Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
Melanesia, Australia
Europe, Asia
Types
Umbrella plant
Amate
Thodopuza, Red streaked, Alleppey
Number of Varieties
100030
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
Loamy soils, Tropical Forests, Tropical regions, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-157-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm50.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm100.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink
Green, Light Green, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Purple
Tan, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Purple
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Long Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Mid Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Heat Tolerance, Humidity
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
From Rhizomes, Root Division
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
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
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
Cut back old stems to the ground, Prune after harvesting, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, Fertilize the soil before planting, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Leaf Hoppers, Mites, Scale, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Shallow soil
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Aphids, Caterpillar, Mites, Rabbits, Snails
Allergy
Dermititis
Abdominal distension, Blurred vision, Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Anti-ageing, Blackheads, Blood purifying, Making cosmetics, Natural Sunscreen, Remove blemishes, Skin inflammation
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Prevent weeds, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
Abdominal Disease, Acne, Alzheimer’s Disease, Antibacterial, antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Atherosclerosis, Brain disease, Carminative, Cold, Diarrhea, Digestion problems, Eczema, Liver problems, Menstrual Cramps, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms, Treatment of ulcers, Urinary tract problems
Part of Plant Used
Root
Whole plant
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Used as an ointment, Used as colouring in foods, Used as insect repellent
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Alpine, Cutflower, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
Curcuma longa
Common Name
Octopus Tree
Turmeric, Curcuma
In Hindi
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
हल्दी
In German
Octopus tree
Kurkuma
In French
arbre Octopus
curcuma
In Spanish
árbol pulpo
Curcuma longa
In Greek
χταπόδι δέντρο
κουρκούμη
In Portuguese
Octopus árvore
curcuma
In Polish
Ośmiornica drzewo
kurkuma
In Latin
polypus ligno
turmeric
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Apiales
Zingiberales
Family
Araliaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Schefflera
Curcuma
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Zingibereae
Subfamily
Aralioideae
Zingiberoideae
Number of Species
15100
1
27800
👆🏻