Just got this for mothers day from my kids it didn't come with any id tag or care instructions. don't know what it is or what kind of light and water it needs. I'm thinking maybe some kind of Ficus? moderator's note: added a more descriptive title to topic moderator's note: moved topic to more appropriate forum
Hi lescont, welcome to Gardenstew, a picture might help to identify your plant. Instructions are here: http://www.gardenstew.com/about4115.html Happy Mothers day. Jerry
Brassaia Arboricola, Schefflera Actinophylla,Schefflera Arboricola (Dwarf Umbrella tree) low lite, loves water, tolerance of neglect and sometimes used as bonsai....
I once attended a meeting in Clearwater, FL and as I looked out my second story window and was surprised to see a familiar set of leaves stared back at me. Outside my window was a 30 foot Schefflera, a larger version of my 3 foot plant at home. Often botanists either find or breed smaller varieties of many tropical and semi-tropical plants. Many of our houseplants have ancestors in far off jungles found and brought back by adventuring horticulturists saving us an unpleasant trek through the steaming tropics. Jerry
Jerry Sullivan, It's the same with tropical fish keepers. The irrecescent shark or pangasius sutchi gets to be 100 cm or almost 40 inches. Pet stores sell it for a 5 gallon, which is 16 inches long or 10 gallon tank, which is 20 inches long. The buyer must do the research on what they are buying. They must take the responsibility.
When I first moved to Fla, it just bowled me over that all the foliage plants we used up north in houses and offices and so on were growing right outside. The arboricola, for instance is a very (very) common landscape plant, used as a shrub. It's tree size cousin, the Schefflera amate, rarely grows to more than 30', though, because the occasional frost will knock it back to the groud.
Does anybody know how to get this plant to grow taller? At the top is 2 leaves and it doesn't look like there is any stem left to grow up so what happens now?
Each new leaf that comes from the top, or more specifically, from the petiole junction of the previous leaf, should be slightly taller than the last, assuming the light is sufficient. It's a pretty slow growing plant.
This plant will get many many feet tall and it will continue to get thicker also. I am not sure what your question is but the little leaves will come out of the top section and they will get bigger as time goes bye. It is a very nice plant that can take shade very well. I like to give it a shower once in a while because being broad leaves they get dusty.
okay now I get it! I had no idea. So if I just leave it alone it will get taller. I was Starting to think maybe somebody at the store messed with it and I felt cheated because I wanted it to grow to a big tree. Now I know it's ok. It gets a lot of light especially in the afternoon. I have to watch it because I accidently burned a couple leaves. It gets direct let for like 20 min in the afternoon but since the leaves burnt I scoot it around the table it's on so the light doesn't hit it for to long.
Les.... try to find a spot where you don't have to move it (except maybe from summer to winter)not from morning to evening. Alot of plants are finicky and don't like being shuffled.
