Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern Asia, China
Central America, Mexico
Types
Schefflera actinophylla, Schefflera morototoni, Schefflera heptaphylla
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-157-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-1
Sunset Zone
21,22
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
243.84 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
182.88 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Bronze
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Orange, Black
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, 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
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize once a year
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
-
Cold climate
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Aphids, Birds, Bugs, Wildlife
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
breathing problems, Burning sensation, Difficulty swallowing, Poisonous, Swelling
Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Indoor Air Purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Abdominal Disease, Arthritis, Bleeding, Kidney Stones, Muscle Pain, Recovering internal injuries, Rheumatism, Swelling, Upset stomach
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Root
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Container, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedge
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Foundation, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
SCHEFFLERA arboricola
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Umbrella plant
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
Arboricola
Plant
Mousemelon
In German
arboricola
Pflanze
Maus Melone
In French
arboricola
Plante
Mousemelon
In Spanish
arboricola
Planta
Mousemelon
In Greek
Αρμπορικόλα
Φυτό
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
arboricola
Plantar
melão rato
In Polish
arboricola
Roślina
mysz melona
In Latin
arboricola
planta
mouse melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Vascular plant
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Apiales
Cucurbitales
Family
Araliaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Schefflera
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Melothrieae
Subfamily
Aralioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
15050
1
27800
👆🏻