Schefflera (Umbrella Plant)
Schefflera arboricola
Family Araliaceae
Schefflera arranges its glossy leaflets like the spokes of little green umbrellas — a cheerful, architectural pattern that reads as instantly tropical without asking for greenhouse conditions. In a bright room it grows with real enthusiasm, from tabletop to a 3-to-6-foot indoor tree that fills a corner with shine.
Bright light is its love language — give it a well-lit spot and it stays full and glossy rather than stretching thin. It responds visibly to attention, growing quickly for a houseplant, though it belongs out of reach of nibbling cats and dogs. An umbrella plant by a sunny window is a corner solved.
Where to buy schefflera (umbrella plant) — 1 nursery compared
Bright indirect — leggy and sparse in low light
Moderate water
Moderate-Fast growth
Deer-resistant
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing schefflera (umbrella plant)? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries schefflera (umbrella plant) — Schefflera arboricola, print Nº 419, “Schefflera (Umbrella Plant).”
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Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what schefflera (umbrella plant) actually needs.
Hardy inZones 9-11Schefflera (Umbrella Plant) · Common problems
Common schefflera (umbrella plant) problems
Pests
3 problems on file
- Spider Mites (the schefflera curse)
- Scale
- Mealybugs
Diseases
1 problem on file
Schefflera (Umbrella Plant) · Growing & propagation
Growing schefflera (umbrella plant)
- Light
- Bright indirect
Leggy and sparse in low light
- Water
- Moderate
Dry the top inch; drops leaves if overwatered
Soil- Well-drained mix · pH 6.0 - 6.5
Fertilizer- Monthly spring-summer
Pruning- As needed
Pinch growing tips to force branching; cut back hard if it gets leggy.
Spacing- One per pot
How to plant & propagate schefflera (umbrella plant)
- Propagate
- Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups
Schefflera (Umbrella Plant) · Seasonal care & spray guidance
The schefflera (umbrella plant) growing playbook
When to spray schefflera (umbrella plant)
Growing season. Shower it monthly to keep mites down.
Schefflera (Umbrella Plant) · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Schefflera (Umbrella Plant) · Yearly calendar
The schefflera (umbrella plant) year, month by month
No fixed season calendar for schefflera (umbrella plant) — its care follows conditions, not the calendar.
Schefflera (Umbrella Plant) · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Schefflera arboricola
Schefflera (Umbrella Plant) in the garden system
- Moisture
- Facultative / average
- Deer
- Resistant
A safer unfenced choice
Origin- Introduced
What schefflera (umbrella plant) is grown for
⚠ Toxic if eatenToxic to cats/dogs (calcium oxalate)
Use- Floor/table plant
- Use
- Bright rooms
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Schefflera (Umbrella Plant) · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a schefflera (umbrella plant) variety
'Arboricola' (dwarf, glossy); 'Gold Capella' (variegated); big-leaf S. actinophylla (umbrella tree)
Sources & plant identity
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Schefflera (Umbrella Plant)
Schefflera arboricola
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Schefflera arboricola
- Plant family
- Araliaceae
- Growth habit
- Houseplant · Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- SCAR10
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
for Schefflera (Umbrella Plant)
Research from these sources
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Questions
Schefflera (Umbrella Plant) questions, answered straight.
Do deer eat schefflera (umbrella plant)?
Rarely — schefflera (umbrella plant) is considered deer-resistant, which makes it one of the safer unfenced choices in deer country. Hungry deer in a hard winter test every rule, but it's a low-risk pick.
Is schefflera (umbrella plant) safe for kids and pets?
No — treat it as toxic if eaten. Toxic to cats/dogs (calcium oxalate) Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
How do you propagate schefflera (umbrella plant)?
Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups.
Elsewhere
Where schefflera (umbrella plant) sits in the library.
Monstera
Golden Pothos
Snake Plant
Heartleaf Philodendron