What is the difference between Schefflera arboricola and the money tree? A quick guide to tell them apart

The money tree is a very popular plant because of its auspicious meaning and attractive appearance, but many friends confuse it with Schefflera arboricola, thinking they are the same plant. So, where is the difference between Schefflera arboricola and the money tree?

1. The difference between Schefflera arboricola and the money tree

1. Different stems

The money tree belongs to the Malvaceae family, genus Pachira, with an upright, thick stem that is pale yellowish-white, few branches and leaves near the base, and it suits sandy soil. Schefflera arboricola, however, is an evergreen shrub with many branches, compact stems and branches, thin stems, and abundant branches and leaves from the base to the top, forming a columnar shape.

2. Different leaves

The leaves of the money tree are more slender and palmately compound, with 5—11 leaflets, short stalks or nearly no stalks, oblong to obovate-oblong, tapering to a point, wedge-shaped at the base, hairless on the upper surface, and the leaves are rather soft. Schefflera arboricola has palmately compound leaves, sparsely covered with stellate short soft hairs or hairless, and the leaf blades are leathery, glossy, green and scattered, with obvious veins, hard leaves, and blades that are rounder and shorter than those of the money tree, usually eight to ten leaves per cluster, and the blades are also slightly thicker than those of the money tree.

3. Different flowers

The petals of the money tree are pale yellow-green, narrowly lanceolate to linear, with a flowering period from May to November. Schefflera arboricola, however, bears terminal panicle-like inflorescences, with small white flowers and dark red berries, with a flowering period from November to December.

4. Different fruits

The money tree's capsule is nearly pear-shaped, with a dark brown surface. Schefflera arboricola's fruit is spherical and black.

Schefflera arboricola is a large potted plant, suitable for placement in hotel lobbies, library reading rooms and museum exhibition halls, presenting a natural and harmonious green environment. In spring, summer and autumn, it can also be placed in shaded courtyard areas and on building balconies for viewing. It can be planted as a solitary specimen in courtyards, and it is a nectar source plant in southern winters. Placed as a potted plant in living rooms, studies and bedrooms, it has a strong contemporary feel. It can bring fresh air to households with smokers. The leaves can absorb nicotine and other harmful substances from smoke-filled air and, through photosynthesis, convert them into harmless substances of the plant's own. In addition, it can reduce formaldehyde concentration by about 9 milligrams per hour.