Light
Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux
Araliaceae
Heptapleurum (Schefflera) arboricola 'Melanie'
Dwarf Umbrella Tree
- Curated selection:
Every plant is hand‑picked for health and visual appeal, so you receive a strong, well‑established plant.
- Representative photos:
Product images show a typical plant of this variety. Natural differences in leaf number, shape or variegation are normal, your plant will still match in type and quality.
- Size details:
Listed sizes refer to pot diameter (cm) and approximate overall height (cm) from the base of the pot to the tallest leaf or stem.
- “Get What You See” items:
If you are buying the exact plant shown in the photos, this is clearly stated in the size section.
- Individual photos:
One‑off photos are only provided when this is explicitly mentioned in the size section. - For special traits or small quirks, please check the full product description.
VAT included · plus
Your new plant has just travelled a long way and needs a calm start in its new home. For step-by-step unboxing and first-week care, check our after-delivery care guide. For deeper tips on how your plant settles in over the next weeks, read our houseplant acclimatization guide.
- Care basics , Main hub with links to all houseplant care guides.
- After delivery & first week , Unpacking, first placement, and early recovery.
- Light, How much light houseplants really need indoors.
- Watering , When to water and how to avoid root rot.
- Substrates & roots, Potting mixes and drainage for strong root systems.
- Humidity, When humidity matters and what actually helps.
- Fertilizing, Simple feeding routine without burning roots.
- Problems & pests, Yellow leaves, brown tips, bugs, and fixes that work.
- Semi-hydro, How to run low-maintenance mineral substrates.
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Care at a glance
Heptapleurum (Schefflera) arboricola 'Melanie'
Watering
Water when ~30–50% dry
Substrate
Aerated • Moisture-buffered • Balanced organic + mineral • Medium
Temperature
Ideal: 18–24 °C • Avoid below: 10 °C
Humidity
Moist 50–60 %
Growth habit
Upright woody shrub or tree.
Support
not needed
Growth speed
Average
Max size indoors
Max. height: 250 cm • Max. spread: 150 cm
Toxicity & safety
Toxic
Origin & habitat
Horticultural Heptapleurum cultivar
Outdoor growing
Outside from 18 °C · sheltered spot
How to read these values
These care values are quick reference points for indoor growing. Use them as a guide, then adjust for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.
For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.
- Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
- Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
- Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
- Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
- Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.
- Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
- Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
- Growth speed: expected pace under suitable indoor conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.
- Max size indoors: realistic long-term indoor size under good conditions.
- Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
- Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
- Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.
Heptapleurum (Schefflera) arboricola 'Gerda'
Heptapleurum arboricola 'Gerda' has glossy green umbrella leaves splashed with yellow. Mature leaves commonly carry eight oval leaflets arranged in a radial umbrella shape on long petioles. The yellow pattern changes naturally from leaf to leaf.
The plant stays small indoors and develops into a woody shrub with layered leaf clusters. When stems lengthen, pruning just above a node brings new growth closer to the main frame.
Yellow-splashed leaflets on compact woody stems
- Growth habit: Compact evergreen shrub.
- Stems: Long stems with repeated leaf clusters.
- Leaves: Leathery palmate leaves.
- Leaflets: Eight oval green leaflets splashed with yellow.
- Indoor size: Usually remains under 1 m indoors.
- Shape: Denser outline with occasional pruning.
- Pattern: Natural variation in yellow patterning.
Moisture without heavy soil
Heptapleurum arboricola grows in humid forests and along stream banks in Hainan and Taiwan. Its roots are used to moisture, but they suffer in heavy soil that stays saturated for days.
Indoors, water thoroughly and let the upper mix dry before watering again. A loose substrate keeps air around the roots. Low light makes the stems longer and the leaf clusters farther apart, while brighter filtered light keeps the plant firmer.
Yellow-splashed growth in a small pot
- Light: Bright indirect light or gentle filtered sun keeps the leaf clusters closer together.
- Watering and substrate: Water after the top third of the mix has dried, then let the pot drain fully. An airy mix with bark, composted material and mineral particles suits the roots.
- Temperature: Keep around 18–26 °C and away from cold windows or floors.
- Humidity: Avoid very dry airflow, especially during heating season.
- Feeding: Use reduced-strength fertiliser when fresh leaf clusters are forming.
- Pruning: Trim just above a node when stems become too long.
- Repotting: Move into a slightly larger pot once the roots are crowded.
Yellowing, crisp edges and pests
- Lower leaves turning yellow: The bottom of the pot may be staying wet.
- Crisp edges: Check for dry roots, hot sun or very dry air.
- Leaf drop after arrival: Transport and a change of room conditions can trigger shedding.
- Pests: Spider mites, mealybugs and scale can hide on petioles, woody stems and leaf joints.
- Uneven variegation: Natural on this cultivar unless an entire stem becomes weak, pale or damaged.
- Leggy growth: Brighter filtered light and pruning will bring the shape back under control.
Sap and chewing
Place 'Gerda' away from pets and children. Chewed leaves can irritate the mouth and throat, and sap from fresh cuts may irritate sensitive skin.
Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.
Heptapleurum (Schefflera) arboricola 'Melanie'
Sale price€17,50
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Heptapleurum (Schefflera) arboricola 'Melanie'
Sale price€17,50
FAQs about Heptapleurum arboricola 'Melanie'
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