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well known for the umbrella tree ( Schefflera actinophylla ) anddwarf umbrella tree ( Schefflera arboricola ) , Schefflera ( shef - LER - uh ) is really a genus contain more than 600 trees and bush .
These plants , hailing from both Africa and Asia , as well as neighboring island , are relatively easy to care for but do have a habit of becoming leggy if you ’re not careful .
This is particularly true of Schefflera that have a single torso as opposed to multiple stems .
As the unfeigned beauty of Schefflera plant is in their foliage , straggly umbrella plant is something deserving avoiding .
Why is My Schefflera Getting Leggy and How do I Fix It?
There are four main reasons for a Schefflera to become leggy :
All three are fair easy to prepare , but you might have to deal with a small plant for a while .
Disease
Sometimes an infestation of insects such as aphids , wanderer speck , Schefflera mealybugs , or contagion can debilitate away vital nutrient , causing yellowing , leaf fall , and a industrial plant to become leggy even though other circumstance are idealistic .
Giving your plant life a periodic check - up will help you name the symptom and deal with unwellness before it has any major effect on the plant . Insecticidal soap can help control pestilence .
However , after winnow out the trouble , a quick pruning of the damage leaves will allow your Schefflera to redistribute its resources and develop a full wont .
Poor Soil
genus Schefflera prefers rich , loamy ground that has a slightly acid pH and is well - drained .
They can be somewhat heavy feeders , so any sometime soil wo n’t do .
you’re able to go with an orchid or African violet potting mix , amending with perlite and constitutive compost .
The plant will also thrive with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer once per month during the growing season .
Too small in the way of nutrients can chair to scraggly growth , but so can giving it too much of a near thing , especially nitrogen .
In the event , you have a even lop regimen and the plant is getting enough indirect igniter , you may postulate to screen the soil character and adjust your feedings app program as ask .
Also , remember that your Schefflera needs a break during the winter months . Feeding during this time can have a negative impact on the plant ’s health .
Not Enough Light
Umbrella tree diagram and their gnome Schefflera cousins are have it away to thrive in artificial light , but that does n’t mean that they – or other Schefflera , for that thing – do n’t still require plenty of bright light .
Ideally , an indoor Schefflera should be get at least 6 hour of bright , collateral sunshine per Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . downcast light will produce stretched , tall-growing growth
outside plants will need mottled sunshine or a spot that has direct morning or eve photo and some shade during midday to forestall scorching .
In both sheath , ensure your plant is n’t exposed to direct intense Sunday , as this is when the rays have the least amount of atmospheric diffusion and can do wrong as a outcome .
Wild Growth
Schefflera houseplant are immobile agriculturist , and it ’s easy to forget that they need prune .
This can go to the flora grow leggy , both in height and width .
Pruning Schefflera plantsevery class in late winter can aid reduce the hazard of the plant growing out of restraint .
As it has legion growth nodes on each stalk , you could plan where to trim so the plant will fill out to your liking .
Just be warn that a individual - stemmed Schefflera will roll up with a tree diagram - like increase substance abuse , while multi - caulescent plants will take out both vertically and horizontally like a shrub .
In the event of stern legginess , it ’s possible to cut the industrial plant back intemperately without killing it .
In the case of multiple stem , you may need to cut back a leggy stem to 6 ” inches from the dirt pipeline . Use theumbrella tree stem cuttingto start a newfangled plant .
As long as the plant still has some leave , the shortened stem will soon catch up in growth to its neighbors .
Dealing with Legginess
Taking care of a plant life that ’s mature leggy from a deficiency of care conditions is actually the same as if you forgot to prune it .
Keep in judgment that these industrial plant do n’t generally branch where pruned , so contract at a leafage node tends to lead in a individual new stem or branch as opposed to multiple ones .
rather , your goal is to encourage leafage development to fill out the plant .
