Question
I have had a Schefflera for about 1 1/2 years.  It stays indoors during the winter months and outside under my carport during the warm months.  I live in Middle Tennessee.  The plant has done well and is quite large, about 5' tall, except for shedding leaves during the season changes.  Recently, some weird red spiky things have started growing out of it.  The stalks seem to have split open and these red things that look like sea urchins, but not so sharp, are growing out of the splits.  They feel like a plant, but remind me of rubbery teeth on a plastic hairbrush.  Some of the spots are bigger than others, ranging from 2 or 3 spikes to 20 or 30.  I'm not certain it's a disease, because the plant seems to be doing fine.  What the heck is this stuff?  Thanks!

Answer
Schefflera form a stalk like growth that is the flower of the plant called an inflorescence. I think it is what you are discribing. Here is a couple of web link of pictures of this:  http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/vascular/images/sch_act.jpg

http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/600max/html/starr_010425_0060_scheffle...