Schefflera

Question

Hello Gardening Know How! I have a few very small schefflera cuttings that finally produced some roots. Should I plant them in the same pot as the mama tree or should I grow them in separate pots? The mama plant is one longish stem but side branches are starting to appear after I notched it. So there is definitely space at the moment but I hope the mama plant will get bushier soon: ) I never know when a plant/tree will be competing for space and when it is happy to have a relative/neighbor of the same kind. I always successfully grew succulents (for the lack of space in my apartment), which do not have huge roots so I was never scared to combine them. However, now that I have slightly more space, I am excited to start growing a little leafy jungle 😉 Is there a general rule to orient myself with? For example, trees like that, bushes that, palms that,… I rarely see this type of information, people only write that nurseries put several stems in one pot to sell better. But is it actually good for the plants? Would a lonely plant do better in the long run with patience and good care? Thank you in advance!

Answer 1

Most places don't give much though to what they grow together, but in most cases, trees and shrubs will not appreciate being grown in containers with another tree or shrub. I would plant it on its own for the best results. If you want to try companion planting, you want to try for smaller plants that do not compete with your larger shrub.Obviously, there are exceptions to every rule, so it will be best to use your judgement when combining plants.

Here are some articles that will help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/schefflera/schefflera-plant-care.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/schefflera

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/growing-companion-houseplants.htm