Question
I was given this braided arbicola plant from my grandpas funeral. It is about 3-4ft tall and the roots are comming out of the plastic pot inside the basket. It is very full of leaves but there are a lot of leaves falling off. I have no idea how to care for this plant but I love it. I don't want it to die and was wondering how to care for it. If you could please give me some tips on how to care for it and if it should be put in a bigger pot this would help greatly. I live in Indiana I don't know if that makes a difference.Thanks, Angela

Answer
Hi Angela,

It sounds like you have a very healthy plant and a nice remembrance of your grandpa.

Do not repot your Schefflera arboricola at this time. It needs at least 6 months to adapt to its new home without the stress of repotting. The roots coming out of the drainage holes can be trimmed off with sharp scissors without harm to the plant.

The leaf drop might be a result of the soil getting too dry before you received it. More likely, your plant is reacting to its changed environment, specifically a change in light intensity.

New plants are not long out of the greenhouse where they are grown in optimum light conditions. They are usually dense with leaves. When a plant is moved to a residence, the light is never as good as in a greenhouse, so the plant responds by shedding some of its leaves - usually the ones near the bottom and deep in the center of the plant. This is a normal response and it should not be a cause for concern. Remove and discard the yellowed leaves. Do not leave them on top of the soil.

Schefflera arboricolas do best right in front of a north or east window or slightly to the side of a west window. Rotate it a quarter turn weekly so all sides of the plant benefit equally from facing the window.

Allow the top half-inch of soil to dry out and then water it thoroughly until a little water trickles through the drainage holes. In a few months, allow the top inch of soil to dry before watering.

If your plant is still growing vigorously in a year, then you can start to use fertilizer monthly at half-strength.

If after six months you find you need to water more than twice per week, then you can move it into a pot one size larger.

Arboricolas do tend to get leggy as they age. This is because older leaves on the lower stems gradually drop off and new growth is always at the top ends of the stems. Pruning is the only way to resolve the leggy look. Any stem can be cut back at any point. New growth will then emerge on that stem just below where you made the pruning cut and grow up from there. So if you prune back a stem to a height of six inches, then you will then get new growth down low where there are many bare stems.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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