Description

General aspect and origins - Schefflera actinophylla is also known as Queensland umbrella tree or simply umbrella tree. It is native to places like Northern and North-Eastern Australia and South-Western New Guinea. In its native area, it is an evergreen and fast-growing shrub or tree, that can reach more than 40 ft. (12 m)
Leaves - Leaves are evergreen, dark green, palmate, of 7-15 leaflets, with a long petiole that can be up to 18 in (45 cm) long. Each leaflet is about 4 to 8 in (10 to 20 cm) long. Young plants tend to produce leaves with less leaflets than mature trees.
Flowers - This Schefflera produces stalks of small red flowers with white-cream stamens that appear in summer. The stalks are 16 to 32 in (40 to 80 cm) long.
Fruits - The fruits are red and turn black when ripe. They are fleshy and inedible.

Culture

This tree is often proposed as a house plant. However, it should withstand low temperatures down to about 26°F-28°F (-2°C to -3°C) if frosts are brief. It thus can be grown in USDA zones 10a and warmer, and can be tried in most protected areas of USDA zones 9b.
Soil - This plant prefers fertile, moist but drained grounds.

Propagation

This plant can be propagated by seeds or cuttings. Seeds should be soaked into water for 24 h before sowing.