Air-purifying Champion Umbrella Plant: What to Do When the Leaves Turn Yellow?

The umbrella plant is also what we call the Schefflera arboricola, its leaves are very attractive in shape, emerald green all year round, and it is deeply loved by everyone. In addition, the leaves of the umbrella plant also have certain medicinal value, having a certain effect on rheumatism, swelling and pain, and burns. As one of the choices for indoor potted plants, there are reasons why it is so popular: first, its name carries an auspicious meaning, with "chai" sounding like "cai" (wealth); second, the umbrella plant is an air-purifying champion, able to absorb some of the harmful gases indoors such as nicotine and formaldehyde. Although the umbrella plant is easy to grow, it often develops the phenomenon of yellowing leaves. What should you do about it?

I. Introduction to the Umbrella Plant

1. Appearance of the umbrella plant: It is named this way because the shape of the leaves resembles a duck's foot or goose foot, but the number of leaflets is greater, commonly 5, and also 7 or 8. The leaves are emerald green, rather sparse, and glossy. The umbrella plant also flowers, with pale red flowers, and the fruit is dark red; the flowering period and fruiting period are roughly the same, around November to December.

2. Distribution range of the umbrella plant: The umbrella plant is a common tropical and subtropical plant. Abroad it is mainly distributed in Japan, India, and Vietnam, while domestically it is mainly distributed in Guangxi, Yunnan, Tibet, Zhejiang, Guangdong and other places, and it is now planted in many places.

3. Main values of the umbrella plant: First, decorative value, because of its unique appearance it is often used for placement in hotel lobbies, guesthouse halls and similar places, and can also be placed on family balconies, in bedrooms, studies, and living rooms, serving a certain decorative purpose. Second, air purification, as it can absorb harmful gases in the air and can lower formaldehyde concentration. Third, medicinal value, as the leaves can be used as medicine.

II. What to Do When the Umbrella Plant's Leaves Turn Yellow?

1. Improper watering of the umbrella plant

The umbrella plant is a plant that likes moisture. During care, many friends tend to water too much, which causes the potting soil to be too wet, with excessive water accumulation, so the roots cannot carry out respiration, root rot affects the leaves' absorption of water and nutrients, and this leads to yellowing leaves or even the death of the whole plant.

Solution: Generally, it is enough to keep the potting soil of the umbrella plant moist. Now that winter temperatures are dropping, watering frequency should be reduced, and it is enough to occasionally spray the leaves to increase air humidity. In the other three seasons, watering once about every 3 days is fine, with the specific situation depending on how dry the potting soil is. It is worth noting that in summer you should also spray water around the leaves to lower the temperature.

2. Improper fertilizing of the umbrella plant

Too much or too little fertilization can both cause the umbrella plant's leaves to turn yellow and fall off. Too much or too concentrated fertilizer will burn the roots, while too little fertilizer will cause malnutrition of the whole plant.

Solution: In order for the umbrella plant to grow well, it must be fertilized reasonably. If too much fertilizer was applied, then change the potting soil and replant, first rinsing the roots with clean water, then soaking them for a period of time, and once the leaves gradually turn green again, replant in fresh potting soil. If too little fertilizer was applied, increase fertilizer in good time. In summer, generally fertilize once a week; nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers are all fine, but do not use only one kind of fertilizer.

3. Improper lighting for the umbrella plant

The umbrella plant grows better in a half-sun, half-shade environment. If it is kept in a dark place for a long time, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off; if it is kept in full sunlight for a long time, the leaves will also become sunburned and turn yellow.

Solution: The umbrella plant can be kept indoors in filtered light, and a windowsill is a good choice. In winter it can often be moved outdoors to bask in the sun, while in summer it should be properly shaded to avoid direct sunlight.

In summary, the umbrella plant is an ornamental plant very suitable for indoor potted cultivation. In order to avoid the appearance of yellowing leaves, you must master the management details well; light, temperature, watering, fertilizing, soil and so on must all meet the growing conditions.