How to grow variegated Schefflera arboricola? Growing methods and precautions
Variegated Schefflera arboricola is commonly propagated by cuttings, layering and sowing.
Cutting propagation technique
From a mother plant that has been growing for several years, cut off one-year-old branches 6-8 cm long, or take the branches cut during repotting or heavy spring pruning as cutting material. Remove the leaves from the part to be inserted, and insert the cuttings in a substrate of perlite that has been soaked in water beforehand, in a plastic flower pot with a diameter of 15-20 cm, with a tray under the pot to catch the seepage. Insert 3 cuttings or a single cutting per pot; roots will form about 1.5 months after insertion, and after insertion water frequently to keep the medium moist. After insertion, place in a low-light spot indoors and strengthen fertilizer and water management; after rooting, apply nutrient solution, replenishing 1 time per week per pot, 100 ml each time.
1. Habits
It likes a warm, hot and humid climate, grows fast, and is propagated by seed. The optimum growing temperature is 20°C to 30°C, and in winter it should not be lower than 5°C. If the temperature is below 0°C, the plant will be damaged by cold and drop its leaves, but if the stem is intact, new leaves will sprout again in the following spring. Schefflera arboricola likes moisture and fears dryness. When air humidity is high and soil moisture is sufficient, the stems and leaves grow luxuriantly. But too much water, causing waterlogging, will cause root rot. If the potting soil lacks water or is alternately wet and dry for a long time, leaf drop will occur. Schefflera arboricola has a certain tolerance for temporary drought and dry air. Schefflera arboricola adapts to a wide range of light and can grow under full sun, half sun or semi-shade. However, the intensity of light has a certain relationship with leaf color: in strong light the leaf color tends to be lighter, while in semi-shade the leaf color is dark green. Under bright light the colors of variegated varieties are more vivid. The soil should preferably be fertile, loose, well-drained sandy loam. For potting soil, use a mixture of peat soil, leaf mold and coarse sand.2. Propagation technique
Variegated Schefflera arboricola is commonly propagated by cuttings, layering and sowing.Cutting propagation technique
From a mother plant that has been growing for several years, cut off one-year-old branches 6-8 cm long, or take the branches cut during repotting or heavy spring pruning as cutting material. Remove the leaves from the part to be inserted, and insert the cuttings in a substrate of perlite that has been soaked in water beforehand, in a plastic flower pot with a diameter of 15-20 cm, with a tray under the pot to catch the seepage. Insert 3 cuttings or a single cutting per pot; roots will form about 1.5 months after insertion, and after insertion water frequently to keep the medium moist. After insertion, place in a low-light spot indoors and strengthen fertilizer and water management; after rooting, apply nutrient solution, replenishing 1 time per week per pot, 100 ml each time.Note: do not add water on the day the solution is replenished, so as not to affect the concentration of the nutrient solution. For pot cutting propagation, take a 6-inch to 8-inch pot, plug the bottom hole with small stones, and fill it with perlite or clean sieved river sand, with the perlite or sand surface 1 cm lower than the pot rim; if perlite is used, it is best to press a layer of river sand on top (to increase firmness). At this point you can cut 10 cm-12 cm long cuttings from a mature variegated Schefflera arboricola, cut the bottom into a slanted shape; if you have rooting powder you can dip a little, and it is fine without it too. Insert 2/3 of the cutting into the sand or perlite, 3-4 cuttings per pot, water thoroughly after insertion, and place the pot in a plastic basin or other container filled with water; the water level in the container should always be kept higher than 1/2 of the cutting pot, then cover the cutting pot with a large transparent plastic cover and place it in a bright spot with scattered light, keeping the temperature at 15°C-25°C. After 30-40 days the cuttings' root systems have formed, and at this point the Schefflera arboricola seedlings can be transplanted into 6-inch to 8-inch pots; the potting soil should be filled with a fertile nutrient soil made of sieved high-quality farmyard manure, humus soil and fine sand thoroughly mixed in a 3:2:1 ratio. After planting, water thoroughly, place in semi-shade for 7 days, then move to a bright spot for management.For water cutting propagation, take a large empty Coca-Cola bottle or a stemmed glass jar or canning jar, rinse it clean, fill it with clean water (tap water), and fix the cut variegated Schefflera arboricola cuttings in the bottle (the bottom of the cutting 1 cm away from the bottle bottom); 2-3 cuttings can be inserted per bottle. Cover well with a transparent plastic bag, place in a bright spot, keep the temperature at 15°C-25°C; after 30-35 days, white roots 0.5 cm-1 cm long grow from the bottom of the cuttings, and at this point they can be removed and potted up as described above.Pests and diseases:There are leaf spot disease and anthracnose, and damage from scale insects, red spider mites, thrips and leaf miners.Landscape uses:The plant is compact, and the crown is neat and graceful, so it can be used for ornamental purposes, or as a screening tree species in gardens.
Growing methods and precautions for variegated Schefflera arboricola
The variegated Schefflera arboricola plant is compact, and its crown is neat and graceful. Schefflera arboricola likes moisture and fears dryness; when air humidity is high and soil moisture is sufficient, the stems and leaves grow luxuriantly. Next, Xiao Qi will share the growing methods and precautions for variegated Schefflera arboricola.
I. Growing methods and precautions for variegated Schefflera arboricola
1. Soil: for variegated Schefflera arboricola, peat soil, leaf mold with a little base fertilizer, or sandy soil can all be used for cultivation. Make sure the soil has good air permeability and drainage.
2. Temperature: the general growing temperature for variegated Schefflera arboricola is 15-25°C. Below 5°C it will drop its leaves, so pay attention to ventilation at ordinary times.
3. Light: variegated Schefflera arboricola is a semi-shade plant, and four hours of direct sunlight a day is enough; it must not be exposed to blazing sun.
4. Watering: in spring, summer and autumn, water variegated Schefflera arboricola about once every 3-4 days, but do not water too much, as waterlogging will cause root rot; at the same time keep the soil moist. In winter, reduce watering, and the water temperature should preferably be close to that of the soil.
5. Fertilizing: variegated Schefflera arboricola is mainly given a fertilizer mixing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; if it is a variegated variety, too much nitrogen fertilizer and weak light will make the patches on the leaves less obvious.
6. Pruning: variegated Schefflera arboricola generally does not need pruning; if leaves drop and the lower branches are rather bare, you can cut off the upper part, which promotes the sprouting of new branches. The cut-off parts can also be re-planted as cuttings.
II. Propagation methods for variegated Schefflera arboricola
Variegated Schefflera arboricola is commonly propagated by cuttings, layering and sowing.
From a mother plant that has been growing for several years, cut off one-year-old branches 6-8 cm long, or take the branches cut during repotting or heavy spring pruning as cutting material. Remove the leaves from the part to be inserted, and insert the cuttings in a substrate of perlite that has been soaked in water beforehand, in a plastic flower pot with a diameter of 15-20 cm, with a tray under the pot to catch the seepage. Insert 3 cuttings or a single cutting per pot; roots will form about 1.5 months after insertion, and after insertion water frequently to keep the medium moist. After insertion, place in a low-light spot indoors and strengthen fertilizer and water management; after rooting, apply nutrient solution, replenishing 1 time per week per pot, 100 ml each time.
The above isthe growing methods for variegated Schefflera arboricolaand the propagation methods shared; friends who like variegated Schefflera arboricola should read carefully.