Sheflera flower - home care

The genus of Sheflera (Schefflera) plants belongs to the Araliev family. The culture is named after the Polish botanist J. Schaeffler, who lived in the 18th century. Florists appreciate the plant for its amazing variety of species and varieties, as well as unusual carved leaves. For all its merits, the chefler is distinguished by unpretentious care. The article discusses what a flower chef is, home care, species and varieties, culture reproduction, etc.

Origin and appearance

The culture is found in tropical zones, as well as in areas with a temperate climate, especially in Australia, Japan, China, South America, New Guinea. In the wild, the sheffler is found in the form of low trees, as well as shrubs and vines. Competent care of the plant will provide it with active growth and development in a home environment.

Sheflera tree in the wild

A striking feature of the flower is its complex, clawed leaves dissected into 5-15 parts. In their appearance, they resemble umbrellas, which are located on 30-centimeter petioles. Over time, the leaves at the bottom of the trunk begin to fall off, exposing the trunk of the shrub.

Schefflera is a plant that can bloom only in natural conditions or in greenhouses and botanical gardens.

Description of the flower

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The shape of the shifflera leaves is very similar to the human palm. All plate lobes grow from one base. Popularly, the chefler's flower is called the umbrella tree or the umbrella of the gnomes.

The shoots are tall, but not too thick, which allows you to grow several specimens at once in one pot. As a result, one common stem can be formed, consisting of intertwined branches of young shefflers. For a single shoot, you will need support, otherwise the flower risks breaking under the weight of its own foliage.

Indoor plant

Important! The composition of the tissues of the flower contains components that can cause irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, if they appear on their surface. Therefore, any actions with the plant must be done with caution.

Shefler, like ficus, can be grown as a large indoor solitaire plant.

Types and varieties of cheflers

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The genus of this plant includes about 600 species, which also have a large variety of varieties. Only a few types of crops are suitable for growing at home. They differ from each other in the surface of the foliage (for example, the presence or absence of denticles along the edges of the plate) and its color (solid green, saturated yellow, etc.).

It is interesting! The cheflera mix is popular with novice florists, that is, a mixture of different varieties.

Schefflera tree or woody

The trunk of a small tree can be either branching or erect. Young stems are green in color, which turns brown over time. Cut into numerous parts, leaf plates can grow up to 20 cm in length. Some varieties have yellow, beige or white spots on the foliage.

Tree-like

Schefflera Caster

A miniature shrub prized for its compact size. This option is suitable for small offices and apartments.

Sheflera Gold Capella

This variety has a rich green color of glossy leaves, covered with yellow and white streaks. The plant thrives in partial shade, but still prefers bright lighting.

Scheffler's Gold Capella

Sheflera radiant

Green or yellow leaves with an olive or golden hue are located on long reddish-brown petioles. The plates have a shiny surface.

Sheflera eight-leafed

Differs in a non-standard arrangement of leaves. Beige petioles end with 8-12 lanceolate leaves. The length of the plates with pointed tips is about 40 cm, the width is about 10 cm. The surface of the olive-green plates is leathery with a glossy sheen. Light veins on the plates are clearly expressed. In adult plants, the color of the leaves turns green.

Sheflera's most graceful

There are not as many shoots of this plant as in other species. Shoots can be up to 2 meters in height. On each petiole, up to 12 leaflets are formed with denticles along the edges.

Shefler Veitch

The foliage is oval, elongated, the surface has ribbed edges. The leaf color of young specimens is reddish, of adults it is dark green.

Sheflera's finger

The stems are not very tall. The foliage surface has wavy edges and is divided into 7-10 lobes. Variegated varieties have the greatest decorative properties. The height of the trees varies from 3 to 8 meters. The length of the leaf plates, very similar to the leaves of a palm tree, varies from 15 to 30 cm. The petioles can grow up to 7-20 cm in length. White inflorescences resemble umbrellas in appearance.

Fingered

Sheflera's business

Grows in the forests of Western China. The wild growing crop reaches a height of 2-3 meters. The leaves are very similar to those of oak. The indoor version of the culture is compact (the height of the shoots is not more than 50 cm). Feels good in shaded areas.

Transplant chefs after purchase

The plant is sold both in small pots and in large flowerpots. If the container is not large enough, the flower needs to be transplanted into a larger pot. To understand whether this is really necessary, you should carefully examine the root system of the flower. If there is no ball of earth in the middle of the rhizome, then the shrub needs a new, larger container. If there is an earthen lump, a transplant is not required.

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Further, it is recommended to make a regular transplant once a year in early spring.

Recommendation! When buying chefs, you should pay attention to the color of the leaves: the shrub should have a rich color and a smooth surface.

Landing is carried out as follows:

A drainage layer (2-4 cm) is placed in a new container, and a few centimeters thick earth is poured on top.
The roots are spread over the substrate.
The pot is filled with earth and compacted so that no voids remain in the container.

On a note! If the shrub has reached adult size, in the spring you need to sprinkle fresh soil into the pot.

Which soil to choose

Before replanting the culture, you need to prepare a light soil with a slightly acidic environment. The substrate should consist of such components as:

peat;
humus;
fine-grained river sand.

The ratio is 1: 3: 1.

Another variant:

sod land;
humus;
sand.

The ratio is 2: 1: 1.

You can also prepare the following mixture:

compost or greenhouse soil;
peat;
coarse sand.

The ratio is 3: 1: 1.5.

Breeding cheflers

The shrub can reproduce in three ways:

cuttings;
seeds;
air layering.

Propagation by cuttings

The upper semi-lignified parts of the shoots are cut off and then treated with heteroauxin. The harvested material is planted in a substrate consisting of peat and sand, with a good drainage layer.To create greenhouse conditions, the cuttings are covered with polyethylene or a glass jar, and a bottom heating system is provided.

Propagation using cuttings

The recommended temperature for growing a flower is 20 to 22 ° C.

In order for the roots to grow and develop better, the cuttings must be provided with good lighting, timely moisture and airing. Once the cuttings are rooted, they can be transplanted into separate pots.

Growing from seeds

Disembarkation is carried out at the beginning or middle of winter. The following components must be present in the soil mixture in one part:

sand;
turf;
leafy land.

Or equal proportions of sand and peat. The substrate must be disinfected before use. The planting material is soaked in a glass of warm water. It is advisable to add a growth stimulant to it. In this form, the cuttings are left for several hours. Shallow containers are filled with soil and the seeds are buried in it by 8-10 cm. Then they are watered with plenty of water and transferred to a warm (20-24 ° C) place. Seedlings should be regularly moistened and ventilated.

On a note! If you grow a chef in a mini greenhouse, new flowers will appear much faster.

When 2-3 leaves are formed, the seedlings are distributed in separate containers. After 3 months, young specimens are transplanted into a larger container and transferred to a well-lit place with an air temperature of 14-15 ° C.

In the fall, the sheffler flower is transferred to a new pot by a transfer method.

Growing from seeds

Sheflera care

This plant is often used to decorate the interior of ordinary city apartments, as well as office premises, most often spacious with high walls. Sheflera is completely unpretentious, so growing a flower will be within the power of even an inexperienced florist. Scheffler does not require complex care at home.

Illumination and location

It is better to keep the chef on those windowsills that are located on the west or east side of the room. The specific place of cultivation and the degree of illumination depend on the type and variety of the crop. Green shrubs do not require intense light, so they feel good on the windowsill on the north side, and variegated varieties that need a lot of light on the east or west window.

Sheffler's houseplant prefers bright, diffused light. In winter, in addition to natural light, it is advisable to use artificial light. If the air temperature in autumn and winter exceeds 18 ° C, it is recommended to use fluorescent lamps.

Attention! The plant should not be allowed to be under the scorching sun for a long time.

In summer, in good weather, the flower can be taken out into the fresh air, for example, in the garden or on the balcony, provided there is a little shading. When growing chefs, drafts are unacceptable.

Temperature regime

Sheflera feels good at normal room temperature. In autumn and winter, the air should warm up to 16-18 ° C. The minimum temperature limit is 12 ° C.

Important! It is not allowed to place the plant next to the heating system.

Daily indicators change periodically. Small changes will be beneficial for the flower.

Watering and humidification

One of the most important rules on how to care for a sheflera comes down to competent watering. This procedure should be done regularly, in moderation. The water should also be warm and settled. Do not allow the clod to dry out or water stagnation and acidification of the substrate occur. In winter, the frequency of watering is significantly reduced.

High humidity is preferred by chefs, but a normal room level will also work. In the second case, you need to regularly (1-2 times a day) moisten the plant with soft, clean and warm water from a spray bottle.

On a note! For growing shrubs, you can use the hydroponic method.

Top dressing

For this, universal fertilizers for deciduous houseplants are suitable. You need to make additional fertilizing 2 times a month during the entire growing season (i.e. in spring and summer).

Good to know! After transplanting, it is necessary to feed the sheffler's indoor flower only as young leaves are formed.

Dormant period

Continues throughout the winter season. At this time, the flower does not grow. At the beginning of wintering, the chefler needs to be transferred to a bright room with an air temperature of 14-16 ° C.

Pruning

The formation of the bush is necessary in order for it to become more magnificent. This is done as follows:

In a grown tree, the apical shoot is cut off, on which at least 4-5 internodes are present.
After a while, new side stems will appear, which will give the plant a spherical shape.

The cut stalk can be used to propagate the flower.

Since pruning is stressful for the plant, it is recommended that the chefler feed during this period.

The culture is a spectacular, very beautiful decorative leafy plant. Sheffler's shrub is easy to care for, in addition, the variety of species and varieties allows you to choose a flower for any, even the most fastidious taste. That is why the culture is ideal for home cultivation. Subject to all the rules and recommendations for the maintenance of the chefler, it will bring around a truly aesthetic pleasure for a long time.