The document provides information on the care and production of Schefflera arboricola, a popular indoor houseplant. Some key points: - Schefflera arboricola is a graceful species of Schefflera native to Taiwan and China, known for its variegated leaves. - It grows well in medium light and temperatures between 15-20°C. The soil should be slightly acidic and well-draining. - Schefflera can be propagated through stem or leaf cuttings, and requires regular fertilizing and pruning to promote bushy growth. - Pests like scale insects and spider mites can sometimes be issues, but can often be treated through

1. Schefflera Production
Technology
Introduction
Schefflera arboricola belongs to the most popular indoor plants. Under optimal conditions,
this plant can reach a considerable height of up to 4 m. The Schefflera’s greatest ornaments are the
very decorative, hand shaped, shiny and variegated leaves. The plant is quite undemanding and it is
demonstrably able to improve the room climate. It functions practically as a natural room freshener.
Plant Profile
 Order: Apiales
 Family: Araliaceae
 Genus: Schefflera
 german name: Strahlenaralie
 Species: Schefflera arboricola
Origin and General Characters
 Origin: Taiwan and South of China
 average height when kept as an indoor plant: 30 – 180 cm
 leaves: long-stemmed, leathery, lacquer-green
 Flowering period: July to October, rarely forms small yellow flowers
 Fruit: small, globular stone fruits
This pretty house plant grows laterally as an evergreen shrub, sometimes climbing or as an epiphyte.
Originally from Taiwan and Hainan, the plant produces colourful red flowers in its natural habitat.
When kept in the living room, it normally does not flower.

2. Besides its pretty appearance, Schefflera also scores as an air freshener. The leaves do not only
release oxygen, they also absorb pollutants such as benzene and formaldehyde. Growing this plant is
quite easy, if you pay attention to a couple of things.
Care
Compared to other Scheffleras, the Schefflera arboricola or small-leaved Schefflera is a more
graceful species with slightly smaller but conspicuously variegates leaves. Due to its growth, it finds
sufficient space even in small rooms. The following care instructions are supposed to explain how to
care for this plant properly and which mistakes should be avoided when keeping it.
Location
The best place for Schefflera is a light to semi-shaded and draft-free place. Exposure to direct sun
should be avoided. During summer suitable shading can be useful, since otherwise the risk of burns
exits. On the other hand, some sun in the morning and evening hours are favourably for this plant.
During summer, it can also be located in a sunny place outside, on the balcony or terrace.
Temperatures between 15 and 20° C are perfect for the Schefflera. However, they should not be
exposed to temperatures below 12 °C, because this could cause them to lose leaves. For an even and
straight growth, the plants should always be turned towards the light. Otherwise, the canopy of leaves
on the side which is turned from the light may thin out, while the other side is closely leafed.
Soil condition
Customary soil from the gardening centre or building centre is only partially suitable for this plant,
since it does not adequately meet the Schefflera’s requirements. The best solution is to mix a
substrate consisting of 4 parts of clay, 2-3 parts of soil, 1 part of lavalit, lava granules or pumice
gravel and 0, 5 part of quartz sand.
The pH value should be slightly acidic and should be between 6.0 and 6.5. This value can be
adjusted by adding more or less arable soil with some clay. If this seems too complex, Schefflera can
also be kept in hydroponics.

3. Watering
This plant does not like it too dry or too wet. This applies both the watering and the humidity.
 during growing, from April to September, pour moderately
 allow the upper substrate layer to dry to a depth of approximately 2 cm before every
pouring
 pour until the first drops run out of the drain holes
 remove the water in the coaster after a couple of minutes
 avoid waterlogging
 the substrate should never dry out
 a too dry substrate appears in brown, dried leaves
 a substrate that is too wet causes putrefaction and the loss of leaves
 spray the plant frequently if the air is too dry
 a humidity of 60-70 % is of advantage
 use lukewarm water for spraying and watering
Fertilizing
In order to provide the Schefflera with the necessary nutrients, it should be fertilized from spring to
autumn. For this purpose a normally dosed fertilizer is used once or twice a week. This may be a
liquid fertilizer which is added to the irrigation water, a commercially available fertilizer for green
plants or flowers, as well as special fertilizer rods or organic fertilizers, e.g. Horn shavings. If the
plant has just been repotted, fertilizer is not necessary for the next 8 weeks.
Cutting
 Schefflera looks the most plenteous and lush, when there are several plants placed in one
pot. In spite of this all, for a bushy growth and for combatting the height, a back cut is
recommended from time to time. If the plant grows undisturbed, it may soon appear bald

4. and shabby. The best time for cutting is spring, no later than May. long shoots can be
shortened by two-thirds
 the occasional cutting of the shoot tips promotes the growing of new side shoots
 always cut above the leave buds
 the knotted joints on the trunk form numerous new shoots
 cut off old inflorescences, if there are any
 regularly remove diseased and limp plant parts.
Reproduction
The propagation of this indoor plant can be carried out by using terminal cuttings, leaf cuttings or
stem cuttings, as well as seeds. While propagation with cuttings usually show rapid successes, it may
take several months until the first seedlings show up after sowing.
Terminal and stem cuttings
 cuttings are cut in spring between January and March or in the late summer
 under perfect conditions rooting is quite fast
 terminal cuttings are cut from the tips
 stem cuttings are cut from the wooded middle part of the stem axis
 they should be about 10- 20 cm long
 the leaves in the lower part are removed and 3 or 4 leaves are left on the cutting
 stem cuttings are cut directly under a knot
 rooting can be done in a glass of soft water or soil
 thereto put the cutting 3-5 cm deep into a peat-sand mixture
 moisten the substrate and keep in evenly moistly
 in case of rooting in a glass of water, add some charcoal ash
 this is supposed to prevent rotting
 depending on the ambient temperature and light, rooting takes 4-12 weeks.

5. Sowing
Between February and March or in July the seeds are sown in sowing vessels or in an indoor
greenhouse, using customary soil or compost. The substrate must be kept evenly moist until
germination occurs. The soil temperature should be about 25 °C.
When the seedlings are large and strong enough, they can be separated and put into several pots. If
you don’t want to single them, you can sow them in small pots, in which the young plantlets can then
be cultivated for a short time further.
Diseases
Root rot
Even though Schefflera is very robust and usually not very prone to diseases, it can get infected with
root rot. This is a fungal infestation, which is fueled by too much moisture and in the worst case it
can lead to the death of the plant. Signs of root rot can be e.g. yellow leaves, a rotten smell from the
substrate, a wet substrate as well as black roots and shoots.
If you detect root rot, you have to react immediately, to save the plant. You take the plant out of the
pot, remove all the soil and all rotten roots and plant parts. Then the plant is repotted to a fresh
substrate.
Pests
Scale insects
In most cases, the appearance of aphids, mealybugs or scale insects is the result of unfavourable
growing conditions. Scale insects are recognizable by their small brown tags and sticky honeydew,
the secretion of these insects. In order to eliminate the infestation, each single insect can be spread
with a mixture of lubricating soap and alcohol or you can treat the plant with plant broths such as

6. broth from tansies or stinging nettles. Beneficial species like ichneumon flies, predatory bugs,
hoverflies or lacewings can also be helpful, since they fall for these parasites.
Aphids and mealybugs
Aphids and mealybugs are also usually the result of a faulty growing. An aphid attack can often be
eliminated or at least reduced by a powerful water jet. Mealybugs can be recognized by their small
white, cotton-wool-like threads with which they surround themselves. They can be eliminated by
dabbing them with an alcohol wipe or using their natural enemies. These include lacewings, the
Australian ladybug and the ichneumonfly Leptomastix dactylopii.
Spider mites
Spider mites and thrips belong to the greatest enemies of the Schefflera. The cause for an infestation
is usually water deficiency. By spraying the plants with soapy water daily, an infestation can usually
be eliminated without any additional pesticides. Spraying the plant with a soapy solution of water
and curd soap once a week usually prevents pest infestation.
Thrips
An infestation with thrips mainly occurs when the air is warm and dry. It can be recognized by silver
suction marks and small crumbles under the leaves. Infected plants should be isolated from the others
and given a shower with warm water several times. For this purpose the substrate has to be covered.
In addition, natural giddies, such as the lacewing and products of the neem tree can help to eliminate
an infestation.