Dwarf Umbrella Tree (Dwarf Schefflera) bonsai

Dwarf Umbrella Tree (Dwarf Schefflera) Bonsai Care

Heptapleurum arboricola

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Zones 12 to 13, indoor. An evergreen shrub from Hainan and Taiwan, the native range Kew gives.

Araliaceae (the ginseng family) · Tropical evergreen shrub, kept as an indoor bonsai

At a glance

Type
Tropical
Leaves
Evergreen
USDA zones
12 to 13
Indoor or outdoor
Indoor-capable
Difficulty
Beginner
Growth rate
Moderate
Styles suited
Root over rock
Bonsai popularity
Tier 1

Close-up photo reference

Compare your tree against these to confirm the species and spot problems early.

Close view of Dwarf Umbrella Tree (Dwarf Schefflera) bark
Bark & trunk, Tangopaso · Public domain
Dwarf Umbrella Tree (Dwarf Schefflera) in flower
Flower, M108t · CC BY 4.0
Dwarf Umbrella Tree (Dwarf Schefflera) fruit
Fruit / seed, Forest and Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0 us

Dwarf Umbrella Tree (Dwarf Schefflera) quick reference

USDA zones12 to 13 in a pot: zone 13's winter lows of 60 to 70°F (16 to 21°C) clear the 50°F (10°C) floor of Bonsai Empire [9], Clemson [5] and the RHS [6], and zone 12's lows of 50 to 60°F (10 to 16°C) meet it [14] [15], so bring it in on colder nights there [9] [10]. Bonsai Mirai's floor is lower, 40°F (4°C) [10]. In the ground NC State gives 9b to 12b [2] and BCI zone 9b [11]
Indoor / outdoorIndoor: can stay inside all year [9]; Bonsai Mirai also grows it indoors [10]; NC State moves it to a sheltered spot outside while temperatures stay above 60°F (16°C) [2]
LightSources differ: bright indirect light [6] [12]; full morning sun with less afternoon sun [10]; indoors, filtered light, since bright direct sun can burn the leaves [2]; it tolerates dim light but grows better with more [9]
WaterSources differ: keep the soil evenly moist and never let it dry out [9] [10]; or let the top 1/2 to 1 in (1.3 to 2.5 cm) dry first [5] [12]; never let it stand in water [5]
SoilWell-draining [10] [11]; a standard bonsai mix [9]; Bonsai Mary uses half bark and half inorganic material [12]
RepotEvery 2 years [9] [12]; every year per BCI [11]
FrostNone in the bonsai sources: keep it above 50°F (10°C) [9] [5], protect it below 40°F (4°C) [10]; a UF/IFAS agent says garden plants in Charlotte County, Florida, recover from frost damage [4]
Mature height26 to 30 ft (8 to 9 m) in the wild [8]; 10 to 25 ft in the ground and 4 to 6 ft as an indoor container plant [2]; 1.6 to 3.3 ft (0.5 to 1 m) as an RHS houseplant [6]
Growth rateModerate: NC State rates the garden plant medium [2]; the bonsai sources give no rating
Season of interestGlossy, umbrella-like leaves all year [2]; aerial roots [10]; flowers from midsummer to early fall [8], rarely indoors [2]
Leaf reductionNot rated by the sources we checked; more light [9] [12] and defoliation [9] [13] give smaller leaves
Main risksMain risks, not ranked by any source: overwatering and root rot [5] [10], cold [9] [10], low light [5], dry air [5]

Overview & Character

The dwarf umbrella tree is an evergreen shrub from Hainan and Taiwan, the native range Kew gives [1] [8]. Bonsai Mirai also traces it to Taiwan, not Hawaii, despite the name [10]; Bonsai Empire says it is native to Australia [9], which Kew does not support [1] [8]. It is in the Araliaceae [1] [2], which NC State calls the ginseng family [2].

The name. Kew accepts Heptapleurum arboricola and lists Schefflera arboricola as a synonym [1] [6]. The RHS uses the new name too [6], and NC State says the plant was formerly called Schefflera arboricola [2], the name most bonsai sellers and care guides still use [9] [10] [12].

It is commonly grown as a houseplant [8], and Bonsai Empire calls it very suitable for indoor bonsai [9]. Bonsai Mary says it is easy to care for and suitable for beginners [12]; Gardening Know How calls it easy to grow as long as you understand its needs [13]; NC State rates its maintenance low [2]. Its standout feature is aerial roots, which suit banyan [10] [12] and root-over-rock styles [12].

Identification

Foliage. Palmately compound leaves of 7 to 9 leaflets arranged like the spokes of an umbrella [2] [6] [8]; Clemson counts 7 to 11 [5]. NC State gives leaflets 2 to 4.5 in long [2], Clemson up to 4 in [5], and Wikipedia about 3.5 to 8 in (9 to 20 cm), smaller on young plants [8]. They are glossy and leathery [6] [8]; gold and variegated cultivars exist [5].

Bark & trunk. Bonsai Empire describes thin trunks with little branching in nature [9]; Bonsai Mary notes a habit of long trunks without many branches [12].

Growth habit / form. An evergreen shrub that grows free-standing or clings to other trees as an epiphyte [8].

Flowers / fruit. NC State describes small red flowers in summer, rarely seen indoors [2]; Wikipedia says yellow to green, from midsummer to early fall [8]. The fruit is a round drupe about 1/4 in (6 mm) [2], or about 3/16 in (5 mm) [8], across, orange at first, turning black per NC State [2] or red-violet per Wikipedia [8].

Look-alikes & how to tell them apart: The larger umbrella tree, Schefflera actinophylla, grows into a massive tree in Florida gardens [4], while dwarf schefflera is seldom taller than 10 ft (3 m) there [4]. Check the botanical name on a label.

Climate & USDA Zone

In the ground. NC State gives USDA zones 9b to 12b [2] and BCI zone 9b [11]. These are garden figures, not pot limits. A UF/IFAS agent in Charlotte County, Florida, says it is hardy there and recovers well if a frost damages it [4]. UF/IFAS rates it not a problem species in north, central and south Florida [3], unlike S. actinophylla, which it lists as invasive [4]. The zones row gives zones 12 to 13 for a potted tree: USDA zones are bands of the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature, 10°F wide [14]; zone 12's band is 50 to 60°F and zone 13's is 60 to 70°F [15], the ones that meet or clear the 50°F (10°C) floor most sources below set. Bonsai Mirai's lower floor of 40°F (4°C) [10] would also allow zone 11's band of 40 to 50°F [15].

In a pot. The bonsai sources want it warm:

Keep it away from cold drafts in winter [9] and from air conditioning vents [5].

Light

The sources differ. The RHS and Bonsai Mary want bright indirect light [6] [12]. Bonsai Mirai gives it full morning sun and less in the afternoon, under 30 to 50% shade cloth outside, and avoids direct sun indoors [10]. NC State recommends filtered light for 3 to 4 hours a day indoors, warning that bright direct light burns the leaves [2]. Clemson prefers medium to bright light and says low light yellows the leaves and makes stems spindly and weak [5]. Bonsai Empire and Bonsai Mary say it tolerates dim light but grows better, with smaller leaves, in plenty of light [9] [12].

Watering

Sources differ on how dry to let it get. Bonsai Empire wants a moist soil that never dries out, watering more carefully in winter [9]. Bonsai Mirai keeps the soil evenly moist without overdoing it [10], and BCI says not to let it dry out [11]. Others let the top dry first: Clemson waits until the soil is dry about 1/2 in (1.3 cm) down [5], Bonsai Mary until the top inch (2.5 cm) feels slightly dry, but never bone dry [12], and NC State lets the soil dry, then soaks it [2].

The sources that address drainage agree it matters [5] [10] [11]. Never let it sit in water in its saucer [5]; overwatering or slow-draining soil causes root rot [5] [10]. NC State says soil that is too wet or too dry makes leaves drop [2].

Humidity. NC State says it prefers high humidity and uses a tray of wet pebbles [2]; Bonsai Mirai raises humidity around the canopy rather than soaking the soil [10]. Bonsai Empire and Bonsai Mary say it tolerates low humidity [9] [12], though Clemson says low humidity can cause leaf drop [5].

Soil & Root Care

Use a well-draining mix [10]: Bonsai Empire uses a standard bonsai soil [9], Bonsai Mary half bark and half inorganic material [12], and BCI any well-drained, slightly alkaline soil [11].

Bonsai Empire repots every second year in spring [9], Bonsai Mary every two years [12], and BCI every year [11]. It takes heavy root pruning [10] [11], but the roots are fleshy and break easily, so handle them with care [9]; Bonsai Mirai warns that removing too many can leave the tree unstable [10].

Feeding

The sources differ:

Pruning & Styling

Bonsai Empire says thoughtful pruning develops it well: cutting the shoot tips brings new shoots, more ramification and smaller leaves [9]. Bonsai Mirai cuts back to a node to make it back-bud [10]; BCI pinches stems to make it branch [11].

Seasonal Calendar

Care calendar by month

Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, shift every month by six.

Propagation & Cuttings

Ease: Bonsai Mary says cuttings are easy to root [12], and Bonsai Mirai calls it easy to propagate [10]. Best methods: cuttings [2] [9] [11] [12], with seed [9] [11] and air layering [5] [11] as options.

Bonsai Empire roots cuttings in soil or in water [9]; Bonsai Mirai keeps them humid, for example in perlite, and air layers only at about golf-ball thickness [10]. Seed works but takes more time and patience [12].

Pests

Scale [9] [11] [12], spider mites [2] [6] [11] and mealybugs [2] [5] [6]. Bonsai Empire says insects seldom attack it and treats scale with an oil-based insecticide [9]. Bonsai Mirai says aphids can be hard to control on new growth [10].

Disease, Fungus & Infection

Root rot. The disease Bonsai Mirai names, from overwatering [10]; Clemson adds slow-draining soil [5].

Leaf drop. The sources tie it to care, not disease: soil too wet or too dry [2] or low humidity [5]. NC State reports no serious disease problems [2], and the RHS calls it generally disease-free [6].

Most Common Causes of Death

No source we checked ranks these. They are the main risks the sources describe, in no particular order:

Toxicity, Safety & Handling

ASPCA lists schefflera as toxic to dogs and cats; the toxic principle is calcium oxalate crystals, and signs include intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips and tongue, heavy drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing [7]. NC State rates its poison severity low and says the sap can irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves [2]. Wikipedia calls it a low-severity poison and a skin irritant for people [8].

Sources

  1. Kew Plants of the World Online: Heptapleurum arboricola
  2. NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Schefflera arboricola
  3. UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-native Plants: Schefflera arboricola
  4. UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County: The right schefflera
  5. Clemson HGIC: Schefflera
  6. RHS: Heptapleurum arboricola
  7. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Schefflera
  8. Wikipedia: Heptapleurum arboricola
  9. Bonsai Empire: Dwarf Umbrella / Hawaiian Umbrella (Schefflera arboricola) care guide
  10. Bonsai Mirai: Hawaiian Umbrella Bonsai Guide
  11. Bonsai Clubs International: Schefflera arboricola
  12. Bonsai Mary: Dwarf Umbrella Tree Bonsai (Schefflera arboricola)
  13. Gardening Know How: Schefflera Bonsai Care
  14. USDA ARS: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
  15. The Old Farmer's Almanac: What Are Plant Hardiness Zones?

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