Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:39 pm
If you want to propagate your Schefflera, you have several options. We present three different methods for propagating the ray arable.
The Schefflera is also known as the ray aralia. It is an evergreen plant that is one of the more robust species and requires little care. The Schefflera has a straight growth habit and forms long stemmed green leaves on one or more stems. It can grow up to two meters high.
Originally from Taiwan, the Schefflera is not a regionally grown plant. This clouds its sustainability record, as it is usually imported from Asia, leaving a comparatively large carbon footprint. Unfortunately, this is true of most houseplants, as many popular species do not originate in European countries. With balcony plants, on the other hand, you have a wider domestic choice.
One advantage of Schefflera, however, is that it is easy to propagate via cuttings, making the purchase of additional specimens unnecessary. For example, you can search online classifieds or a neighborhood app to see if someone is giving away a cutting.
Basically, you have three options for propagating a Schefflera: head cuttings, stem cuttings and leaf cuttings. The basic procedure is always the same, you just use different parts of the plant. No matter which method you choose: It is best to cut the cuttings in summer. This time of year is best for propagating a Schefflera because the shoots will have matured sufficiently. Below we present the three propagation options in detail.
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propagate Schefflera by head cuttings
Head cuttings are considered the easiest way to propagate a Schefflera. This involves cutting off the shoot ends of your Schefflera and planting them separately. Here’s how the method works:
- Take a sharp, clean knife. It’s best to disinfect the knife before you cut the cuttings to avoid contaminating the cut.
- Select a shoot on the plant that is capable of propagation. The shoots should already have developed three to five pairs of leaves, be eight to ten centimeters long and not too soft.
- Place the knife below a leaf node and cut the shoot. The cut surface should be at an angle.
- Remove the lowest leaves of the shoot and place it in a glass of water so that it can develop roots. Change the water every two to three days.
- After a few weeks, root threads will form on the cuttings. Then take them out of the water and plant them about five centimeters deep in a container with peat-free growing soil.
- Place the container in a warm and sunny place and water the young plant regularly. Over time, it will grow up and form new shoots.
propagate Schefflera by stem cuttings.
Another way to propagate your Schefflera is through stem cuttings. You grow them from the stem tip of the plant. Here’s how you do it:
Take a sharp, clean knife. It is best to disinfect the knife so that the cut is not contaminated.
Cut off the woody stem tip of the Schefflera below a leaf node. If you want to grow multiple cuttings, you can also cut pieces from the remaining stem shoot that are about eight to five inches long. Make sure that each cutting has at least one leaf node (“eye”). Otherwise, it will not be able to form leaves.
Place the stem cuttings in water jars to root them. Change the water every two to three days.
After a few weeks, root threads will form on the stem cuttings. Then take them out of the water and plant them about five inches deep in a container with peat-free growing soil.
Place the container in a warm and sunny place and water the young plant regularly. In time, it will grow up and produce new shoots.
propagate Schefflera by leaf cuttings
The third way to propagate a Schefflera is through leaf cuttings. Here you use the long stemmed leaves of the plant to grow new seedlings. However, this method is usually less successful than propagation via head or stem cuttings, because often the leaves only produce roots and not new shoots.
Take a sharp, clean knife. Disinfect the knife before cutting.
Cut off a large, healthy leaf of Schafflera complete with its stem base at the base.
Place the leaf cutting in a glass of water for rooting. Change the water every two to three days.
As with the other two methods, the cutting should form root filaments after a few weeks. Then you can take it out of the water and plant it. Place it about five centimeters deep in a container with peat-free growing soil.
Place the container in a warm and sunny place and water the leaf cuttings regularly. It is possible that it will produce new shoots, but this is not the rule.