The Schefflera-care is not complex and the plant will thank you for your care with strong growth and shiny leaves. If she sheds her leaves, you should act quickly.
Water and nutrients are the basic needs of the ray macaw (Schefflera arboricola), but occasional pruning is also good for the plant and promotes bushy growth. Here you can also find out when it is time to repot the Schefflera. The recommendations in this article relate only to the Lesser Rayed Aralia. There are other Schefflera species, such as the Finger Aralia (Schefflera elegantissima), which is a bit more demanding.
Caring for Schefflera: watering and fertilizing
Besides a suitable location for the Schefflera, so that the radiant ara remains he althy and grows well, care is also important. This includes, above all, regular watering and fertilizing.
The Schefflera tolerates occasional dryness better than too much moisture. Daily watering is not necessary, because the substrate should dry out in the meantime. Only water when the soil feels dry. Lime-free tap water or rainwater is well suited, because limy water can lead to stains on the leaves and prevent the Schefflera from absorbing nutrients. With the Schefflera, the dipping method has proven its worth, in which the pot of the radiant aria is rarely dipped into a bucket of water until no more air bubbles rise. Then let the soil drain well until you put the Schefflera back in place.
Tip: Spray the Schefflera from time to time with lime-free water and wipe dust off the leaves. This is how the leaves keep their beautiful shine.
Apart from the winter dormancy, the radiant macaw needs nutrients every two weeks to be able to grow well. To fertilize the Schefflera it is best to use a fertilizer for green plants, such asour Plantura organic indoor & green plant fertilizer. With the help of our organic fertilizer, not only will magnificent leaves develop, but the roots will also be strengthened, so that your Schefflera stays he althy and strong. By simply adding it to the irrigation water, the nutrients are distributed evenly in the soil and are quickly available to the plant.
Cut Schefflera
If the Schefflera is too big for you, it can easily be cut back. Pruning in spring is ideal, but it is also possible to prune the Schefflera later in the year. You should only refrain from pruning during the winter break. Crooked, leafless or disturbing shoots may be removed. Always cut just above an eye or fork in a branch. The cut shoots can be used to propagate the Schefflera.
Schefflera branching: In order for the Schefflera to grow bushier, simply shorten the ends of the shoots to the desired height. At this point, the rays of the aralia sprout more and the shoots of the Schefflera branch out.
Repot radiant aria
A larger pot and fresh soil are best used in spring so that the Schefflera starts the new growth phase stronger. Since the Schefflera grows quite quickly, young specimens in particular should be repotted annually. For older radiant aralia, repotting every two to three years is sufficient.
Prepare the new pot by adding a layer of drainage and a layer of soil. It is best to use a high-quality soil for this, such as our Plantura organic universal soil, because it retains its structure for a long time and can thus store water and nutrients and make them available for the plant.
If you want to encourage the growth of the radiant aria, choose the next larger pot size. Lift Schefflera out of its old pot and remove the old soil from the roots. Rotten and dead root parts are cut off. If the radiant aria is to be limited in its growth, you can cut back the roots a little more generously. In this case, however, the shoots must also be shortened so that the relationship between roots and parts of the plant above ground fits and the plant is able to supply all shoots. Then put the Schefflera in the new onepot and fill up with soil.
Schefflera is losing leaves: what to do?
The Schefflera defoliation can have various causes. Once you have identified the cause, you should take action and cut back the bare shoots next spring.
- Cold: The Schefflera should never be exposed to temperatures below 10 °C. A location that is too cold can lead to leaf shedding. Even during the hibernation phase, the temperature must not drop below 10 °C. Place the Schefflera at a temperature of at least 12 °C, especially in winter.
- Draft: In addition to cold, cold drafts should also be avoided. If the Schefflera is standing next to a leaky window, this can also be the reason for the leaf shedding. Then put the radiant aria in a wind-protected, bright place.
- Waterlogging: Waterlogging can cause root rot in the Schefflera so that the leaves are no longer supplied with water and nutrients and are thrown off. The Schefflera usually gets brown leaves before they fall off. Check to see if the substrate is wet and has a musty odor emanating from it. Then you should immediately repot the Schefflera in fresh soil and remove rotten roots. Water more sparingly and less frequently in the future.
- Darkness and heat: The combination of lack of light and heat can also lead to leaf loss in the Schefflera. It needs as much light as possible, especially in winter - namely at least 400 lux. In summer, when the intensity of the sunlight and its duration are higher anyway, a partially shaded place is sufficient.
Common pests on the Schefflera
Not only care mistakes or the wrong location can affect the growth of the Schefflera. Some pests also find their way to the plant, especially in winter.
- Spider mites: They suck out the surface cells of the leaves, creating tiny silver dots. The brown, orange or red spider mites are found in fine webs on the plant.
- Scale insects: These are armored pests that often sit on the leaf bases and occur when the room air is dry. Scale insects produce sticky honeydew called larvaefeed on the sap.
- Mealybugs: The pests often have white threads on their bodies and also use the plant sap. Mealybugs form honeydew and hide under the leaves or in the leaf axils.
- Aphids: Aphids usually sit on the fresh shoots and suck out the plant sap, causing the leaves to curl up or grow misshapen.
Tip: The best way to combat scale insects, mealybugs and aphids is to use biological agents, such as our Plantura pest-free neem. The active ingredient is obtained from the seeds of the neem tree and is simply sprayed onto the affected plants.
So that the Schefflera is not attacked by pests in the first place, you should ensure that the site conditions are suitable when you plant the Schefflera. We show what is particularly important when planting.