Find Your Ask the Expert: re ny brassia actinophylla
have had indoors for the winter season and it has nearly lost all its leaves. what am i doing wrong. do not want to loose this lovely plant . have had almost five years. help me. Debbie
Reply:
Debbie,
Let’s examine the reasons that a green schefflera (Brassia actinophylla) loses leaves.
Extreme temperature changes. If the plant is used to one temperature an there is a sudden shift in temperature, it will lose its leaves. Is the plant in the path of an air vent? If so, move it where it will stay warm but not exposed to hot or cold air.
Insufficient light. If the plant isn’t getting enough light the leaves will turn yellow and drop off. Make sure the plant is in bright light. However, directly in front of a window can cause a burning issue with the leaves.
Water issues. If the plant is too wet or too dry the leaves will drop off. Does the soil feel dry or have you let it get dry? If this is the case, water the plant and make sure you keep it moderately moist. If it is too wet, make should it has proper drainage and don’t water till it is slightly dry.
Pathogens. If the plant has an issue with insects the leaves could drop off. Check the fallen leaves for signs of insects or sticky substances. You might need a magnifying glass to see the insects. If this is the problem you will need an insecticide.
Once you determine what is wrong, you can easily correct it. I have seen these plants drop all of their leaves and make a full recovery. The most important thing is to watch for new growth. If the plant is forming new growth, you should be ok.
We have a plant care page for Schefflera. It might have some information that will be helpful. You will have to scroll down the page to see the care information.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
My schefflera has also been losing it’s leaves. I had it outside because it is toxic and I have indoor cats. But, I brought it in for winter. It was doing wonderful… So full and I even had to transfer it twice. I noticed within a couple of weeks of bringing it indoors that nearly half the leaves had come off. This scared me and I thought it might be because it was used to sunlight. So, I started taking it out during the sunny and warmer days, as it has been nice here so far this winter. But, they continue to fall. Perhaps it is the temperature. It shows new growth but I have noticed the new growth is fragile and comes off too if touched. It still has about a quarter of it’s leaves and even more new growth but I was still worried about it. Good to know there is still hope for it to come back better than ever come Spring. I just wanted to make sure it’s normal and can be fixed.
Thanks,
Brandy
Your schefflera is most likely under stress caused by changes in it’s environment. If you’re bringing it indoors for the winter, make sure it’s out of range for air vents and other drafts. Keep the plant in a bright, sunny location out of direct sunlight. Unless the temperature outside is the same as the temperature inside, leave it where it is, especially while recovering. Be sure to keep it moderately moist and mist lightly during the winter. You should see new growth improve soon
I just recently purchased two Schefflera and they looked really healthy but I transplanted them and now they are losing about a dozen leaves per day and the new growth seems stunted. I am very careful to make sure the pot has proper gravel/moss drainage and the air/heat has not been running so it is not subjected to drafts. It is in a room with a southwest facing window that receives bright afternoon sun and I water it once a week making sure the soil remains moist. I am suspect it is because I bought them from a greenhouse which was warm and humid and brought them into my house which is cooler and dry. The climate is too cold for them to survive outdoors. The leaves are not yellow or dying but they are a healthy dark green and then just fall off. You said it is easy to fix any problems, however how can I fix the climate? I can’t simulate the humid warm environment of a greenhouse. Will they eventually adapt to their new setting? It has been over 2 weeks.
Jordan, Scheffleras are known for being finicky about moving around. Likely, it is just in a shock and should recover within 2-4 weeks. However, there are a few things you could try to help your new companion along. 1.) Many people tend to over-water when their plant is under-the-weather. Just make sure your soil stays consistently moist, but not soggy or standing water. 2.) Think about the conditions of the greenhouse and how it is different from your home. Was your plant used to lots more sun before the move? If so, see what you can do about giving it more light. Even the room light would be better than before. 3.) If your home is dry, it is a good idea to get a mist bottle. Schefflera does not like to be misted on the leaves like many plants, but it does like the humidity of misting. Spray a fine mist in the air surrounding your plant often to help add moisture to the air. These tips should help your plant perk up in no time. Stay away from fertilizer and other things that might add to the shock of the plant, at least until it is better. Most importantly, don’t over-think it.. just let the plant bounce back on it’s own. Hope this helps!
Thank you very much! Your information was great! I will use your tips and be patient for a few more weeks while they hopefully bounce back.
Thank you for the information about schefflera. I have a beautiful 30 year old schefflera that started turning yellow and dropping her leaves. I think it is because of the extremely cold weather we had, and I had a window open nearby. I will be sure not to do that again! There is some new growth of leaves, so hopefully she will recover. Also, she is potbound, but way too big for me to transplant. Your site is very informative, thanks again.
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Claudia,
I recommend you start a new plant by taking cuttings from this one.
During our holidays my friend watered our plants. Afterwards I went to water them myself but noticed the leaves of our schefflera started to turn black and found the earth was soaked and it was standing in water. I drained it and put it in a larger pot but four weeks on the earth is still fairly wet. Any suggestions?
Veronica,
The leaves turning black is, as you’ve already presumed, an indication of the plant being over-watered. When you get back to your routine, the schefflera should recover. You’ll have to prune the blackened leaves. They can’t get back to their natural state.
Thanks,
Ed
My lovely, 10 year old large schefflera:
1. grew a bunch of new leaves at the bottom of the stock.
2. top leaves turned brown and dry, then dropped off.
3. now the new ‘bottom’ leaves – about 3 different ‘stocks’ of their own – have turned brown and dry – and are starting to drop off.
I’ve never over watered this plant, and it stays in indirect sunlight.
Any suggestions. I love this plant, and don’t want to lose it.
Sunshower,
Look for the signs of spider mites or mealy bugs. If you have them, you can wash the plant and use a neem oil to get rid of the insects. Also check to make sure the drain holes in your container are not clogged. Root rot could be occurring if the drain holes are not allowing the water to drain away from the plant properly. Once you correct the problem the plant should recover.
I received a scheffellera from my best friend’s funeral and I do not want to lose it, It is beautiful but I”m having a problem keeping it.tThe leaves are turnng brown, drying up and falling off. I have a plant light on it and hope this is not the problem. It is not in the direct sunlight and it is in a cool dry place away from draft or heat. I don’t know what else to do. It is in the same pot I received it in and I’m going to change the pot in the spring if it doesn’t die first.
Shell,
Scheffleras must get medium-light, which means they need bright, but indirect light. How much are you watering it? They don’t do well in soaking wet water. It’s best to wait until the soil dries out and then thoroughly soak the soil when you water. See if this changes anything.
Mine came from a greenhouse that didn’t seem to be taking care of it well. It has spotted white ponder looking “stuff” all over it which is believe is powdery mildew. I have been treating it once a week with neem oil. The plant does have new growth. I live in a north facing window so I have a grow light that I keep on it during the day plus the light that comes in through a large sliding glass door window. Some leaves turn yellow and eventually the whole branch falls off and other leaves towards the top curl. Some even have black spots that turn into sections that look like something is eating the plant. I bought a plant hydrometer so that I could better watch the watering. Any suggestions? Not sure what to do at this point.
Thanks,
Mary
Hi Mary,
It sounds like there could be a few different things affecting your Schefflera. If the plant isn’t getting enough light, the leaves will turn yellow and drop off. Make sure the plant is in bright, indirect light. Directly in front of a window can cause a burning issue with the leaves.
It also sounds like you could have a disease or pest issue. Pseudomonas leaf blight can cause small water-soaked areas that enlarge and turn black. The best way to treat or prevent this is to keep the leaves dry, and remove any infected leaves. Alternaria and Phytophthora leaf spot can both cause similar symptoms. These are both fungal infections, and can be treated by keeping the leaves completely dry can eliminate the disease without the need for fungicides. There are several pests that could be affecting your plant. The most common are scale and red spider mites. Using a magnifying glass, inspect your Schefflera, especially under the leaves. This is the best way to identify any pests that may be causing problems with your plant and how to get rid of them.
I have a Schefflera plant that has plenty of new growth, however it is losing its “fullness” inside. It drops about 10-15 green leaves daily. It sits just beside a West facing window. There is a vent next to it but I feel it’s far enough away from the plant to not effect it. I’m not noticing any discoloration in the leaves but they just keep dropping. Please help! Cleanup is becoming as frequent as doing the dishes.
Hi Michelle,
Your plant could be experiencing a watering issue. This can be caused by a plant being too wet or too dry. Check your soil by sticking your finger in to the first knuckle and pulling our a little soil. If you can roll the soil into a ball and water comes out when you squeeze it, your plant is too wet. If the soil doesn’t roll into a ball, it is too dry, and if the soil rolls into a ball but no water comes out when you squeeze it, it’s just right. Also, make sure your plant is draining well. You may want to check your leaves for any signs of an insect infestation as well. As long as your plant continues to produce new growth, it should be ok.
Is any amount of shedding leaves normal for a Schefflrra as it ages? If so, how much is normal and would it be the bottom oldest leaves and stems that fall off?
Hi Jeannie,
Are your leaves turning yellow or brown before dropping? It is possible it could be losing some leaves due to age, but if a Schefflera is losing a large amount of leaves, it is likely due to a problem with the plant.
Hi,
I have an old schefflera that is dropping leaves and not growing. It’s in the same spot where it had been doing well. It is very root bound – roots are growing into the saucer under the pot. Should I try repotting in a larger pot? Thanks so much.
Hi Brenda,
It sounds like it is definitely time to repot your Schefflera!
moved my very big and old plant to a new corner for more room and now some of the leaves have devoloped dark spots and are falling off. have read all the suggestions above and am still stuck for answer, please advise
It’s possible that your Schefflera could be dropping leaves due to the move. Any change in the plant’s environment will cause some degree of shock. However, your plant may also have fungal or bacterial leaf spot. Both of these can cause black spots on plant leaves. These usually start as a dark tan or yellow spot, and then grow. These spread by air and water, so it is very important to keep your plant’s leaves dry. Remove infected leaves and place them in a sealed bag before disposing of them.
Hi,
I have the same problem with my 30 year old Schefflera as s gross above wrote on 9-20-17. If I remove all the leaves with brown/black spots that will be most of the leaves on the plant. This is the first time I have had this problem. Is there a systemic fungicide that can be used to control the blight and if so can you recommend one? This plant is too large to be moved and I can’t spray it where it is located right now. Thanks…
I have a schefflera that I got about a month ago. It dropped two leaves yesterday. I purchased it to be a indoor plant in front of a west facing window. The blinds are open in the morning only, so that it doesn’t receive afternoon sun.
The leaves that dropped are still a nice green, but the veins are yellow streaked. I placed these in a water rooting solution, but I don’t want to lose this plant. Thanks for the help!
What kind of light is your Schefflera located in? Make sure it’s getting enough light. Insufficient light can cause the leaves to yellow and fall off.
I have had a Schefflera for 7 years from my mother’s funeral and it just recently started looking sick. There are two,stocks coming from the soil and the smaller stalk is almost dead! The larger one is losing leaves. Do I need to transplant it? How can i save the smaller one?
My Schefflara came inside for the winter the end of September. It’s in the same west facing window it was in last year. Soil feels appropriately moist, no mites or bugs on leaves but green leaves are dropping every day. Today I noticed some leaves are ripple like the edges might start to turn up. Help. I really love this plant. It was a gift I started from a shoot about 5 years ago and has been replanted once.
I have a 45 year old schedulers that is suddenly drooping at the top of the branches. The branch is bending under & the leaves feel like tissue paper. Have never had this happen before. It has not been moved so no shock there. I have no idea what the problem is. I don’t want to lose this plant after all these years. Hope you can help!!!
I have inherited a 30 year old Schefflera and everything seemed fine until recently. We moved it into a different room over Christmas and have moved it back. It seemed ok but then I noticed it was dropping quite a lot of leaves. Most of these were brown and old. But then I noticed it has flowered. I am so excited about this but have also noticed that whilst it has a lot of new growth a lot of these new leaves and stems are turning yellow and falling off before they fully grow. Soil is damp so have avoided watering. It’s massive so I wonder it needs repotting? I don’t want to stress it out though. I’m hoping the flowering is a good sign?
I left a comment last night asking about my 45 year old Schefflera Plant. Wondering if you received it?
Hi Debbie,
There are different reasons why your plant is acting in this way. If it hasn’t been moved, then it isn’t due to stress. This leaves three other options to why. Those reasons are too little water, too much water, and low root oxygen. If the plant your soil is planted in becomes too dry in between times you’re watering it, it will start to droop a little. This plant loves being in humid areas, so if it persists consider putting the plant on a pebble try to increase the humidity level around the foliage. The next option is that it has been overwatered. So what you can do is check the soil and the drainage holes to make sure that it’s draining properly. Which leads to low oxygen root levels. If the soil is left wet for too long it is susceptible to pathogens attacking the roots. Consider trying to dry the roots out a bit and then replanting the schefflera. I hope this helped you some determine how to help your plant!
Hi Debbie,
Yes, we did, and we have left you a response. Hope it helps!
If the plant is too big for the pot it is in, then yes, you need to transplant it to a larger pot. However, there are some other signs you might want to check for. Those signs are too much water, not enough water, and if the roots are getting enough oxygen.
Hi Nancy,
It could be the shift in temperature. While you might have brought it inside for the winter, it is still adjusting to the indoor temperature.
Hi Sarah,
You might try giving it some time before thinking about repotting it. If it has readjusted to being back in its old spot, then you might consider giving it a bigger pot to grow in. We have a great blog about what to do when a schefflera plant goes into shock: https://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/schefflera-repotting-recovery/
Good Morning,
I’m in need of some help with my plant. I have had it a few months and it was full and beautiful, however now all my leaves are turning black and falling off, along with some of the stems at times. It’s in a big pot that is was originally purchased in. I have not re-potted it. I water it every other day with about 24oz of water. It is inside and sits at the bottom of my staircase where I feel like its getting adequate sunlight, I also turn on the light from upstairs that shines directly down on it overnight. I was told at time of purchase that if it’s inside where the A/C (TX) is ran daily that it would need to be watered more often. I cannot seem to keep the leafs from turning black and falling off. I do enjoy this plant, it was big and full of leaves. I would like to get it back to it’s original state. Please help!
Thank you for any assistance .
Hi Kevin. It sounds to me like you may be overwatering your Schefflera. Indoor Schefflera plants only need water about once a week. You can wait until the soil is dry, and then soak the soil.
Hi Kevin. I read (another site) that Scheffleras grow fast and should be cut back to keep them bushy. Wondering if you agree, and if so, where would you cut? TIA
My lovely three year old schefflera has two branches with new leaves on them. Suddenly the leaves have begun to curl and turn brown. The plant is in a picture window and is watered weekly. Any suggestions as to what may be causing this problem? Ty
Hi Betty,
Curling leaves are usually a sign of too little water. You might try watering the plant a little more throughout the week – but not too much. Try watering once more during the week and see if that helps.