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Schefflera is such a great indoor houseplant
that we have two varieties listed among the top 50 best indoor plants, schefflera arboricola
the miniature Hawaiian schefflera and schefflera amate the large leafed umbrella schefflera. The amate was developed by Archie Amate about 20 years ago as a cultivar from
the original umbrella schefflera and is much hardier and more spectacular looking than the original. The amate is an
upright symmetrical plant that produces large shiny leathery dark green leaves. It can grow into a 7ft. tall 6ft. wide bush
or be trained as an impressive tree. This new variety is more resistant to pests, can adapt to lower light; and has
wider longer glossier leaves. It’s also a little more expensive than the old schefflera actinophyla, but well worth
it!
Houseplant 411 for the iPhone & i Pod Touch
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CARE OF SCHEFFLERA AMATE
1. Light:An amate can adapt to medium and even low light: , but will grow faster and be bushier in bright indirect light.
2. Water:
Always allow the soil of an amate to dry out before watering it. The less light it has the less water it needs.
3. Temperature: Basic household temperatures between 65-80 are best for an amate. It doesn’t
do well in temperatures below 55 degrees. Keep an amate away from cold drafts and heaters.
4. Fertilizer: Feed an amate monthly in the spring and summer when it is actively growing with a basic houseplant
food.. The more light an amate gets, the more it grows, and the more food it needs.
5.
Pests: Perhaps because of its thick leathery glossy leaves an amate rarely gets infested with the spider mites, mealy bugs, scale, and aphids that used to attack the original umbrella plants. If your amate does get any of these pests, the green solution works well.
6. Cleaning: Keep the leaves of an amate free of dust by either
spraying with warm soapy water or using a commercial leaf shine product such as FoliGlo or Pokon. Never use milk or mayonnaise to clean the leaves.
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| Schefflera Amate (Umbrella Plant) |
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SCHEFFLERA AMATE FAQ’S
1. My amate is growing but looks very thin and spindly. Does it need more food?
Your
amate isn’t getting enough light. Prune the plant way back but be sure to allow a few leaves to remain. They are needed
to produce food for the roots. Move it closer to a window where it will get bright indirect light. It will start to grow quickly
in no time.
2. The green leaves on my amate are falling off and the new baby leaves
are turning black.
The plant is over watered. Don’t water it again until the soil has totally dried out.
3. The bottom leaves are falling off but the top of the plant is getting new leaves.
What should I do?
The top of your plant is getting enough light but the bottom is not. Move it to an area where
the entire plant can get light. If you want the bottom to get bushy again, you’ll have to prune the top of the plant
to encourage growth below.
4. The green leaves on my schefflers are turning yellow.
Is that too much water?
An amate is like a ficus; yellow leaves mean the plant needs more water.
5. Is an amate a fast growing plant?
An amate grows quickly in bright indirect light
and more slowly in lower light.
6. The leaves of my plant have yellow & brown
spots. There are webs where the leaves and stems come together.
That’s a spider mite infestation. Spray all parts of the plant with the green solution and repeat every 10 days for a month.
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