Umbrella Plant Care: Growing Schefflera Indoors

Umbrella plant care is mostly about light and restraint with the watering can. Schefflera gets its common name from its leaves: several glossy leaflets radiating from one point, like the spokes of an umbrella. The two species sold as houseplants are the dwarf umbrella tree (Schefflera arboricola), with small leaflets and a bushy habit, and the larger umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla), which can reach the ceiling. Both are tough, fast-growing plants that tolerate average home conditions.

Umbrella plant care at a glance

Dwarf vs standard umbrella plant

Details for both are in the NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: dwarf umbrella tree and umbrella tree.

Light

Schefflera does best in bright, indirect light, such as an east-facing window or a spot a little back from a south or west window. An hour or two of gentle direct morning sun helps keep it compact. Variegated types need the brightest light to keep their yellow or cream markings.

In medium light, growth slows and the plant gets taller and thinner between leaves. In low light it drops leaves and becomes sparse. Turn the pot every couple of weeks so it doesn't lean. Measure your spot with the plant light meter converter.

Watering

Umbrella plants prefer to dry partly between waterings. Water when the top half of the soil is dry, then soak it until water drains, and empty the saucer. That's usually every 1 to 2 weeks in summer and every 2 to 3 weeks in winter, but always check first.

See overwatered plant signs and how to water houseplants for more help.

Soil, pot and repotting

Use a free-draining houseplant compost with added perlite or bark. Repot young plants every year or two in spring, one size larger. Large, mature plants can stay in the same pot for years; just replace the top few centimetres of compost each spring. Use the repotting pot size calculator and see how to repot a houseplant.

Humidity and temperature

Normal home humidity of 40 to 60 percent is fine. Very dry air brings brown leaf edges and spider mites, which are the most common pest on schefflera indoors. Keep temperatures between 16 and 27°C and away from cold windows and heating vents. Check your room with the plant humidity checker.

Feeding

Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser every 4 weeks in spring and summer. Don't feed in winter. Use the fertilizer dilution calculator for the dose.

Pruning a leggy umbrella plant

Schefflera responds very well to pruning, which is why dwarf types are popular for indoor bonsai.

1. Prune in spring or early summer, when the plant is growing actively.
2. Cut just above a leaf node (where a leaf joins the stem) with clean secateurs.
3. Shorten tall stems by up to a third to encourage branching lower down.
4. Remove damaged or yellow leaves at the base of the leaf stalk.
5. Keep in bright light afterwards so new shoots stay compact.

Very leggy plants can be cut back hard to 30 cm. Schefflera usually resprouts from older wood, though recovery takes a season.

Propagation

Keep cuttings warm (20 to 24°C) and in bright, indirect light. Covering them loosely with a clear bag helps. See how to propagate houseplants.

Common problems

General pest advice is in houseplant pests.

Growing a dwarf umbrella plant as bonsai

Schefflera arboricola is one of the most popular indoor bonsai because it tolerates indoor light, recovers from hard pruning and grows aerial roots that can be trained into a banyan-style trunk. Start with a young plant with several stems. In spring, cut back to the shape you want, and keep pinching new growth to two or three leaves. Leaves shrink a little with regular pruning, but they won't become tiny, so it suits larger, informal bonsai styles. Keep the root ball slightly moist, because shallow bonsai pots dry out quickly, and mist or group it to encourage aerial roots in humid conditions.

Choosing a healthy plant

When buying an umbrella plant, look for:

• Dense, even foliage down to the base of the stems
• Glossy leaves without yellowing, black spots or sticky residue
• No webbing or cottony clusters on the undersides of leaves
• Firm stems and compost that isn't waterlogged
• Roots that aren't circling thickly out of the drainage holes

Expect a few leaves to drop in the first weeks at home as the plant adjusts to lower light than the nursery. This is normal and not a sign that you have done anything wrong. Put it in the brightest indirect spot you have and avoid moving it again.

Pet safety

The ASPCA lists schefflera as toxic to cats and dogs. It contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that cause oral irritation, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. Poisoning is rarely serious but is unpleasant. Keep it out of reach, or choose from pet-safe houseplants. The plant toxicity checker covers other common plants.

Outdoors in summer

In mild climates, umbrella plants can spend summer outside in a sheltered spot with dappled shade. Move them out gradually over a week, and bring them back in before night temperatures fall below 12°C. Check for pests before bringing them indoors. In frost-free regions, S. actinophylla grows into a sizeable tree outdoors and can become invasive; in Florida it's listed as an invasive species, so keep it as a container plant there.

Seasonal care calendar

Bottom line

An umbrella plant needs bright, indirect light, soil that dries halfway between waterings, average warmth and humidity, and a trim each spring. Most problems, especially leaf drop, come from overwatering, cold or too little light. Get those right and schefflera is one of the most forgiving large houseplants you can grow.

Sources: NC State Extension, Schefflera arboricola; NC State Extension, Schefflera actinophylla; ASPCA, Schefflera.