Question
I am taking (trying to) take care of a shefflera, but the leaves are falling off and turning yellow.  This plant does not go outside, but sometimes outside plants are brought in. What do the sticky leaves mean, and if this is an issue, how should I treat it? Thanks in advance.

Answer
Vicki,

The sticky leaves mean it has insects attacking it. You need to mix a pint of rubbing alcohol with a pint of room temperature water and a teaspoon of dish soap. Spray the plant daily for a week making sure you get the fronts and  backs of all the leaves and the surface of the soil. Then spray every 3rd day for a month. After that resume spray if you see the stickiness again. Also make sure the plant is dry before you water it and it is in the sunniest location possible in your home. This plant is a sun lover. Also make sure you do not leave it sitting with the drain tray full of water. It is not a swamp plant and does not like sitting in water for a nong timel
Good luck.

Darlene