• Photo of Schefflera arboricola (Schefflera arboricolas)

Plant Profile: Schefflera arboricola

Taxonomy: Schefflera arboricola

Names

Australian Ivy Palm, Dwarf Hawaiian Schefflera, Dwarf Schefflera, Hawaiian Umbrella Tree, Parasol plant, Umbrella Plant

  • Photo of Schefflera arboricola (Schefflera arboricolas)

Phonetic Spelling:shef-LER-uh ar-bor-ee-KO-luh

Genus:Schefflera

Species:arboricola

Family:Araliaceae

A broad-leaved evergreen shrub often used as a houseplant, it thrives in bright or filtered indirect light near a window. This plant prefers not to sit in water, so it's best to water it thoroughly and allow the soil to dry out almost completely before the next watering. During the summer, it can be placed outdoors in containers, enjoying full sun but should be shielded from intense afternoon heat. To keep its shape, occasional pruning is recommended. It typically does not flower in indoor settings, making it an excellent choice for decorative tubs in homes and commercial offices, as well as a striking specimen tree in larger indoor landscapes. It is frequently grown outdoors in regions like Hawaii, southern Florida, and parts of California.

Regarding pests and diseases, this plant is generally resilient and not prone to many issues. However, spider mites may occasionally appear, and plants under stress can attract aphids, mealybugs, and thrips. Additionally, overly wet soil can lead to disease problems.

Quick Identification:

Schefflera arboricola Feature Summary

Schefflera arboricola Image Gallery

Tags

#red
#black
#houseplant
#red flowers
#bonsai
#showy leaves
#interiorscape
#low maintenance
#potted plant
#black fruits
#palmate
#fantz
#patio planting
#container plants

Similar Plants

Schefflera arboricola is often confused with:

Schefflera arboricola Feature Summary

Attributes
Used to treat unspecified medicinal disorders and has environmental uses.
Fruit
Orange-red drupes that turn black when they mature.
Red/Burgundy
Black
Orange
Flowers
Grown as a houseplant it seldom flowers. Very small red flowers grow on compound panicles.
Red/Burgundy
Leaves
Leaves are palmately compound, to 4.4 by 1.5 inches. Leaflets are 2-4.5 inches long in terminal rosettes. They are obovate, entire, obtuse, stalked, and bright green and glossy.
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
3-6 inches
Stem
Stems are shiny green becoming brown and woody.
Brown/Copper
Green
Poisonous to Humans
Difficulty swallowing, irritation and burning in the mouth and throat, drooling, vomiting
Calcium oxalate crystals
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
3 feet-6 feet
12 inches-3 feet
10a
10b
11a
11b
12a
12b
Loam (Silt)
Landscape
Container
Patio
Houseplants
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Dogs

Schefflera arboricola Attributes

Schefflera arboricola: Uses (Ethnobotany)

Used to treat unspecified medicinal disorders and has environmental uses.

Schefflera arboricola: Country Or Region Of Origin

Taiwan

Schefflera arboricola: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Schefflera arboricola: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Schefflera arboricola Fruit

Schefflera arboricola: Fruit Description

Orange-red drupes that turn black when they mature.

Schefflera arboricola: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Schefflera arboricola: Fruit Color

grass
Black
grass
Orange
grass
Red/Burgundy

Schefflera arboricola Flowers

Schefflera arboricola: Flower Description

Grown as a houseplant it seldom flowers. Very small red flowers grow on compound panicles.

Schefflera arboricola: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Red/Burgundy

Schefflera arboricola: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Schefflera arboricola Leaves

Schefflera arboricola: Leaf Description

Leaves are palmately compound, to 4.4 by 1.5 inches. Leaflets are 2-4.5 inches long in terminal rosettes. They are obovate, entire, obtuse, stalked, and bright green and glossy.

Schefflera arboricola: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Schefflera arboricola: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Schefflera arboricola: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Schefflera arboricola: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Schefflera arboricola: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Schefflera arboricola: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Schefflera arboricola: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Schefflera arboricola: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Schefflera arboricola: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Schefflera arboricola Stem

Schefflera arboricola: Stem Description

Stems are shiny green becoming brown and woody.

Schefflera arboricola: Stem Color

grass
Brown/Copper
grass
Green

Schefflera arboricola: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Schefflera arboricola Poisonous to Humans

Schefflera arboricola: Poison Symptoms

Difficulty swallowing, irritation and burning in the mouth and throat, drooling, vomiting

Schefflera arboricola: Poison Toxic Principle

Calcium oxalate crystals

Schefflera arboricola: Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Schefflera arboricola: Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Schefflera arboricola: Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Schefflera arboricola Whole Plant Traits

Schefflera arboricola: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Schefflera arboricola: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Schefflera arboricola: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Schefflera arboricola: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Schefflera arboricola: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Schefflera arboricola: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Schefflera arboricola Cultural Conditions

Schefflera arboricola: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Schefflera arboricola: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Schefflera arboricola: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Schefflera arboricola: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
11a
thermostat
11b
thermostat
12a
thermostat
12b

Schefflera arboricola: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Schefflera arboricola Landscape

Schefflera arboricola: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Schefflera arboricola: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy