Schefflera is an attractive houseplant that requires minimum upkeep.
It comes in different varieties, but commonly this plant is referred to as the umbrella plant.
Having a Schefflera means that you can expand your garden by adding more plants of a similar temperament.
Maintaining a garden with different plants requires patience, but the glorious results of seeing vibrant and luscious plants in your home are worth the companion planting effort!
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What Is Schefflera?
Schefflera is a popular houseplant and easy to care for.
As mentioned earlier, it comes in different varieties and is commonly known as an umbrella tree or dwarf umbrella tree.
Its popularity stems from the fact that this houseplant is non-fussy, all you need to do is provide it the care it requires to grow, and you can have a gorgeous plant in your home.
The plant can be grown both indoors and outdoors, but Schefflera is often preferred as an indoor plant, as it can add a beautiful touch to the interiors.
If you reside in a warm location, these plants can be used as landscape decor.
As a bonus, they are also air-purifying plants that are said to remove benzene from the air.
Appearance-wise, the plant sports a leathery, glossy texture on the upper side of the leaf and consists of a smooth texture underneath.
The variegated varieties of this plant have leaves with cream, green and yellow colors, with differing patterns.
The two most important elements this plant needs to grow, like most other plants, are sunlight and water.
Its other maintenance needs include pruning and fertilizer.
Medium lighting is beneficial for the umbrella tree, which means it needs bright but indirect light.
Low light conditions cause the plant to get leggy and weak.
However, placing Schefflera in direct sunlight can burn its leaves.
Only water this plant when the soil is at least 75% dry from the first watering.
Regular pruning is essential to maintain a bushy appearance.
Remember that the Schefflera can get easily infected with pests, so it is good to conduct routine checks to keep the plant safe.
Can Schefflera Be Planted With Other Plants?
Schefflera’s are great companions to plants that are similar to it in terms of maintenance.
As long as the environmental conditions match, more than one plant can be grown along with the Schefflera in the same planter.
Schefflera needs more time and effort to adjust with other plants initially, but the effort will pay off when you see your home garden thriving!
4 Best Companion Plants For Schefflera
Here’s a list of plants that you can plant along with your Schefflera plant –
1. Philodendron
Growing the philodendron is easy and rewarding.
The plant will show signs of uneasiness if it does not receive what it needs and adapts quickly wherever it is planted.
Indoors is where this plant is usually grown but occasionally, taking it outside to bask in the shade is good for the plant.
Philodendrons are surprisingly easy-going when it comes to moving from indoors to outdoors; they will not get stressed!
This plant needs plenty of indirect sunlight as direct sunlight can damage the foliage.
Some of the older philodendrons may turn yellow, but if several plants turn this color, it could be because of excess sunlight.
Leggy plants, that is, plants with a sizeable gap between their leaves, are an indication that the plant is not getting enough light.
While watering, ensure the soil is dry beforehand.
Overwatering or underwatering can lead to limp and floppy leaves.
2. Dracaena
Derived from the Greek word ‘drakaina,’ this plant was named dracaena after the red gum-like substance that secretes from its stem.
Dracaena is also known as pleomele or the Song of India.
This houseplant is quite sought after as it makes for a gorgeous ornamental display.
There are different varieties of the dracaena, varying in the size of leaves and stems.
The striking appearance of the plant is not the only appealing feature of the plant; it is also extremely easy to care for, and depending on the variety, it can also be inexpensive to grow!
Dracaena can be placed indoors or outdoors with filtered sunlight, as direct light can burn its leaves.
The plants also do not require much water to survive; misting the leaves and watering once in a while is more than enough for it.
Like other companion plants of Schefflera, ensure that the soil is dry before watering to avoid poor drainage and overwatering.
It is perfectly normal for the dracaena to turn yellow at the bottom of its leaves and shed.
This is necessary to give space for new leaves to grow.
3. Ficus
For those who want a tree at home but do not have space for it, ficus is the closest tree-like houseplant you will find!
The beauty of this plant is that it can remain small in size without compromising its tree-like features.
The ficus needs careful attention and the right conditions to grow, but once you figure out what your plant likes, it will get easier to look after it!
It thrives in bright but indirect light, and the variegated plants can tolerate medium light.
Direct, bright light can scorch the leaves of the plant.
This plant also needs humidity to grow.
Misting the leaves once in a while or setting the plant on a tray filled with pebbles and water can help with humidity.
However, wet roots and soil will damage the plant, so only water it when the soil is dry enough.
Ficus also faces issues where they lose too many leaves like low humidity, overwatering, repotting, change in temperature, and pests.
The only way to avoid this is by providing optimal conditions for the plant to grow in.
4. Dieffenbachia
Native to West Indies and Mexico, Dieffenbachia is normally grown as an ornamental plant.
Otherwise known as dumb canes, this plant is elegant, showy, and lush.
This plant can adjust to different types of lighting and environmental conditions, and it is up to you to choose what works best for it.
The only issue that Dieffenbachia often faces is overwatering.
Too much moisture can make the plant lose its sturdy features.
Well-draining soil is the answer to this issue, in this case.
In terms of light, filtered, indirect light is good enough for the plant.
Also, routinely examine its leaves as this plant tends to attract pests.
While companion planting, undetected pests can affect all the plants that grow together and damage them.
To avoid this, clean the surfaces of these plants with a clean cloth at least once every two weeks.
FAQs
Schefflera needs bright but indirect sunlight. Too much sunlight can burn its leaves.
If you are planting it indoors, cover the windows near the plant with a curtain so that it can get filtered sunlight during the day.
Both. Schefflera’s are mostly kept indoors as decoration pieces but planting these plants outdoors is possible as well.
When outdoors, keep the plant on a patio or somewhere with plenty of shade to protect it from harsh sunlight.
Zones 10-12 are ideal for the Schefflera to be grown outside.
Full to partial sunlight, along with well-draining moist soil, is ideal for this plant’s growth.
Provide medium light, water at regular intervals once the soil is dry, prune it well, and feed it a fertilizer once every year.
This is all that Schefflera needs to grow well.
Schefflera plants grow bushy and lush once you prune them.
Prune the plant when it seems to be leggy and overgrown.
Doing so will help the plant grow denser within a few weeks of pruning.
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