The Schefflera, or Umbrella Tree, isn’t just an exotic beauty—it’s also incredibly low-maintenance. That’s exactly why you see them brightening up so many office spaces! However, while caring for them is a breeze, propagating these leafy favorites can be a little more of a challenge.
Where can I get suitable cuttings?
If you already have an Umbrella Tree at home, you can easily take your own cuttings. If not, maybe a friend or neighbor with a green thumb can spare a few snips. Even the leftovers from your regular pruning sessions are perfect for propagation. Just make sure you use the cuttings while they’re fresh for the best results.
How do I get the cuttings to root successfully?
Umbrella Trees root best in water
You can actually use a few different parts of the plant for propagation. Leaf cuttings, stem sections, or tip cuttings all work. If you’re using a leaf, keep the stem attached at its full length. For tip or stem cuttings, aim for a length of about four to eight inches.
Strip off all the leaves except for the top three or four. From there, you can either pop the cuttings into a glass of water or tuck them about two inches deep into some seed-starting mix. A little trick: adding a bit of activated charcoal to the water can help prevent rot. If you’re planting directly in soil, using a rooting hormone can really speed things up.
How do I care for the new plant babies?
Since these are tropical plants, they need plenty of warmth to get started, but you’ll want to keep them out of direct, scorching sunlight. If you’re growing them in soil, keep the substrate consistently moist until the roots have established. Once they’ve grown a few inches, it’s time to repot them into a more permanent home. Make sure to water your young plants regularly, but hold off on the fertilizer for now.
The Quick Essentials:
- Best time to take cuttings: Early spring or late summer
- Types of cuttings: Tip, stem, or leaf cuttings
- Ideal size: 4 to 8 inches
- Preparation: Remove lower leaves from the stems
- Method: Rooting in water or seed-starting mix
- Pro tip: Use rooting hormone for a boost
- Rooting time: 4 to 12 weeks
- Ideal temperature: 68°F to 75°F (20°C to 24°C)
Tip: Growing a Schefflera from a cutting takes a good bit of patience, but trust me, the reward of seeing that new growth is totally worth the effort!
