This full sized Schefflera was purchased as two seedlings in 1990 for one dollar! The trees were planted on a stone which is now buried under the massive root base of this tree. It has grown under lights for all these years, and has event spent a year or two under fluorescent lights in an office and tolerated these low light conditions without complaint.

The plant tolerates very dry air due to its thick, almost succulent leaves. Branching is encouraged by hacking the plant back to bare stems on a yearly basis. This induces back budding and some branching. The huge leaves reduce some with this severe back trimming, but continuing growth ultimately results in very large leaves. It will never be ramified enough to be considered a detailed bonsai, but considering everything it is remarkable the condtions that it will tolerate.

Soil must be allowed to dry a bit between waterings since wet roots will cause rot and kill the tree.

Schefflera forms aerial roots under moist conditions. The large root on the left side of the trunk started as a fine hair root and eventually set itself into the ground and thickened so much that it now looks almost like part of the trunk.

Branch ramification is my goal for the next few years.

The tree is 18 inches tall and with a 3 inch trunk diameter.