Please Identify Mystery Tree at the Office
Hello, I just started 6 months ago and have been figuring out all the plants in the office, all except this one. We think it needs to be split since the two trunks/stems are going off in opposite directions, and there are two smaller offshoots that don’t seem to be a problem yet. It has a sort of woody stem with large green leaves that come off in a palmate fashion (between 5 and 8 leaves each). According to my coworker it bloomed around 3-4 years ago with larger, white colored, nasty smelling flowers. If you could simply let me know what it is and any recommendations you have for it I would be grateful! Thank You!
Hi Jandre,
Your plant is called a Schefflera. Scheffleras are often called Umbrella Trees because of their large, shiny, dark green leaves that drape down like the spokes of an umbrella. Each Schefflera leaf grows at the end of a long stem and consists of several smaller leaflets. Schefflera Plants usually have multiple trunks. If a Schefflera Plant becomes leggy looking and shapeless, don’t be afraid to aggressively prune the plant. When cutting back the thick stems or trunks, make the cut a little above a plant node. New growth develops from the node.You can read all my care tips for a schefflera in the Popular Houseplant section of the website.
https://www.houseplant411.com/houseplant/schefflera-plant-how-to-grow-care
These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants.