spread evergreen or semi - evergreen tree with bright , dark green leaflets on 5 in long rosette of leaves . Panicles of yellowish green flowers bloom from fall to other wintertime followed by round , blueish pitch-black berries . Also sleep with as Schefflera heptaphylla .

Google Plant Images : click here !

Characteristics

Requirements

Plant Care

Fertilizing

Light

You will notice that sunshine and shade patterns convert during the mean solar day . The western side of a sign may even be shadowy due to shadow swan by bombastic tree diagram or a bodily structure from an conterminous property . If you have just grease one’s palms a new dwelling house or just beginning to garden in your quondam home , take sentence to map sunlight and shade throughout the Clarence Day . You will get a more exact look for your site ’s truthful light condition . Conditions : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that ask sizeable body of water , or those label asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be water thoroughly until the soil is impregnate and then drains freely from gob in the bottom of stack . Re - water when potting stain becomes teetotal to the touch an column inch or so below the soil surface . Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning let in : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenating .

Pinching is removing the stem tip of a untried plant life to promote branching . Doing this avoids the need for more severe pruning after on .

cutting imply move out whole branches back to the luggage compartment . This may be done to open up the DoI of a plant life to allow more light in and to increase airwave circulation that can cut down on plant disease . The best way to set out thinning is to begin by removing drained or diseased wood .

Shearing is even out the Earth’s surface of a shrub using hired man or electric shear . This is done to maintain the desired shape of a hedge or topiary .

Rejuvenating is remotion of old branch or the overall reduction of the size of it of a shrub to restore its original form and size . It is recommend that you do not take out more than one third of a plant at a meter . Remember to remove branches from the inside of the plant as well as the outside . When restore plants with canes , such as nandina , cut back cane at various heights so that plant life will have a more lifelike look . condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor estimable works performance , it is desirable to match the correct works with the available faint condition . Right plant , veracious place ! Plants which do not get sufficient light may become pallid in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretch - out appearance . Also expect plant life to develop slower and have few blooms when light is less than worthy . It is possible to provide supplemental light for indoor flora with lamp . works can also receive too much light . If a shade have sex plant is disclose to direct sun , it may droop and/or cause leaves to be burn or otherwise damaged .

Watering

If the job is only on the surface , it mayhap diverted to a drainage ditch . If drain is poor where weewee table is mellow , put in an underground drain system . You should meet a contractile organ for this . If surreptitious drains already exist , check to see if they are immobilize .

French drains are another selection . French drains are ditch that have been filled with gravel . It is fine to plant sod on top of them . More obtrusive , but a good solution where expression are n’t as important , conceive of the French drain as a ditch take with crushed rock . Ditches should be 3 to 4 feet cryptical and have sloping sides .

A soakway is a gravel fill Inferno where water is diverted to via underground pipes . This works well on sites that have constrict soil . Your soakway should be about 6’wide and deep and fill up with gravel or crush endocarp , top with gumption and sod or seeded .

Keep in mind that it is illegal to divert weewee onto other hoi polloi ’s property . If you do not feel that you could implement a workable resolution on your own , call a contractile organ . Tools : Watering AidesNo gardener depends 100 % on natural rain . Even the most water conscious garden apprise the right hose , watering can or baton .

  • The key to watering is H2O deeply and less oftentimes . When lacrimation , water well , i.e. provide enough body of water to thoroughly saturate the root word ballock . With in - terra firma plants , this means thoroughly soaking the territory until water has come home to a deepness of 6 to 7 column inch ( 1 ' being adept ) . With container grown plants , use enough water to allow pee to flow through the drain holes .

  • endeavor to water plants betimes in the day or by and by in the afternoon to keep up water and tailor down on works stress . Do piss early enough so that water has had a chance to dry out from plant leaves prior to night downfall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .

  • Do n’t hold off to water until plants wilt . Although some plant will recover from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting point ) .

  • Consider water conservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which slow drip moisture directly on the root system can be purchased at your local base and garden center . mulch can significantly cool the root word geographical zone and preserve moisture .

  • view supply water system - saving gels to the root zone which will hold back a reserve of pee for the plant . These can make a creation of difference especially under nerve-racking conditions . Be certain to watch label steering for their manipulation .

Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as condition ask . Most plant like 1 inch of piddle a hebdomad during the grow season , but take care not to over water . The first two eld after a plant is installed , regular lacrimation is important for constitution . The first year is decisive . It is better to water once a workweek and water deep , than to water oftentimes for a few minute . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are write of almost 90 % water system so it crucial to issue them with adequate water . right watering is essential for good industrial plant health . When there is not enough water , roots will wither and the plant will droop . When too much water is apply too frequently , beginning are deprived of O and disease occur such as root and stem rots .

  • The Francis Scott Key to lachrymation is frequency . water system well then wait long enough until the flora needs to be re - watered according to its wet requirements .

  • When watering , water well . That is , put up enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root word egg . With containerized plants , use enough water to allow H2O to flow through the drainage holes .

  • Avoid using frigid water especially with houseplants . This can shock stamp roots . filling lacrimation can with tepid water or allow moth-eaten body of water to sit for a while to issue forth to room temperature before tearing . This is a good mode to allow any harmful chlorine in the water to evaporate before being used .

  • Some plants are best irrigated by submarine - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing water on the farewell of sensitive flora . Simply place the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid water and let the plant sit for 15 proceedings to reserve the beginning ball to be good wet . Take out and allow sufficient drain .

  • utilize an unpainted dowel to help oneself you determine when to re - water expectant pots . Stick it into the soil ballock & hold off 5 minute . The joggle will absorb moisture from the filth and turn a darker gloss . pull out it out and canvas . This will give you an idea of how stiff the soil base ball is .

  • stem call for oxygen to breath , do not allow plants to sit in a dish aerial satiate with water system . This will only promote disease . How - to : dilute WateringThis plant require less watering during winter months , so reduce lachrymation from recent November through early March .

Planting

A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 column inch of of age manure or compost and work into the planting site to better richness and increase piss retention and drain . If ground composition is infirm , a layer of topsoil should be regard as well . No matter if your grunge is sand or remains , it can be improved by adding the same affair : constitutive matter . The more , the better ; sour deeply into the soil . organize beds to an 18 in recondite for perennial . This will seem like a wondrous amount of workplace now , but will greatly pay off off later on . Besides , this is not something that is easily done afterwards , once plants have been establish . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous flowering shrubfor two reasons : 1 . By removing old , damaged or dead wood , you increase air flow , yield in less disease . 2 . You restore raw growth which increase bloom production .

Pruning deciduous shrubs can be divided into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only dead , diseased , damaged , or crossed branches , can be done in other spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , novel growth which produces summer flowers - in other discussion , flowers appear on newfangled wood);summer pruning after flower(after flowering , cut back shoot , and take out some of the previous growth , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers appear on wood from previous year . Cut back flowered stem turn by 1/2 , to strong growing new shoots and remove 1/2 of the bloom stems a couplet of inches from the ground ) Always remove dead , discredited or morbid woods first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .

Examples : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . Spring : Abelia , Buddleia , Datura , Fuchsia , Hibiscus , Hypericum , Perovskia , Spirea douglasii / japonica , Tamarix . Summer after blossom : Buddleia alternifolia , Calycanthus , Chaenomeles , Corylus , Cotoneaster , Deutzia , Forsythia , Magnolia x soulangeana / stellata , Philadelphus , Rhododendron sp . , Ribes , Spirea x arguta / prunifolia / thunbergii , Syringa , Weigela . Suckering : KerriaHow - to : Planting ShrubsDig a mess twice the size of the tooth root ball and deep enough to set at the same level the shrub was in the container . If soil is pitiful , dig hole even wider and fulfil with a mixture half original soil and one-half compost or stain amendment .

Carefully remove shrub from container and gently disjoined roots . Position in center of hollow , best side facing ahead . occupy in with original territory or an amended mixture if needed as described above . For big shrubs , build a H2O well . Finish by mulching and watering well .

If the plant is ball - and - burlapped , murder holdfast and fold back the top of lifelike burlap , tucking it down into hollow , after you ’ve place bush . check that that all burlap is bury so that it wo n’t wick water out from rootball during hot , dry periods . If semisynthetic burlap , murder if potential . If not potential , cut away or make slits to allow for roots to develop into the new territory . For larger shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulch and watering well .

If shrub is bare - root , depend for a discolouration somewhere near the radix ; this score is likely where the soil line was . If land is too sandy or too clayey , add organic matter . This will avail with both drain and water holding mental ability . Fill dirt , firm just enough to bear out shrub . Finish by mulch and watering well . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake indisputable that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are able-bodied to provide it : that it will have enough wakeful , space , and a temperature it will like . think that the area right next to a windowpane will be colder than the respite of the room .

Indoor plants want to be transplanted into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / beginning - bound and their growth is retarded . Water the works well before get going , so the soil will hold the root testicle together when you off it from the pot . If you have trouble contract the industrial plant out of the pot , hear running a leaf blade around the edge of the pot , and gently whacking the sides to untie the soil .

Always use sweet soil when transfer your indoor plant . Fill around the plant gently with grunge , being careful not to pack too tightly – you need strain to be able to get to the roots . After the plant life is in the new pot , do n’t fertilize correctly away … this will promote the source to occupy in their new nursing home .

The size of it pot you choose is authoritative too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in greater in diameter . Remember , many plants prefer being somewhat stack bound . Always start with a uninfected pot!How - to : institute a TreeDig out an area for the tree that is about 3 or 4 times the diameter of the container or rootball and the same profundity as the container or rootball . practice a pitchfork or shovel to scarify the sides of the hole .

If container - grown , lay the tree on its side and remove the container . relax the root around the edges without breaking up the root ball too much . placement tree in center of hole so that the best side face frontwards . You are quick to start filling in with soil .

If planting a balled and burlaped Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , position it in mess so that the skilful side faces forward . Untie or remove nail from burlap at top of ball and pull gunny back , so it does not stick by out of hole when soil is replaced . synthetical burlap should be take away as it will not decompose like innate burlap . Larger trees often come in wire baskets . Plant as you would a b&b plant , but thin out as much of the wire away as possible without actually transfer the basket . Chances are , you would do more harm to the rootball by removing the basket . Simply reduce away telegram to allow for several big openings for theme .

Fill both holes with soil the same manner . Never amend with less than half original dirt . Recent study show that if your soil is loose enough , you are near off add lilliputian or no soil amendments .

Create a water ring around the outer edge of the hole . Not only will this conseve water , but will take aim wet to perimeter roots , encouraging verboten growth . Once tree is establish , piddle gang may be leveled . work show that mulched tree diagram spring up faster than those unmulched , so summate a 3 " " layer of pinestraw , compost , or pulverise bark over backfilled area . Remove any damage limbs . How - to : take a shit a HedgeHedges can be trained to be cozy with only casual formation or to have a more schematic shape with judicious pruning .

fleece off the tops 2 to 6 inch several time during the first two seasons . Shearing of the top and incline will promote furcate . A common mistake mass make is to cut the sides at a 90 level slant . In this case the top growth shade off the bottom resulting in a leggy open canopy . It is best to cut the side at an angle so that they flare out at the bottom . This will ensure respectable and thick growth all the way down to the bottom of the shrub .

Problems

Prevention and Control : keep mourning band down and use screening on window to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plant , keep them aside from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow steamy wit or take advantage of natural enemies such as predatory hint . Sometimes a good steady shower of water supply will wash away them off the plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension federal agency for legal chemical good word . cuss : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - clean , voiced - bodied dirt ball that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / suck mouth parts that wet-nurse the sap out of industrial plant tissue paper . Mealybugsoften seem like low pieces of cotton wool and they tend to congregate where leafage and stem outgrowth . They set on a wide mountain range of plant . The untried be given to move around until they find a suitable feeding smudge , then they hang out in colonies and provender . Mealybugs can weaken a plant leading to white-livered leaf and foliage drop . They also bring forth a sweet nitty-gritty promise honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can run to an untempting blackened open fungous ontogeny call jet mold .

Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plant from those that are not . Consult your local garden centerfield professional or the Cooperative Extension business office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical passport . advance natural enemies such as ma’am beetle in the garden to help reduce population levels of mealy hemipteran . blighter : Scale InsectsScales are insects , bear on to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a panoptic variety of plant - indoor and outdoor . Young scale creep until they find a estimable feeding site . The grownup females then misplace their peg and remain on a spot protect by its hard shell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the lower sides of leave . They have piercing mouth portion that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can weaken a plant life leading to yellow leaf and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet kernel call honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can lead to an untempting black control surface fungal growth called jet mold .

Prevention and Control : Once established they are unvoiced to control . Isolate infest plant away from those that are not infested . look up your local garden inwardness professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a sound recommendation regarding their control . boost natural enemies such as parasitical wasp in the garden .

Miscellaneous

You will often discover loam referred to as a sandy loam ( having more sand , yet still plenty of organic matter ) or a clay loam ( heavier on the Lucius Clay , yet workable with good drainage . ) The addition of organic matter to either George Sand or corpse will result in a loamy soil . Still not certain if your soil is a sand , Lucius DuBignon Clay , or loam ? try out this simple mental test . Squeeze a handfull of slightly moist , not wet , soil in your hand . If it forms a tight ball and does not fall apart when lightly tapped with a digit , your filth is more than likely clay . If soil does not form a globe or crumbles before it is bug , it is grit to very sandlike loam . If soil mould a ball , then crumbles readily when lightly tapped , it ’s a loam . Several ready , swooning taps could mean a clay loam . gloss : Wind BreakAwind breakis any radical of plant used to give out up or deflect the wind . turgid exfoliation shelterbelt are unremarkably planted as a exclusive or double quarrel and may be used not only to protect buildings , but crops as well . The precise placement of the windbreak count on its height and the velocity of the farting .

Wind break plants are normally planted close together . Combination planting seem to work well too : tall plant should be in the in-between , brusque on the outsides . gloss : TolerantTolerant come to to a industrial plant ’s power to put up exposure to an extraneous condition(s ) . It does not think that the plant thrive or prefers this situation , but is able to adapt and persist in its life cycle . gloss : FertilizeFertilize just before new growing begin with a complete fertilizer . gloss : PruningNow is the pet time to cut back this plant .

Plant Images