How to Grow and Care for Umbrella Plant (Schefflera)

The umbrella plant is popular for its large leaves that are held on a long stem, with five long leaves spanning out like the canopy of an umbrella. There are two species of umbrella plant, Schefflera, that make good house plants – Schefflera arboricola and Schefflera actinophylla. These are both easy to grow and low maintenance, being able to cope with a bit of neglect when it comes to watering. These house plants are fast growing, reaching up to 3m, with evergreen foliage that will make an impact in the corner of a room. The most common one found online is Schefflera arboricola, which is native to China and its cultivar ‘Nora’, which is more compact than the species, reaching only 1.5m tall. There is also ‘Gold Capella’, which has yellow margins on its leaves.

This house plant doesn’t flower indoors, but provides impact from its stature and foliage. Be aware that the sap from this plant can be a skin irritant and the plant is also mildly toxic to humans, so keep children away from it. It’s also toxic to dogs, cats and horses.

Grow umbrella plant in a spot that gets bright, indirect light for the best results. Keep it out of direct sun and in a room that doesn’t get too cold. It does best with temperatures above 12ºC and benefits from some humidity as its native habitat is South East Asia.

When repotting your umbrella plant, use a standard, peat-free house plant compost. It will need to be repotted every two to three years. Make sure the pot is big enough to support a tall plant, so that it doesn’t tip over.

This is a fast growing house plant, so you may need to prune it to keep it at a manageable size.

Be careful not to overwater umbrella