Thursday, June 19, 2014

Schefflera brevipedunculata is my favorite plant in the garden; this week…

Schefflera brevipedunculata is first and foremost (and obviously) a schefflera. Ya’ll know I am head over heels for the scheffleras. And while I’ve always been pleased to have this plant in my garden I’ve never been “in love” with it like I am my other schefflera. You see I fell for, and dreamed about, S. taiwaniana and S. delavayi long before they were mine. Schefflera brevipedunculata is a plant I stumbled upon one afternoon and snatched up.

Early this spring when I moved the “too big for the space” Fatsia polycarpa 'Needham's Lace' I thought long and hard about what to put in its place. Logic said it should be a mid-sized perennial, something better suited size-wise. But darn it, I had this wonderful “multi-stemmed shrub or small tree” that needed a place in the ground and I like seeing something evergreen in this spot. Something kind of large.

So here it is, and I’m loving it. The leaves are smaller than the Fatsia, so maybe even if it starts to lean out into the path it will still be okay?

Speaking of the leaves I accidentally broke off one of the two growing tips earlier this spring. On some level I knew it was like “pinching back” and it would recover.

But seeing that glorious silver new foliage fall to the ground was heart-crushing. However there is a happy ending and I now have 3 growing tips rather than two.

And the older one is going to bloom, not that their blooms are anything to write home about.

So why is this plant my favorite this week? Because as I pass by it I’ve come to really focus on, and love, the strange leaf pattern of 3 held above 5 ...

The stats on Schefflera brevipedunculata:
  • evergreen shrub, hardy in USDA Zones 7 thru 10
  • likes partial shade to full sun (although I doubt the bit about full sun)
  • needs regular watering
  • 10 to 15 feet tall and wide (!!!)
Monrovia's description: From the mountains of Vietnam comes this unique multi-stemmed shrub or small tree with umbrella-like palmate leaves. Stunning tropical foliage emerges pale fawn in spring, maturing to rich deep green. Mid-summer flowers are followed by purple fruit. Adds excellent texture to the landscape. Makes a superb container plant in colder climates. Newly recognized in the Flora of China, the name of Schefflera brevipedunculata is a work in progress. A close ally to Schefflera alpiinia this unique shrub may indeed prove to be a variety of it.

Is there anything you've noticed looking especially good in your garden this week?

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

21 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 19, 2014

    Your S. brevipedunculata is looking very healthy and attractive. I like this genus, I also have this species along with tawaniana, S. t 'Yaun Shan', delavayi, fengii, minutistellata, and gracilis. I also had S. hoi, but the fall/winter of 2010/11 killed the three plants I had of this species. Monrovia is now selling S. gracilis and claim several nurseries in the PNW are carrying it. This species has leaves that look very similiar to brevipedunculata. It is a smaller plant, only getting to 3 to 5 feet tall, but is only rated to zone 8. If you have a spot in your garden that is protected from the cold winds this plant, because of its size, might work well in your garden. Both gracilis and brevipedunculata are very sensative to soil moisture. A friend who had a one gallon size brevipdedunculata and mine which was your plant's size died this winter after we put compost over their roots. I don't think it was the cold because I have two one gallon plants near the larger plant that I didn't put compost on and they survived the cold without showing any stress or damage.

    I always enjoy your post and garden.

    John, Aberdeen

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    1. Thank you for the warning about soil moisture, I'd read about it online and was concerned. I always enjoy your comments!

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  2. I saw this scheff at a nursery this week, which might be the first time I've seen these hardy scheffs show up locally in SoCalif. I've been on the lookout for delavayi and was beginning to wonder about their heat tolerance. So there was brevi, mine for the taking, but it was seriously underwhelming and looked stressed and out of sorts, nothing like your lush, happy fellow. It was a Hinkley/Monrovia intro. Since it's the only scheff I've seen locally, maybe I should reconsider...

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    1. Denise you should be able to procure a delavayi at Cistus in a couple of weeks. Do not settle, hold out for gold!

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  3. If only there were a drought tolerant Schefflera! I'd love to use them in the partly shady area between our place and our neighbor's driveway. Here's my drought tolerant selection of the week: http://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2014/06/my-favorite-plant-this-week-leonotis.html

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    1. Maybe in a shade spot where you could be extra diligent about throwing a little water on it?

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  4. Loree - I'm sorry to say it's possible I may have to stop reading your blog. Every single time you post, I find myself browsing for online sources of the plants you mention - thinking that maybe I can tweak the limits just far enough to grow them in our scorched earth part of the world. Why, just last week I received the Lomatia tinctoria that has no business at all in my garden. Actually, that bear had the right idea by simply moving into your garden. Just giving you fair warning ...

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    1. You bought a Lomatia tinctoria? Yay! I hope you have much success with it. And I will be happy to bring you a pillow, should you decide to stay.

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  5. Beautiful. I really like the pink petioles. In my experience so far, the genus Schefflara are an expensive clan. Dang it anyway.

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    1. Ya that whole supply and demand thing isn't working in our favor here.

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  6. Very nice Loree, your specimen is looking even better than ever. Sigh, I miss having one now...

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    1. Surely it would be easy for you guys to find a replacement, if you're so inclined.

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  7. Now I know what I´ll buy if I find out I can take samething back to Spain...

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  8. The leaf form is fetching, and the pinkish stems boost it to fabulous.

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    1. Yes indeed, how could I not mention the red petioles!

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  9. I love the pattern of bigger and smaller leaves. I think that feature is interesting enough that this may be my favorite schefflera so far. I'm nursing along one very small S. delavayi that started as a rooted basal shoot, but haven't bought any others.

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    1. There was a point last year where I thought they were reaching some sort of critical mass, where they would suddenly be more available and cheaper. I was wrong.

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  10. People tell me I might gain an appreciation for wine when I'm older (haha, bit late for that I think, how old do I have to get?). I don't know if it's the same with schefflera? I'm trying to see what others see, because it's a popular plant with a loyal following (or maybe my favourite bloggers have it in common). I see the tag said it's great for texture and a tropical look, which I can sort of see (the foliage does look great against your house)... You mentioned 3 leaves above 5, which is an interesting growing habit.. Does it have other quirks like this? I feel bad for asking - it's not as if I dislike them or anything, I just wonder if there's something I'm missing! Now you can pick on this guy:
    http://crmbsgrdn.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/my-favourite-plant-in-garden-this-week.html

    Oh and predictably, I love the silver-leaved plant in the second photo. What is that?

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    1. Well I do like wine...

      I think a big part of the appeal of all the schefflera is they don't look like they should be hardy but they are. It is definitely a leaf size/shape/ arrangement thing. The first photo I ever saw of one (long before I saw a plant in "real life") was the second one on this page: http://plantlust.com/plants/schefflera-taiwaniana-bswj-1000/ those leaves just pulled me in!

      Okay the silver leaf in the second photo, do you mean the blueish ones on the right? Those are hostas, actually much more blue than they probably read in the photo.

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    2. That photo is pretty great. Also the one under your banana(?) tree. Do you find they need a lot of water? Yes, the hostas!

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