2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 12:09
Inhabitant of tropical forests, Schefflera is an evergreen shrub, the decorative effect of which is in the variegated color and unusual shape of its leaves. The plant has taken root well at home and has become a favorite of flower growers.
Peculiarities
Schefflera belongs to the Araliev family; it grows in the wild in Australia, Africa, South America and Asia. Sheffler leaves are green or variegated in color. The leaf is attached to the trunk with a long petiole, where the dissected parts of the leaf plate are located. Outwardly, it looks like an umbrella, consisting of lobules, the number of which varies from 4 to 12, but all of them are connected at one point of growth . The growing sheffler stretches upward with its shoots, for stability it is fixed on vertical supports or pruned, forcing it to branch.
Home care
The tropical shefflera loves sunlight. In autumn and winter, the plant feels good on the southern side of the house, and if the sun is not enough for it, then additional illumination with a phytolamp will be required. In the summer months, the flower should be protected from direct sunlight and, if possible, shaded. A good place for a flower can be the western and eastern sides of the house . If in your apartment there are no conditions for good lighting of the plant, it is best not to start variegated species of it, but to purchase an ordinary green variety.
It is not difficult to take care of the shefflera - she loves high humidity, but if this is not possible, you can limit yourself to frequent spraying of her leaves. In indoor conditions, a comfortable temperature for a plant is considered to be a range from 12 to 18 degrees Celsius . The plant reacts poorly to the neighborhood with heating devices and does not like a draft.
It is necessary to water the flower with settled soft water and do this as the top layer of the soil dries up. In the winter season, the frequency of watering is reduced, but the soil in the pot must not be allowed to dry out. Excessive moisture stagnant near the roots is detrimental to the plant.
Top dressing is introduced in the spring-summer period with a frequency of 2 times a month.
Why does shefflera shed her leaves?
Common reasons why a shefflera sheds leaves may be the following :
- uncomfortable temperature conditions for the plant;
- low air humidity;
- wrong lighting mode;
- lack or excess of mineral components;
- violations of the irrigation regime;
- defeat by a fungal disease;
- damage by insect pests;
- incorrectly selected container for planting;
- protracted adaptation period.
All of these factors can affect the health and decorative appearance of the plant . In order to take proper care of the shefflera at home, let's take a closer look at all the points that can disrupt her condition.
Temperature violations
If the temperature is too high or too low, outside the comfortable range for the flower, part of the roots may rot. As a result, the leaves of the plant turn yellow and fall off. If the temperature exceeds 22 degrees or dropped below 12 degrees for a long time, the negative reaction of the flower will not take long. Schefflera also throws off the foliage if the pot is in a draft.
An option for saving the sheffler would be to change her location in your house and create comfortable temperature conditions for her. Before sending the flower to another place, it must be taken out of the pot and all rotten roots removed - the cuts must be made until the white root tissue.
After this procedure, the roots of the plant are treated with any fungicide, and then the flower is planted in fresh soil and a new pot (or the old pot must be washed and disinfected).
Low air humidity
In an apartment with central heating, it is difficult to keep the air humid. This is especially difficult for tropical plants, whose homeland is humid forests. If you do not pay enough attention to this moment, then the leaves of the sheffler fall off, greatly exposing the trunk. You can save the plant by spraying - in winter this must be done daily, at least twice . In addition, the flower can be placed on a pallet with damp expanded clay, which will create additional moisture in the air.
Lighting violation
Scheffler loves not only warmth, but also light. With insufficient supply of ultraviolet rays, the plant loses its foliage. At first, the leaves turn yellow, and then they begin to fall off. However, even in conditions of direct sunlight on the leaves of the flower, it is uncomfortable - sunburns may appear on the leaf plates and the leaves may also begin to turn yellow . In addition, if the plant has little light, then its variegated leaves will become ordinary green in color.
To create optimal illumination, it is necessary to do so that the flower is shaded from the scorching sun, and in the autumn-winter season, place the pot with the plant in such a way that it can be in the light all day long. On those days when the natural illumination duration is less than 12 hours, the sheffler must additionally illuminate with a phytolamp.
Lack or excess of fertilizer
With an insufficient supply of mineral components to the soil, the plant stops growing, its leaves become smaller. Usually, in a fresh soil substrate, a young seedling can do without additional fertilizing during the first year. But if, as the flower grows, it does not receive fertilization for several years in a row, then sooner or later you will see that your shefflera gradually shed its leaves.
This reason is easily eliminated - the flower must be transplanted into a fresh soil substrate and fed with mineral complex fertilizers in the spring-summer period twice a month . With an excess of minerals, in particular the nitrogen component, the plant can also begin to lose its foliage. Knowing this tendency of the flower, apply fertilizer according to the instructions and do not feed your green friend during the dormant period in winter.
Violation of the watering regime
If you water the sheffler irregularly, while allowing the earthen coma to dry out, then very soon you will find brown spots on the leaves, the leaves of the flower wither, and the plant dies of thirst. However, it is not necessary to fill the flower with water, as there is a risk of moisture stagnation near the root system with its subsequent decay . With abundant root damage, the leaves turn yellow, and the shoots of the shefflers turn black.
Compliance with the watering regime can prevent these troubles. Watering is necessary when drying the topsoil . If the plant has already suffered from your inadequate care, trim the damaged shoots, remove rotten roots, treat them with fungicide and transplant the flower into new nutrient soil. Cut off shoots need to be carefully nurtured - put the pot in a warm and bright place, creating greenhouse conditions for it.
If everything is done correctly, the flower will give young growth in spring.
Fungal disease
In conditions of low temperature and high humidity, black rot may appear on the plant. The leaves of the flower darken and become brown, fall off. On the leaves and shoots, you can find mold plaque - all this is a consequence of fungal microorganisms that have activated in a favorable environment for them. The spores of the fungus from the plant crumble into the soil, the infection of the flower occurs regularly, and even the root system suffers . To save the shefflers, you need to remove all affected shoots, leaves and roots from her, treat them with fungicidal agents and transplant them into a new pot with fresh soil substrate.
Insect pests
Pests most often affect the sheffler when it grows in too dry air. Usually, spider mites, mealybugs and scale insects become the cause of leaf fall.
- Mealybug … You can recognize it by the appearance of lumps on the sheffler that look like cotton wool. In this case, the leaves turn yellow and fall off, and on the shoots you will see sticky formations.
- Spider mite . Its presence can be determined by the accumulation of cobweb filaments located on the leaves and their cuttings. On the back of the leaves, you can also see clusters of small insects. Usually, the web quickly envelops the entire plant from top to bottom, the leaves turn yellow and crumble.
- Shield - this pest is very tightly attached to the tissues of the plant and feeds on its juices. Outside, the pest has a protective shell, thanks to which it is perfectly protected from any adverse influences for it. On the leaves you will see small specks - this is how the eaten living tissue of the plant looks like.
To destroy pests, you will need to isolate the plant from other neighbors on the windowsill and begin regular insecticidal treatment.
Wrong container for planting a flower
Sheffler foliage can be shed due to a too tight or, conversely, a spacious pot. Moisture will accumulate in the volume of the free space of the pot, which means that the roots will begin to rot. If the pot is small, then the plant will not have enough room for growth and development.
Choosing the optimal size of the pot will help correct the situation - the new container should be 3-4 centimeters larger than the previous one. In addition, when planting a flower, it is necessary to provide it with a good drainage system - there must be a hole in the pot for the outflow of moisture and a tray where it will drain. All excess moisture from the pallet must be drained immediately . When transplanting a flower, take care of the drainage - 2-3 centimeters of gravel or expanded clay are first poured onto the bottom of the pot, and only then the soil substrate is placed.
Adaptation period
When transporting a plant from the nursery to your home, it is really stressful. Moreover, often in retail outlets, the plant did not receive the necessary care - light, heat and watering. All these factors can adversely affect the condition of the shefflera. The first 1-2 months it will hurt, while some leaves may turn yellow and fall off . After the adaptation is complete, the plant will get used to the new conditions.
If you notice that the lower leaves of the flower are falling off, then you should not panic. For a growing sheffler, this is a normal process provided by nature itself.
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