm shower monthly with the soil covered. That removes dust and knocks back mites.

Why schefflera drops leaves

Clemson lists the three main causes of leaf drop: overwatering, low humidity and chilling. For other plants see dropping leaves and yellow leaves.

Pruning for a fuller plant

Schefflera takes pruning well, and the RHS notes leggy plants can simply be trimmed back. It's the main way to get a bushy shape.

1. Prune in spring as active growth starts.
2. Cut a leggy stem just above a node at the height you want, with clean pruners.
3. Two or three side buds usually wake below the cut within 3-6 weeks.
4. Pinch new shoots once they have 3-4 leaves.
5. Use the cut tops as cuttings.
6. For instant fullness, grow 3-5 plants in one pot.

The RHS flags schefflera as a skin allergen; wear gloves when pruning.

Repotting

1. Repot every two to three years, as the RHS suggests; fast-growing young plants may need it yearly.
2. Choose a pot 1-2 inches wider, heavy enough not to tip, with drainage holes.
3. Use indoor potting mix with 20-30% perlite; see potting soil.
4. Don't break up the rootball; just tease out circling outer roots.
5. Water moderately right away; resume feeding after a month.

For a big plant you can't repot, scrape off and replace the top 1-2 inches of mix each spring. More in repotting.

Propagation

Clemson lists seed, cuttings and air layering.

Cuttings. In spring, cut 4-6 inch tips with 2-3 leaves, remove the lowest leaf, and root in water or a peat-perlite mix under a clear bag at 72-77°F. Roots usually form in a few weeks; a new leaf means it has taken.

Air layering suits thick, woody stems:

1. Make a shallow cut in the bark just below a node.
2. Wrap the wound in moist sphagnum moss and cover with plastic wrap.
3. Keep the moss moist for 1-2 months until roots show through.
4. Cut below the new roots and pot it up.

See propagation.

Summering outdoors

A summer on a shaded porch or patio thickens growth and shortens leggy stems. Move it out once nights stay above 60°F, which in much of the US means late May to early June. Start in full shade for a week, then bright shade or morning sun; unacclimated leaves scorch within a day in afternoon sun. Outdoors the pot dries much faster, so check it every 1-2 days. Bring it back before nights drop toward 55-60°F in early fall, hose off the leaves, check undersides for mites and scale, and expect a few leaves to drop as it readjusts to indoor light.

Pests

Clemson names mealybugs, scale and spider mites as the main pests; the RHS adds aphids. Spider mites are the classic schefflera problem in warm, dry rooms: tiny pale dots on leaves and fine webbing under them. Shower the plant, wipe leaf undersides and raise humidity; for heavy infestations use a labeled miticide following the label. Treat scale and mealybugs with rubbing alcohol on a swab, then a labeled houseplant insecticide if needed.

The first 4-6 weeks after you buy one

Scheffleras are grown in bright, humid greenhouses, and many drop a few lower leaves in a US living room at first. That's adjustment, not disease, if the stems are firm and the tip keeps growing.

1. Choose a permanent bright, indirect spot right away, away from drafts and heat vents.
2. In winter, wrap it for the trip home: cold air causes leaf drop a few days later.
3. Check moisture all the way down with a wooden skewer; water only once the top inch is dry.
4. Inspect leaf undersides and stalks for mites and scale.
5. Don't repot for 3-4 weeks or fertilize for a month.

Normal or a problem?

If stems are soft and dark at the base and the bark peels, rot has reached the stem: cut firm green tops and root them. A firm stem that's green under the bark is alive even without leaves; give it light, water carefully and wait for buds. See root rot.

Toxicity

The ASPCA lists Schefflera as toxic to dogs and cats; signs include oral irritation, intense burning of the mouth, lips and tongue, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. If a pet chews it, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435; for children, Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. See toxic plants.