Question
Hello Will. My questions are'nt problem related, but I would sure like to know what type of plant that I have. It was given to me by a neighbor approx. 4 yrs. ago, and is still in the same pot. She told me it was Chinese, but she was always full of nonsense. It could well be, as the stalks are bamboo-like. When I received it I cut down the water because the roots seemed to be rotting, and tied the stalks together for collective strength.It always seems to REALLY thrive on light and grows right toward the closest window, so I always place it by the best window in my house. I moved twice since, but always stays adjusted wherever, and it re-roots itself readily right off the base of the stalk.Being strong enough now, I actually removed all the ties recently. Knowing very little about plant care, I actually improved it's condition, but I would like to relocate it to bigger(and better looking)pot.I took some photos of it and can take more, planning to send them after this entry. Does'nt drop seeds or flower, and the pot has any drainage at all, being totally closed at the bottom. Of course, identfiying the plant is the first step towards best care, which I should have done along time ago. My main questions are as follows:       What is it?                                               Do solar window coverings affect a plant?               How do I avoid shocking when re-potting?                   What type of food/fertilization?(I have never added soil or anything else)      
Can I rotate the pot slightly to train growth?          What size pot do I put it in?                           Any information will be of great help!   
Thanks, from Shaun in Las Vegas.

Answer
Hi Shaun,

Thanks for sending the photos. Your plant is a Schefflera arboricola and it is native to Taiwan, although yours was probably grown in a US greenhouse.

Although it is overgrown and in need of pruning, it is healthy and it does not need a larger pot. Unnecessary up-potting is the most common cause of plant failure, so don't go there.

However, it would be a good idea to get it out of that drainless pot. Find a pot of your choosing that has at least one drain hole and that is the SAME SIZE as the existing pot. All you have to do is slide the rootball out of the current pot when the soil is damp and then slide it into the new pot. This will not disturb the roots and you should not have to add any soil. So shock will not be a problem.

Solar window coverings do affect plants. If the coverings block out only UVA and UVB rays, then it won't affect the plants. But if light from the visible light range is blocked, especially in the red and blue ranges, then that can have a dramatic affect on plants. So it really depends on the individual coverings used. Better check with the manufacturer.

Fertilizer is over-rated. Use it no more than monthly at half-strength. Any standard fertilizer is fine.

Not only do the leaves orient themselves toward the light, but the growth of the stem is also toward the primary light source. To keep a plant growing straight, it is best to rotate the plant a quarter turn each week or each time you water it. That way all sides get equal light exposure.

The best way to control the look of your plant is by pruning. Any stem can be pruned back to any height. New growth will then emerge just below the point on any stem where you make a pruning cut and grow upwards from there. This is a good way to eliminate leggy stems that have lost their lower leaves. Pruning does not harm the plant, it only alters its appearance. In that sense, it is like cutting hair.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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