Schefflera macrophylla Seeds | Large-leaved Schefflera
LATIN NAME: Schefflera macrophylla
COMMON NAME: Large-Leaved Schefflera
Plant Profile
Large-leaved schefflera is an evergreen shrub or small tree, up to ten metres in the wild and usually smaller in cultivation, with an upright, sparingly branched trunk and a crown of enormous leaves. Each leaf is palmately divided into nine to fifteen leaflets, radiating from the end of a long stalk, and the whole leaf can be sixty to ninety centimetres across. The leaflets are leathery, glossy and deep green, with a prominent pale midrib and a wavy margin, and they hang slightly, so that the plant has a bold, umbrella-like outline.
The new growth is the best moment: the leaflets unfold from a tight, reddish, finger-like bud and open soft and pale green before they harden and darken. The flowers are small and greenish, carried in a large, branching panicle of rounded umbels above the foliage, and they are followed by small, round, dark fruits taken by birds. The species is native to the warm, wet forests of Yunnan, southeastern Tibet, Myanmar and Vietnam, where it grows as an understorey tree in deep shade on rich, acid soil. It is one of the largest-leaved of the Asian scheffleras, and it is grown mostly by collectors for the sheer scale of its foliage.
Science & Biotechnology
Schefflera has turned out to be one of the more interesting problems in the study of the aralia family. The genus as traditionally defined is polyphyletic: the Asian species, the Neotropical species and the Pacific species do not form a single group, and molecular work has led to the breakup of the old genus and the transfer of many species to other genera. The Asian species, including this one, remain in Schefflera in the narrow sense, and their relationships are still being worked out. The genus is also studied for its leaf development, because the palmately compound leaf is built by a process that combines prolonged meristem activity at the leaf margin with the suppression of blade outgrowth between the leaflets, and the genetics of that process are of general interest.
Ecologically, the species is an understorey tree of humid forest, and its huge leaves are an adaptation to low light: a large blade area intercepts what little light reaches the forest floor, and the leathery texture and thick cuticle protect it from damage in a wet, shaded environment. Some Asian scheffleras begin life as epiphytes or hemiepiphytes, germinating in the crotch of a host tree and sending roots down to the ground, and although this species is normally terrestrial, the habit occurs in the genus and is part of its interest. The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals, as most araliads do, which makes the sap and the foliage irritating to the skin and toxic if eaten.
Uses & Benefits
The plant is grown as a foliage specimen, and it is one of the most architectural of all houseplants, with a presence that most indoor plants cannot match. In a warm climate it can be planted in a shaded border or a courtyard, where it makes a bold, tropical statement. It is also used in large public plantings and hotel atriums, where its tolerance of shade and its tolerance of neglect are both assets. It is not a plant for a small room, since a mature specimen needs two metres of height and as much width.
The species has no significant medicinal or culinary use, and the oxalate content means it should be kept away from children and pets that might chew the leaves. In its native range the wood is occasionally used for light construction, and the plant is sometimes grown around villages as an ornamental. It is not a commercial crop, and its value in cultivation is entirely ornamental.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed on the surface of a loose, well-drained mix, cover lightly, and keep at twenty-five to twenty-eight degrees with high humidity and bright, filtered light. Germination takes four to eight weeks. The seed loses viability quickly, so fresh material is much more reliable than stored. Prick the seedlings out as soon as they can be handled, into a mix with added bark and perlite, and grow them on in a warm, shaded place.
Pot the plants on every year or two, into a free-draining mix, and keep them out of direct sun, which scorches the leaves. Water generously in summer and reduce in winter, but do not let the compost dry completely. Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly through the growing season. In cool climates the plant needs a heated greenhouse or a bright room, with a minimum of about ten degrees. Repotting is best done in spring, and the plant resents root disturbance, so handle the root ball carefully.
Our Take
A foliage plant of real presence, best grown as a specimen in a warm, shaded place. Give it humidity, indirect light and room to spread, and it will make a piece of architecture out of a plant.
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