Question
We have a huge one at work (about 10 feet tall.)  It is the variety that stems from one trunk.  It is beginning to lean so much that it needs support from the wall to avoid tipping over.  Should it be topped?

Also about 2 years ago it sprouted from a place low on the trunk.  Should it be cut off?

Answer
Ann,

It is only growing from one trunk because it has never been pruned. If you top it then it will start sending out a lot of side branches. If you want to keep the tree form you can remove the lower side shoots as they sprout and only allow the top ones to grow. If you are going to do this I ceccommend that you cut at least 3 foot of the top off. I also reccommend that you get a pot with a diameter 4 inches larger than the one it is in now and no more than that(making sure it has a drain hole and drain tray under it) and also get 2-4 cement patio blocks, a large bag of the cheapest aquarium gravel or a small bag of lanscape stones, some cheap potting soil and a bag of perlite. You should put the 2-4 patio blocks in the bottom of the new pot, that will keep it from tipping over in the future no matter how large the tree gets. Then put the aquarium gravel or landscape stones around the cement patio stones and remove the tree from the old pot and place it on top of the gravel and blocks in the new pot after you have pruned the top off. Then mix the potting soil and perlite at a ratio of 2 parts of potting soil to 1 part of perlite and put it around the tree and water it as you normally would. Put it back in the spot it has always been in as it is obviously happy there. You can cut off that sprout low on the trunk to keep it as a tree form or a topiary.

If you would prefer to turn it into a large shrub form of Schefflera you can prune the trunk down to 1-2 foot above that branch low on the trunk and that will trigger it to send out a lot more side shoots that you can let grow and it will soon look like a shrub instead of a tree. If you do that it does not need repotted at this time. Congratulations on your beautiful plant.

Darlene