Species · Tropicals like ficus and jade
Dwarf umbrella tree
Schefflera arboricola

Dwarf umbrella tree carries glossy, palmate leaves in a distinctive umbrella arrangement and is among the most tolerant of low indoor light and inconsistent care of any tropical here, with aerial roots that develop given enough humidity. Fast growth means it needs regular pinching to hold a compact shape indoors.
Care at a glance
- Watering
- Let the top third dry between waterings. Roughly every 3 days in spring, 2 in summer, 3 in autumn and 4 in winter.
- Light
- Brightest window you have.
- Winter
- Indoors year-round below this; a cold draft does more harm than a dim room. Protect it when the forecast drops below 12 °C.
- Feeding
- Every 30 days, Apr to Sep.
- Repotting
- Every 2 years, once nights stay warm, in Apr or May or Jun.
- Growth
- Fast growing. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.
The work calendar
| Work | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prune | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | |||||||
| Wire | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | ||||||
| Pinch | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep |