Umberella Plant

A gorgeous plant to make a big impact. The small tree starts out with small, glossy green leaves, but from little things big things grow and what start out as 5cm leaves grow up to 15cm long. The leaves grow in whorled groups of up to 10 once mature.

The leaves mass together forming dense layers that look graceful and elegant. It is quick to grow and a cinch to care for.

Schefflera is commonly known as Umbrella Plant for its leaf formations. It also goes by the name Octopus Tree, this is after the branching flower stems that look like Octopus legs. Unfortunately they are very unlikely to flower in a pot.

SIZE (HxW): 60-200cm x 40-100cm. It won’t grow as big indoors and can be easily pruned.

I SEE THE LIGHT: They grow best in a bright, indirect light – if you need a light to read by during the day in their position, it is too dark and they will be lack lustre. They also like a bit of air flow – this doesn’t mean cold draughts in winter – it does mean it shouldn’t be crowded in corner.

TIME FOR A DRINK: Water thoroughly, then allow the first 3cm of the soil to dry out before watering thoroughly again. This will be more frequent in spring/summer and required less in winter.
Flush the pot in spring and summer with a good dose of water to remove excess salts and then ensure it is drained before putting it back in location.
If you are running the heating throughout winter, don’t forget this is a rainforest plant so it will need a bit of extra humidity – you will know if this is the case as the leaf tips will brown. A pebble and water tray is ideal if you don’t have a humidifier. You might find you need this year round if you live in an apartment with heating/air con.

I WILL SURVIVE: In pots use a good quality potting mix to ensure good drainage. Ideally the pot or hanging basket should have drainage holes, if it doesn’t, you need to promise not to over water, if left to sit in boggy soils the plant will rot.

It is best to keep them away from heater vents and draughty windows which may cause their leaves to drop. Add a diluted liquid fertiliser in spring and summer they are not overly hungry so a couple of times a year is plenty.

You will only need to repot every few years as they become really rootbound. Size the pot up gradually as required. If you keep it in a smaller pot, it will still love you, it just won’t grow as big as it might without the extra room to move. Plants will usually prune themselves once they reach the ceiling. You can pinch the growing tips out in spring/summer to encourage a more bushy plant.