Schefflera Radiant Or Star-leaved (Schefflera Actinophylla), Growing In An Apartment

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

The sign of Sagittarius (November 23 - December 21) according to the horoscope corresponds to plants: tetrastigma Vuagnier (indoor grapes), royal strelitzia, reed (bamboo) palms, cinnabar clivia, citrus (tender, Tahitian), Powell's crinum, yellowish chrysalidocarpus, sansevieria three large-flowered, indoor bonsai, sacred ficus, shefflera radiant.

The genus of tropical plants of the Scheffler family of the Araliaceae (Araliaceae), to which Sch. Actinophylla belongs to her native land, New Zealand, got its name from the surname of the famous German botanist Jacob Christian Scheffler (XVIII century). The genus has more than 150 species, among which, in natural conditions, there are shrubs, small and even large trees reaching a height of 40 m and more.

Sheffler radiant sheaths have leathery, shiny green palmate dissected leaves, consisting of 4-8 pointed leaves (20 cm long or more, up to 5 cm wide), which emerge from one point, like the needles of an umbrella. Under indoor conditions, it can reach a height of 1.5-2.5 m, although in nature trees of 4-8 m are considered typical.

Shefflera has small, nondescript white flowers in umbrellas, collected in a complex paniculate inflorescence, but in indoor conditions it usually does not bloom. By the way, it is precisely because of the characteristic tentacle-like inflorescences in subtropical parks that this tree was nicknamed the "octopus tree".

Some experts consider the sheffler an unassuming plant to care for, but it is difficult to agree with this. It is placed in a sufficiently well-ventilated place and in bright, diffused light (without burning sunlight). It is permissible, as for a completely shade-loving plant, to place the sheffler in a somewhat darkened place; it develops normally under artificial lighting.

A pot with a short plant can be placed on the windowsill of an east-facing window, but if the plant becomes crowded there, it is transferred to the floor. In the summer, the sheffler can be taken out into fresh air and placed under the protection of tall trees, or the room can be regularly ventilated. For this period, the optimum temperature for keeping is 18 … 22 ° C.

Although some growers consider this culture to be quite resistant to increased air dryness and exposure to drafts, I believe that as a tropical plant, it should still be provided with a sufficiently high humidity in the room and insured against drafts, and when dry air is combined with high (24 … 26 ° C) with a temperature, it is necessary to spray the foliage with soft water at room temperature daily (morning and evening). The soil is watered with the same water, avoiding waterlogging. Periodically arrange a "shower" for the sheffler. Feeding is carried out (once every 3 weeks) in the form of solutions, alternating organic and mineral fertilizers.

In winter, the plant requires very good lighting; it is tolerant to 13 … 14 ° C, but prolonged exposure to temperatures below 10 ° C can lead to massive leaf fall. During this period, watering is extremely moderate (top dressing is unacceptable). It is imperative to keep in mind that the shefflera is very sensitive to both overdrying the soil coma and its excessive moisture. Young specimens of this plant are transplanted in spring every year, adults - once every 2-3 years. When growing shefflera, the soil substrate should be fertile, light (well permeable). According to experts, the optimal soil mixture is from compost and peat soil, coarse river sand (in a ratio of 3: 1: 1.5) or from turf, leaf, humus soil and sand (2: 1: 1: 1). Although it should be noted that even large specimens of shefflers grow successfully in tight containers,if they are properly cared for, i.e. water, feed and cut in a timely manner. Since the Schefflera is very sensitive to excess moisture in the soil substrate, a sufficiently high (5-7 cm) drainage layer of small stones or pieces of a broken pot must be arranged at the bottom of the planting tank. It is important that the drain hole at the bottom, through which excess water flows out, is not clogged.

For successful reproduction of shefflers at home with semi-lignified cuttings (7-10 cm long) taken from the middle part of the stem, one cannot do without stimulants (for example, heteroauxin or root). Cuttings are carefully cut with a sharp knife (immediately under the knot), since the juice of the shefflera is poisonous, and excess leaves are removed. After treatment with a stimulant solution, the cuttings are planted in clean sand or a mixture of it with peat (1: 1), after making depressions in the substrate. Each cutting is planted to the first leaf (then the soil is carefully pressed around the stems). After that, the cuttings are covered with a plastic bag and provided with diffused light; it is advisable to take care of the bottom heating. After the appearance of new leaves, the plastic bag is removed, allowing the cuttings to gradually acclimate to the environment. Rooted seedlings are transplanted into pots with a soil mixture of turf, leaf, peat soil and sand (in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 1.5).

If the grower uses the seeds that appear in retail sale, then after sowing them (in January-February) to a depth of 0.5 cm, the container is covered with glass, the temperature is maintained at 22 … 25 ° C, but when shoots appear (after about 2-3 weeks) reduced to 18 … 20 ° C. To propagate this culture, you can try the "air layering" method, I was convinced of its high efficiency when I visited the large greenhouses of the Krasnaya Niva giant farm near Moscow, which reproduces a huge number of perennial indoor plants and bonsai. On the upper part of the branch (with 2-3 leaves) an incision is made on a third of the stem thickness, into which a piece of thin glass is inserted (otherwise the incision will quickly "float"). Then the stem is wrapped in moist sphagnum at the incision site, which must be moistened daily. After such a monthly maintenance, the branch in the damaged area gives a good root system, after which it can be separated from the mother plant. Although this method is not always successful in indoor conditions, it can be tried. It is very important to form the sheffler correctly, then it will become a true decoration of any indoor flower garden. For this purpose, the overgrown ends of the shefflers are pinched to force the plant to bush. But I must admit that shefflera does not branch out very willingly. This creates difficulties in the formation of its crown. For this purpose, the overgrown ends of the shefflers are pinched to force the plant to bush. But I must admit that shefflera does not branch out very willingly. This creates difficulties in the formation of its crown. For this purpose, the overgrown ends of the shefflers are pinched to force the plant to bush. But I must admit that shefflera does not branch out very willingly. This creates difficulties in the formation of its crown.

It is for this reason that, for greater decorativeness, some growers sometimes plant young or stubbornly non-branching plants 3-4 copies in one pot, bringing their trunks together as much as possible and thus obtaining the effect of an original-looking "bush". In addition, this technique of preliminary planting of several plants in one container excludes the subsequent need for pruning an adult plant, which greatly reduces the decorative qualities of the latter. Of course, in the trade, you can purchase an already formed (sufficiently branched) copy. With its appearance, a well-developed tall bush of this beautiful ornamental deciduous plant with large, spectacular palmate leaves attracts the eyes and decorates the room. It is equally suitable for large halls and conservatories, reception rooms and offices of various offices,for spacious living rooms of living quarters.

However, we must remember: in order for the shefflera radiant to look good and delight us with its beauty, you should constantly take care of the purity of its leaves, periodically wiping them with a dry soft cloth - this gives them a very pleasant soft shine. Although Schefflera belongs to the Araliev group, which includes such famous medicinal plants as ginseng, eleutherococcus, aralia and others, scientists have not yet found medicinal compounds in this plant, but they believe that it is already very valuable for neutralizing harmful substances and moisturizing air. It should also be remembered that radiant shefflera vegetable juice contains compounds that irritate the skin and mucous membranes. For this reason, some care must be taken when cutting and grafting a plant, and also not to place it in an apartment if there are small children. Let me also remind you thatthat with waterlogging of the soil substrate or with sharp temperature fluctuations in the room (as well as at too high a temperature in summer), foliage may fall off. Poor plant growth or yellowing of its leaves may be the result of a lack of nutrients.

From time to time it is necessary to carefully check, especially if the plant was outdoors in summer, whether there are pests on it. When buying in a store, the sheffler also needs to carefully examine to make sure that she is not affected by mealybugs, scale insects, aphids or mites. In the presence of these pests, it is better to refuse to purchase such a specimen. It is known that aphids severely damage and deform young leaves, and spider mites cause them to turn yellow and dry, which leads to premature loss of leaves. If you find these pests on a sheffler at home, then apply insecticides. Against the tick (it often appears with high dry air), spray it 2-3 times with a 0.1% solution of neoron (with an interval of 7-10 days), and against the scale insects, aphids and mealybugs - with a 0.2% solution actellika.

Before spraying, the plant is watered abundantly. The air temperature during processing should not be lower than 20 ° C. I will add that sometimes plants are on sale in which, to enhance the decorative effect, the leaves are covered with a special shiny composition - "polish". However, there is information that such a composition somewhat complicates the activity of the stomata and reduces the respiration of the foliage. A little less often you can find on sale the sheffler tree (S. arboricola), which is characterized by smaller elliptical leathery leaves than the shefflera radiant. The whole plant looks more compact. Now this species is represented by a fairly wide variety of varieties, both with green and with variously colored leaves: Compacta, Melanyla, Soleil, Gold Capella, Green Capella, Compacta and others. In indoor floriculture, the eight-leafed sheffler (Sch. Octophylla) with bright veins on the leaves and the finger sheffler (Sch. Digitata) are also cultivated. Schefflera eight-leafed from East Asia (Taiwan Island) is a small evergreen tree or shrub with an openwork crown covered with palmate-complex leaves on long petioles. It has 6-8 elliptical leaflets (7-15 cm long, 2.5-5 cm wide) on small (1-2 cm) petioles.