How to Propagate a tall Schefflera PLant

I have had a schleffelera since it was tiny and now it is over six feet tall and won’t stand up on it’s own. We are moving and I have no place to take it. It is too big to move. If I just cut it way back can I reroot the top portions by putting them in water?

Hi Nora,

If it were my plant I’d cut the back to a manageable size that would fit into the new location. Schefflera houseplants are propagated by stem tip cuttings. Use a sharp, clean scissors or razor blade to cut a 3”-5” piece from the end of a healthy stem you removed (cut just below a leaf node). A node is where a leaf joins the stem. Remove leaves from the bottom 1/3 of the stem. Dip the cut end of the stem into a small amount of Rooting Hormone that contains a Fungicide. Plant the stem in moist potting soil. Cover the pot with clear plastic to increase the humidity and prevent the soil from drying out. Check the plant every few days to be sure the soil stays moist. Tug on the stem cuttings after a few weeks, if there is resistance, roots have developed, the plastic can be removed, and the propagation was successful.