Schefflera
Schefflera is a vegetable in the Araliaceae family. It grows best in part shade with medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 10-12.
Varieties
1 · sorted by days to maturity▸Schefflera
PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Tropical houseplant (cuttings) (not in original seed catalog). Use: Glossy umbrella-like leaflets; easy indoor tree. Note: Toxic to pets if chewed.
Schefflera (Schefflera arboricola), the dwarf umbrella plant, is an easy indoor shrub/tree with glossy leaflets arranged like umbrella spokes; adaptable and fast-growing.
Growing notes: Botanical name: Schefflera arboricola|Hardiness zones: 10-12|Propagation: cutting|Light: Bright indirect light|Water: Medium|Mature size: 4-8 feet indoors
Plan your schefflera planting
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Start your free plan →Schefflera care at a glance
Bright, indirect light keeps the umbrella canopies dense; it tolerates medium light but stretches and sheds there.
Water thoroughly when the top inch or two has dried. Schefflera drops leaves faster from wet feet than from a missed watering.
Average room humidity is fine; dry air invites spider mites.
Keep above 55°F — cold damage starts below that.
Standard well-draining potting mix.
Balanced fertilizer monthly during the growing season.
In winter: Extend the interval in winter; cool + wet is its worst combination.
Calcium oxalates plus saponins — oral irritation, drooling, and vomiting in pets that chew it; can irritate skin. Keep it away from nibblers.
Pet listing per the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants database.
How to propagate schefflera
Stem cuttings
- Take 4–6 in tip cuttings in spring; strip the lowest leaves.
- Dip in rooting hormone and set in moist perlite-peat mix.
- Bag or dome for humidity; keep warm and bright.
- Roots form in 4–8 weeks; pot up and pinch to encourage branching.
Common schefflera problems
Why is my schefflera dropping leaves?
Likely cause: Overwatering and cold are the top two — both make whole leaflet-umbrellas yellow and detach.
Fix: Let the top inch or two dry between waterings, keep it above ~55°F away from drafts, and give it brighter light; it re-leafs readily once conditions steady.
Why is my schefflera leggy and sparse?
Likely cause: Insufficient light stretches the stems into bare poles with tufts on top.
Fix: Move it brighter and prune hard in spring — schefflera rebounds from aggressive cuts with dense branching below each one.
Why are my schefflera's leaves sticky?
Likely cause: Honeydew from sap-sucking pests — usually scale (brown bumps on stems) or aphids on new growth.
Fix: Scrape or swab scale with isopropyl alcohol, wash the foliage, and treat with horticultural oil weekly until no new stickiness appears.
Care profile compiled from extension and horticultural society guidance and the ASPCA toxic-plants list. Conditions vary by home — treat ranges as starting points.
At a glance
Storing & preserving
Most keep best refrigerated; storage crops prefer a cool, dry spot.
- Freeze: Blanch briefly, cool, then freeze — keeps color and texture.
- Can: Pressure-can low-acid vegetables; water-bath only pickled/acidified ones.
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting
No curated care & troubleshooting advice for schefflera yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.