Houseplant · Araliaceae
Umbrella Tree
Heptapleurum arboricola
Hand it bright indirect light and a little time to dry out between waterings, and this easygoing Schefflera mostly runs itself.
Bright indirect
USDA 10–12
3–8 ft · 0.9–2.4 m
Overview
Ever wonder where the umbrella tree gets its name? Look at the leaflets, which spread out from one point just like the ribs of an umbrella. It's part of the ivy family and comes originally from Taiwan and Hainan, where it grows as a small tree or shrub. Indoors it stays a sensible size and keeps those glossy starry leaflets everybody recognizes.
Honestly, this is about as low-maintenance as houseplants get. It'll handle all sorts of light, forgive you if you forget a watering, and take a hard chop without sulking, so you can keep it nice and bushy or let an older one grow up into a small tree. The one thing it won't put up with? Sitting in water, which is the quickest way to lose it.
There's just one catch worth knowing about. Every part of it contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, so it's toxic to cats and dogs and not something anyone should eat. Pop it somewhere pets and little kids can't grab a leaf, and it'll keep you company for years.
Care
The short version: bright indirect light, a drink only once the top half of the soil has dried, and a spot that stays above 60°F (15.6°C). Skip the soggy saucer, trim it to shape, and it'll stay full and green.
Light
It's happiest in bright indirect light, say a curtain-filtered east, west, or south window for a few hours a day. A bit of shade won't bother it, but a dark corner leaves it stretched and weak, and harsh direct sun scorches the leaves, so aim for something in between.
Water
Water it well, then just leave it be until the top half of the soil dries out. The big no-no is letting it sit in water, so tip the saucer out every time. And once fall rolls into late winter, it drinks a lot less, so back right off.
Soil
A peaty, well-drained potting mix with lots of organic matter is perfect, as long as the pot can drain. It isn't picky about pH either, happy anywhere from 6.0 to 8.0, and it'll cope with clay, loam, or sandy soil.
Temperature
Keep it warm and steady, above 60°F (15.6°C), and away from cold drafts, vents, and air conditioners. A cold spell is one of the usual reasons the leaves start falling, so a stable spot really helps.
Humidity
Regular room humidity is fine, so there's no magic number to worry about. When winter heating dries things out, a tray of wet pebbles or a quick misting keeps the leaf tips from going brown.
Feeding
Feed it over the growing season, from spring into summer, with a water-soluble or time-release houseplant fertilizer at whatever the label says. When it's in low light and barely growing, ease off and let it coast.
Pruning
Don't be nervous about cutting it back, because it handles hard pruning just fine. Snip right above a leaf to keep the size in check and get bushier growth, and given time you can shape an older one into a tidy little tree. Wear gloves though, since the sap can irritate skin.
Repotting
Once the roots fill the pot or growth slows down, move it into a slightly bigger container of general-purpose mix, any time of year. No rush, really, because this plant is quite happy sitting a little snug.
Size & spacing
Indoors it usually gets to about 3 to 8 feet (91 to 244 cm) tall and spreads 4 to 8 feet (122 to 244 cm) wide. Give it a bit of space to fan out, and just prune it back if things get tight.
Troubleshooting
Almost anything that goes wrong with an umbrella tree comes back to watering, light, or dry air, and it usually shows you pretty quickly. Take a look at the leaves and stems, find what matches below, and sort out the cause before it gets worse.
Wilting even with wet soil
If it's wilting but the soil's still soggy, the roots are basically drowning and root rot has set in, usually from overwatering or a pot that won't drain. Slide it out, snip off any brown, mushy, smelly roots, and repot into fresh, well-draining mix in a pot that actually has holes. After that, let the top half dry out and keep the saucer empty.
Fix:
- Allow the soil to dry appropriately between waterings
- Repot into fresh, well-drained potting mix and a pot with drainage holes
- Remove rotted roots and badly affected growth
Leaves dropping off
If your umbrella tree keeps dropping leaves, the watering is probably swinging between too wet and too dry, and a cold draft or a recent move can do it too. Pick one routine and stick with it, let the top half of the soil dry before the next drink, and keep it somewhere stable and bright above 60°F (15.6°C). Give it a bit and most plants leaf right back out.
Fix:
- Adjust watering so the top half of the soil dries before rewatering
- Move the plant away from cold drafts, vents and air conditioners
- Keep temperatures above about 15.6°C (60°F)
- Give the plant a stable spot in bright indirect light and avoid frequent moves
Speckled leaves and fine webbing
Dusty, speckled leaves with fine webbing underneath? That's spider mites, and they love hot, dry air. Rinse the leaves off, wipe them down with a damp sponge, and treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Bumping up the humidity makes your plant a lot less appealing to them.
Fix:
- Rinse foliage and wipe leaves with a damp sponge
- Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
- Raise humidity to discourage mites
Cottony bits, brown bumps, and stickiness
Those cottony white bits tucked in the leaf joints are mealybugs, and the little brown shell-like bumps on the stems are scale, and both often leave a sticky honeydew behind. Dab each one with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol, then treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Keep the plant off on its own and repeat until you stop seeing new bugs.
Fix:
- Dab insects with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol
- Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
- Repeat treatments and isolate the plant until cleared
Twisted, scarred new leaves
New leaves coming in curled or scarred usually means aphids piling onto the soft tips or thrips scratching at the surface. Spray the aphids off with water, treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, and cut away anything badly warped. Catching them early, before they really multiply, makes all the difference.
Fix:
- Rinse off aphids with water
- Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
- Remove heavily infested growth
Stretched-out stems and thin, pale leaves
When the stems stretch and the leaves go yellow, that's your plant asking for more light. Move it to a brighter window with sun filtered through a curtain for a few hours a day, then trim the leggy bits just above a leaf, and it'll bush back out fuller than before.
Fix:
- Move to a brighter spot with bright indirect light (an east, west or south window with curtain-filtered sun for 3-4 hours daily)
- Prune leggy stems just above a leaf to encourage bushier regrowth
Brown leaf tips when the air's dry
Brown tips and the occasional dropped leaf usually just mean the air's too dry, and it tends to crop up in winter once the heating's running. Set the pot on a tray of wet pebbles, keeping the base clear of the water, then mist the leaves or huddle it up with other plants to bump up the moisture.
Fix:
- Raise humidity by setting the container on a tray of wet pebbles (pot not sitting in water)
- Mist the foliage or group with other plants
Toxicity
Quick heads-up: this is the toxic Schefflera, not the harmless umbrella pine, so don't mix them up. Every part holds insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that the ASPCA calls toxic to cats and dogs, and chewing brings on a burning mouth, drooling, and vomiting. Nothing on it is safe to eat, and the sap can bug your skin, so keep it away from pets and kids and throw on gloves before you prune.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Moderate
The ASPCA has this plant down as toxic to cats. One bite of a leaf and a cat gets an instant burning mouth, then lots of drooling, pawing at its face, vomiting, and a hard time swallowing.
Dogs Moderate
Dogs get the same deal the ASPCA flags for cats. Chew any part and the mouth and tongue really sting, along with drooling and vomiting, all thanks to those same sharp oxalate crystals.
Horses Caution
A horse isn't likely to run into it out in the field, but the calcium oxalate crystals would sting a grazing mouth and might start it drooling. Keep it well out of reach just to be safe.
Rabbits Caution
Don't let a rabbit have a go at it. The same irritant crystals can burn the mouth and upset the tummy, so this isn't one to offer or leave lying around.
Livestock Caution
Goats, sheep, and cattle would all feel the burning mouth and stomach upset from the oxalate crystals. Farm animals hardly ever come across it, but treat it as off limits anyway.
Birds Caution
A curious bird that nibbles a leaf can end up with a sore, burning mouth from the crystals. Keep pet birds away from the foliage.
People Caution
None of this plant is safe to eat. Chewing it makes the mouth and throat sore, and the sap can leave sensitive skin itchy, so glove up before pruning and keep the leaves away from little kids.
The sap can irritate sensitive skin; wear gloves when pruning or handling
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Nearly every umbrella tree you'll find for the house is the dwarf sort, and a few named types are worth a look, mostly for their variegation or their neat, compact shape.
'Gold Capella'
It's a gold-variegated dwarf umbrella tree, with leaves splashed and edged in yellow.
'Trinette'
A really popular variegated dwarf umbrella tree, marbled in creamy yellow and green.
'Variegata'
A variegated one that keeps those same starry leaves, marked here in pale and deep green.
'Compacta'
A tighter, slower dwarf umbrella tree that stays shorter and fuller, which is handy in a small space.
How to propagate
Want more umbrella trees? They're easy to make, and there are a couple of ways to go depending on the plant you're working with.
Stem cuttingsEasy
Spring to summer · Several weeks to root
This is the easy one. Grab a tip or stem cutting in spring or summer, stick it in some moist potting mix, and it'll root over the next several weeks. Just keep it warm and out of direct sun while it settles.
Air layeringModerate
Spring to summer · Several weeks
Got a tall, leggy plant you'd like to shorten? Try this. In spring or summer, wound the stem, wrap it up to hold moisture, and roots will form there over several weeks, then you cut the new plant loose just below them.
SeedModerate
When fresh seed is available · Slow
You can grow it from seed, but it's slow. Sow fresh seed whenever you can get hold of some, and be ready to wait, since sprouting and early growth take a while compared to just rooting a cutting.
Myths
The umbrella tree is totally fine for cats and dogs.
Not quite, the ASPCA lists it as toxic to both. The leaves and stems are full of sharp insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, so a pet that chews on it ends up drooling, throwing up, and dealing with a burning mouth. Keep this plant out of reach of cats and dogs.
Every umbrella tree acts the same outdoors in a warm place.
Here's the thing: two pretty different plants go by this name. The bigger one, Schefflera actinophylla, is a non-native invasive that Florida lists as Invasive Species Council Category I, but the dwarf umbrella tree you keep indoors is just naturalized, with no invasive listing to its name.