Until recently, Schefflera was something exotic and mysterious for us. But over time, she also migrated to our windowsills. And now it pleases us with its palms of leaves. It is believed that Schefflera is a plant relaxer; she, like a sponge, absorbs negative energy from the external environment. Each of us has heard something about it, but few people know that this plant is a relative of ginseng, the Araliev family (Araliaceae). It got its name from the surname of the famous German botanist of the XNUMXth century Jacob Christian Scheffler.
Schefflera arboricola (Schefflera arboricola). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Patrick Byrne
Scheffler (Schefflera) this. Aralievs (Araliaceae) Is a very beautiful, unpretentious, tall ornamental deciduous plant in the form of a tree or bush. The genus includes more than 150 species of evergreen shrubs and trees. Sheffler’s flowers are inconspicuous, small, white, gathered in a complex paniculate inflorescence of umbrellas. But in the room conditions of the Scheffler, unfortunately, it does not bloom. But spectacular large leaves in the form of a palm with widely spaced fingers compensate for this disadvantage.
When the plant gets into your house, try to immediately find a permanent place for the sheffler. – sufficiently illuminated and at the same time protected from direct sunlight, as well as from drafts and sudden changes in temperature. This plant reacts to drafts and sudden changes in temperature by dropping leaves. When placing a sheffler, it should be borne in mind that this plant quickly stretches in height. Schefflera does not like dry rooms, so do not place it near central heating radiators. Already on the first day, you can start spraying the sheffler – regular (twice a day) spraying is very important for the plant.
The optimum temperature for growing shefflers is + 18 … + 22 ° C at higher and lower (less than + 12 … + 13 ° C) temperatures, the leaves begin to fall off.
Shefflera does not like extremes – overdrying and waterlogging of an earthen coma… You can put a pot of shefflera on a pallet with wet expanded clay or pebbles, this will save it from overdrying and from waterlogging, which can rot the roots. For watering and spraying, use only settled water. The appearance of brown spots on the leaves is usually a signal that the earthy clod is waterlogged.
Spraying the sheffler is necessary all year round. The more often you spray it, the better it feels.
Schefflera needs bright diffused lighting… The plant should be shaded from direct sun, direct midday sun exposure to the plant can cause burns, however, the plant is able to tolerate some direct sun. Best suited for growing sheffler windows of the western and eastern directions.
Variegated varieties need more light, therefore, they may require additional illumination, otherwise they will lose their spotting. Green-leaved varieties can tolerate shade and are suitable for growing on northern windows as well.
The soil for growing the sheffler is taken quite fertile, but light – permeable… The best would be a mixture of 3 parts of fertile (greenhouse or compost) soil, 1 part of fibrous peat and 1,5 parts of coarse river sand. At the bottom of the pot, be sure to arrange good drainage.
Plants are transplanted in the spring once every 2-3 years, in a pot larger than the previous one.
Propagated by the sheffler by seeds, cuttings, air layers, but it is not easy to achieve reproduction at home.
Seeds are sown in January-February… For sowing seeds, use peat with sand mixed in equal parts, or use a substrate consisting of light turf, leafy soil and sand in equal parts. Be sure to disinfect the soil before planting seeds. You can pre-soak sheffler seeds in warm water with the addition of epin or zircon. The seeding thickness is equal to two sizes of the seed. The substrate is watered or moistened with a spray bottle and placed in a warm place. Maintain the temperature within + 20 … + 24 ° C. Periodically spray and ventilate the container with seeds.
Using a mini greenhouse with bottom heating improves the germination rate of seeds. When the seedlings have two or three leaves, they are dived into pots and kept for the first three months at a temperature of + 18 … + 20 ° C. After the young plants have covered the entire earthy clod with roots, they are transplanted into pots 7-9 cm in diameter, and kept in a well-lit place with an air temperature of + 14 … + 16 ° C. Young plants grow well and by autumn they are transferred into 10-12 cm pots. The substrate for young plants is used consisting of turf, leafy soil and sand (2: 1: 1).
Propagation of shefflers by cuttings
Semi-lignified cuttings are treated with heteroauxin before planting and planted in a mixture of peat and sand (1: 1). Place containers with cuttings on the lower heating (it is not recommended to place them on the central heating radiator). Maintain the temperature within + 20 … + 22 ° C. Periodically spray and ventilate the container with seeds. Cover with polyethylene to provide diffused lighting. After the cuttings take root, they are kept at a temperature of + 18 … + 20 ° C. When young plants are entwined with the roots of the entire earthen ball, they are transplanted into pots 7-9 cm in diameter, and kept in a well-lit place with an air temperature of + 14 … + 16 ° C.
Large specimens can be propagate by air layers… To do this, in the spring, a shallow incision is made on the trunk, wrap it with wet sphagnum moss soaked in phytohormone or nutrient solution (1 g of complex fertilizer per 1 liter of water), and cover it with a film on top. Moss is always kept moist (that is, moistened as it dries). After a few months, roots appear at the site of the incision.
About two months after the roots have formed, the apex with the roots is cut off below the root formation and planted in a separate pot. The remaining trunk is not discarded, even if there are no leaves on it. It is cut almost to the root. The stump from the old plant must continue to be watered (you can cover it with moistened moss), perhaps it will give shoots that will grow well, and you will have another copy of the plant.
Possible difficulties in growing shefflers
- In summer, in too hot conditions or in winter at low temperatures and excess moisture, leaves may fall off.
- With a lack of light, the leaves become faded, and with an excess of light, light spots appear on the leaves.
- With a constant excess of moisture in the soil, the roots rot.
- With dry air or insufficient watering, the tips of the leaves turn brown.
Gets damaged: aphids, scale insects, spider mites
