There’s no shame in it. If you’re looking to expand your houseplant collection (or start a new one) with only the easiest-going, low-maintenance plants, there are plenty of beautiful plants to choose from. One great option is schefflera – our own Jenny Beukenhorst has one she’s grown in her home for over 25 years now.
The most common schefflera houseplants are Schefflera arboricola (aka, the “small-leafed one”) and Schefflera actinophylla ‘Amata’ (the “large-leafed one”). Both have leaves with a palmate arrangement of five or more leaflets radiating from a long stem like the spokes on an open umbrella, giving them the nickname “umbrella tree”. Schefflera arboricola tends to be shorter and bushier, with smaller leaflets (about 4-6 inches long) while S. actinophylla ‘Amata’ is taller with longer stems and longer leaflets (up to 12 inches). Both species have glossy green foliage, and among the different varieties of S. arboricola, you can find varying degrees of creamy variegation.
These easy-going plants like bright, indirect light and the chance to dry out a little between each good watering. In the winter’s lower light, they can get a little leggy, but trimming is easy, and after a summer spent in a shady corner of the patio, the plant fills out again quickly. About the only thing that can hurt a schefflera is overwatering, but even then, they’re open to making amends.
