Read a commented finger aralia profile here with useful information about growth, leaf decoration, winter hardiness and toxicity. Useful tips about correct propagation, planting and finger aralia care.
What is the finger aralia and how do I care for it properly?
The finger aralia (Schefflera elegantissima) is an evergreen, poisonous plant from New Caledonia and Australia. It has lanceolate, olive green to blue-black leaves and grows 60-180 cm high. As a houseplant, it is easy to care for and requires light to partially shaded places without drafts and temperatures of at least 18 °C.
Profile
- Scientific name: Schefflera elegantissima
- Synonym: Dizygotheca elegantissima
- Family: Araliaceae (Araliaceae)
- Origin: New Caledonia, Australia
- Growth type: evergreen shrub
- Growth height: 60 cm to 180 cm
- Leaf: evergreen, lanceolate
- Flower: panicle
- Fruit: Berry
- Toxicity: poisonous
- Winter hardiness: not hardy
- Use: indoor greenery, ornamental foliage plant
Growth
The finger aralia is a slim, elegant foliage plant from the tropical aralia family (Araliaceae). Their botanical classification is controversially discussed among scientists. For this reason, the graceful deciduous tree from New Caledonia (Australia) is known by several Latin names: Schefflera elegantissima, Dizygotheca elegantissima or, more rarely, Aralia elegantissima and Pleranda elegantissima. Indoor gardeners appreciate its feathery, graceful lightness, which is manifested in these growth characteristics:
- Growth type: woody, evergreen plant as a shrub or small tree.
- Growth habit: single-stemmed, upright, sparsely branched with long, narrow leaves.
- Growth height as a houseplant: 60 cm to 100 cm, rarely up to 180 cm.
- Growth as a houseplant: 20 cm to 40 cm, rarely up to 60 cm.
- Growth height in tropical natural location: 100 cm to 400 cm.
- Gardenically interesting properties: easy to care for, requires warmth, slow growing, tolerates cutting, poisonous, decorative all year round, long-lasting.
Leaf
The most beautiful decoration of a finger aralia is a delicate foliage with these leaf characteristics:
- Leaf shape: stalked, finger-like divided with 6 to 11 lanceolate, narrow individual leaflets.
- Single feather: 7 cm to 11 cm long, 1 cm to 1.5 cm wide.
- Leaf edge: wavy, sawn or serrated.
- Leaf color: initially copper red, later olive green, dark green to blue-black.
- Arrangement: alternate
Video: Filigree piece of jewelry for the living room and office
Bloom
As a houseplant, the finger aralia usually keeps its flowers under wraps. Flowering Schefflera elegantissima can sometimes be admired in botanical gardens because ideal tropical, humid conditions prevail there all year round.
Toxicity
All plant parts of a finger aralia are poisonous to humans and animals. Intentional or unintentional consumption causes symptoms of poisoning such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. Skin contact with the toxic plant sap can cause distressing, allergic reactions. Small children and all kinds of pets, such as birds, cats, dogs, hamsters and rabbits, are particularly at risk.
Winter hardiness
Categorization as not hardy or sensitive to frost does not do justice to the high heat requirement of a finger aralia. In fact, the minimum temperature is 18° Celsius all year round. In contrast to most tropical and subtropical ornamental plants, a Dizygotheca elegantissima is primarily suitable as a houseplant and only in exceptional cases for the summer pot garden on the balcony or terrace.
Planting finger aralia
You can buy ready-to-plant finger aralia in local specialist shops and online shops from 4.99 euros for a 50 cm tall plant. Representative specimens with a height of 100 cm or more cost 24.99 euros. Planting is cheaper after propagation through cuttings. This is how you properly propagate and plant a Dizygotheca elegantissima:
Propagation
Several hurdles make propagation by sowing a difficult undertaking. As a houseplant, the finger aralia flowers and fruits extremely rarely. Suitable seeds must be imported. Challenging conditions for germination result in a high failure rate. For this reason, indoor gardeners propagate the foliage plant through cuttings. This is how it works:
- The best time is in early summer.
- Put on gloves.
- Cut head cuttings with a length of 8 cm to 10 cm.
- Remove the lower leaves and cut the upper leaves in half.
- Dip the interface in rooting powder (€13.00 at Amazon), for example Neudorff root activator.
- Place two thirds of each cutting into a pot with moist potting soil and spray.
- Keep slightly moist in the heated indoor greenhouse at 22° to 28° Celsius and high humidity.
The propagation of cuttings is successful when a fresh shoot appears. Once a cutting has completely rooted through its growing pot, you can repot it and care for it as an adult finger aralia.
Planting Tips
A finger aralia that has been purchased ready to plant or propagated from cuttings should not remain in the propagation or purchase container. Elegant ceramic pots or stylish buckets made of recyclable plastic with bottom openings for water drainage are well suited for a decorative appearance. Read the best planting tips for Dizygotheca elegantissima aka Schefflera elegantissima here:
- Correct pot diameter: two fingers fit between the root ball and the edge of the pot.
- Optimal pot height: at least 10 cm higher than the root ball for drainage and watering edge.
- Drainage: A 5 cm high layer of expanded clay is placed on the bottom of the pot to protect against waterlogging.
- Substrate: high-quality, peat-free potting soil, enriched with coconut soil as a peat substitute and lava granules.
- pH value: 5, 5 to 6, 0.
- Preparation: Place roots in rainwater or stale tap water before planting.
Also cover the bottom of the coaster with expanded clay, lava granules or grit. In this way, accumulated excess irrigation water cannot cause waterlogging. Instead, the water evaporates and causes a slightly increased local humidity, which the tropical wood is very comfortable with.
Location
In the right location, the finger aralia presents itself decoratively all year round:
- Bright to partially shaded location without blazing midday sun or cold drafts.
- Humid and warm with temperatures of at least 18° Celsius, in summer up to 25° Celsius.
Finger aralias are in good hands in partial shade on the west and east windows with a little sunshine during the morning or early evening hours.
Excursus
Plant arrangement with finger aralia – tips
Graceful finger aralias are born team players for lush plant arrangements. With the right combination partners, you can create a lively play of leaf shapes, color contrasts and growth heights in the rustic wicker basket or the elegant ceramic bowl. These include: croton (Codiaeum variegatum), croton (Aglaonema) and leaf begonia (Begonia rex). Color comes into play with cup primroses (Primula obconica) and African violets (Saintpaulia Ionanth).
Care for finger aralia
In the right location, a finger aralia is easy to care for. The most important care aspect is a high water requirement, followed by seasonal fertilization and occasional repotting. A change of location for overwintering is unnecessary, as is regular pruning care. Read the best care tips here:
Pouring
- Water finger aralia promptly as soon as the substrate surface feels dry (finger test).
- Use filtered rainwater or decalcified tap water collected as irrigation water.
- Spray the leaves at regular intervals in lime-free, room temperature water.
- Ideally place a humidifier near plants.
Fertilize
- Fertilize finger aralia from March to August.
- Add a liquid green plant fertilizer to the irrigation water every two weeks.
- Important: water before and after with clear water to protect the roots from s alt damage.
Cutting
- Please wear gloves before cutting.
- Regular pruning care is not necessary.
- Cut off dead leaves including the petiole.
- Pruning of unfavorable, overly long shoots is possible all year round.
Wintering
- Overwinter Dizygotheca elegantissima in its usual location.
- Watering more sparingly (insert moisture meter into the substrate).
- Do not fertilize from September to early March.
- Important: protect from cold drafts, if the heating air is dry, spray regularly with lime-free water.
Repotting
- Repot finger aralia every two to three years.
- The best time is at the end of the rest period at the beginning of March.
- Rinse off used substrate, cut off dead roots.
- Do not fertilize a freshly repotted plant for six to eight weeks.
Diseases and pests
Finger aralia are susceptible to scale insects, spider mites and aphids, which can be effectively combated with home remedies. A Dizygotheca elegantissima punishes care errors by dropping its leaves. The following table informs you about common malfunctions, provides information on typical causes and gives tips on effective countermeasures:
| malicious image | Cause | Countermeasure |
|---|---|---|
| Brown, convex leaf spots | Scale insects | wipe with alcohol-moistened cloth |
| White webs | Spider mites | shower (pack pot ball in plastic bag) |
| Black, green pests | Aphids | fight with soap-spirit solution |
| Leaf shedding | Cold, drafts | Observe minimum temperature of 18° Celsius |
| Leaf shedding | Drought stress | Dip root balls, water more often |
| Floppy, soft leaves | Waterlogging | repotting, watering more sparingly |
| Yellow leaf spots | Sunburn | protect from the blazing midday sun |
Popular varieties
These beautiful finger aralia varieties are applying for a place on your windowsill:
- Castor: compact finger aralia with dark green, lanceolate leaves, growth height up to 60 cm, growth width up to 40 cm.
- Gracillina: Finger aralia with delicate pinnate leaves and creamy white midrib, growth height up to 60 cm. Growth width up to 40 cm.
- New Caledonian Aralia (Schefflera veitchii syn. Dizyogotheca veitchii): filigree ornamental foliage arranged in a circle on the petiole, dark green with white midrib,
- Gemini: Schefflera elegantissima, whose narrow, copper-red leaves become wider with age.
- Bianca: rare finger aralia variety with olive green, cream-yellow bordered, coarsely toothed leaves.
FAQ
Is the finger aralia poisonous?
Yes, all plant parts of a finger aralia are poisonous to people and animals. Intentional or unintentional consumption of large quantities of leaves causes nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. In a family household with pets, the houseplant should be kept out of the reach of children and pets. Because direct skin contact with the toxic plant sap can trigger allergic reactions, we recommend wearing protective gloves when caring for finger aralia.
My finger aralia is losing leaves. Why is that?
The finger aralia loses leaves due to unsuitable location conditions or care errors. The most common cause of leaf shedding is cold drafts, for example from tilted windows in winter. If the substrate dries out, a Schefflera elegantissima promptly sheds its leaves. There is no need to worry if isolated leaves dry and fall off. Evergreen Dizygotheca leaves also have a limited lifespan and are discarded after a few years.
Can you cut a finger aralia?
In contrast to other Schefflera species, the finger aralia grows slowly. While the well-known aralia (Schefflera arboricola) boasts of up to 30 centimeters of annual growth, a Schefflera elegantissima grows a modest 10 cm per year. For this reason, annual pruning is not necessary. If necessary, you can cut back annoying, overly long shoots all year round. Ideally, use disinfected bypass scissors whose sharp blades leave a smooth cut.
How to propagate a finger aralia?
The easiest way to propagate is through head cuttings. The best time is in early summer when the finger aralia is full of sap. Suitable cuttings are 8 cm to 10 cm long and have several pairs of leaves. Pluck off the lower leaves. The upper leaves are halved to reduce evaporation. Dip the interface in rooting powder and put the shoot tips in a pot with potting soil. In the warm, humid microclimate of a plastic bag placed over the top, the cuttings root particularly quickly.
