Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Melanesia, Australia
North America, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Umbrella plant
Amate
Ilex glabra, Ilex crenata, Ilex verticillata
Number of Varieties
10003
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
Coastal Regions, Lowland, Mountains, Subtropical climates, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Red, Purple
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Purple
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water more in summer, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds
Allergy
Dermititis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
-
Part of Plant Used
Root
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
Can be made into a herbal tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
ILEX glabra
Common Name
Octopus Tree
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Silberstein American Pokeweed
In Hindi
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
Inkberry
In German
Octopus tree
Inkberry
In French
arbre Octopus
Inkberry
In Spanish
árbol pulpo
Inkberry
In Greek
χταπόδι δέντρο
Inkberry
In Portuguese
Octopus árvore
Inkberry
In Polish
Ośmiornica drzewo
inkberry
In Latin
polypus ligno
Inkberry
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Apiales
Aquifoliales
Family
Araliaceae
Phytolaccaceae
Genus
Schefflera
Ilex
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Aralioideae
-
Number of Species
15600
1
27800
👆🏻