Description:

A surprisingly hardy variety, featuring broad, umbrella-like compound leaves that emerge with a tan colored fuzz; long, lacy sprays of tiny cream flowers appear in fall; adds texture and tropical interest to shaded or sun dappled areas

Ornamental Features

Hardy Schefflera features airy panicles of creamy white flowers rising above the foliage in early fall. It has attractive dark green foliage with pointy light green spines which emerges tan in spring. The glossy lobed compound leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. It features an abundance of magnificent deep purple berries with black overtones from late fall to late winter.

Landscape Attributes

Hardy Schefflera is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and can be pruned at anytime. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Hardy Schefflera is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Hardy Schefflera will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This shrub does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America.

Hardy Schefflera makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.