Each compound leaf is a small umbrella
Several leaflets radiate from a shared point, creating distinct layers around the stem.
3
Schefflera 'Charlotte' 13cm
Normal price
€13,00
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Schefflera‘Charlotte’
When it looks at you, you want to give it a serious cover pot 🎨
- Araliaceae
- Cream-green leaflets
- Palmately compound leaf
- Upright woody growth
- RHS-listed selection
Schefflera ‘Charlotte’ arranges cream and green leaflets into palmate groups opening like small umbrellas around the woody stem. Variegation is bright but not flat: every leaflet changes the colour ratio, creating a rich clean crown.
As Schefflera ‘Charlotte’ branches, each petiole opens into a palmate group of leaflets, creating successive layers of light, colour and shade around the woody axis.
What makes it special
‘Charlotte’ combines repeating umbrella geometry with irregular cream-green painting.
Cream zones without repetition
Some leaflets carry a bright margin and others broader cream areas, so the crown is never perfectly symmetrical.
A woody line that matures
Young green axes gradually harden and can produce side branches below active buds.
Why you’ll love it: it gives the familiar clean umbrella-plant silhouette enough cream colour for every crown layer to stand apart.
In your space Placement & plant pairings Where it looks its best and which plants complement it
Where it looks its best
Near a bright window, on a stand or side table with room around the crown. A small turn of the pot keeps the woody silhouette balanced as leaflets orient towards the light.
Plants that complement it
Choices with compatible light needs and contrasting textures keep the arrangement balanced.
- Aglaonema ‘Silver Bay’ — broad silver-green leaves in a lower mass.
- Chamaedorea elegans — fine palm texture behind the cream leaflets.
- Epipremnum aureum ‘Neon’ — solid lime colour on a free trail.
Care at a glance
Light
Bright indirect light with gentle morning or late sun after acclimation. Variegated selections need good light levels.
Water
When the upper 3–5 cm are dry. Water thoroughly, let it drain and never leave water in the cover pot.
Atmosphere
Average household humidity, gentle airflow and roughly 16–28°C. Keep away from cold draughts and abrupt changes.
Pets
Not for chewing or ingestion. Tissues contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth and digestive tract.
Chosen for this plant
Substrate & nutrition
Detailed care Complete care guide Light, watering, humidity, substrate and nutrition in detail
Light and position
Place it near a bright window with harsh sun filtered. In low light branching loosens and cream or yellow sectors may diminish.
Correct watering
Let the upper 3–5 cm dry, then wet the whole root ball. Remove drainage water; continuous moisture around the woody crown favours rot.
Air humidity
Normal household humidity is sufficient when roots are watered correctly. Remove dust from leaflets and maintain gentle air movement.
Temperature
Aim for a stable range of roughly 16–28°C. Cold glass, a draught or sudden relocation can cause leaf drop without automatically indicating thirst.
Substrate
Greenleaf Plant Search maps Schefflera arboricola to Sybasoil Ficus Mix. Use it in a pot with open holes and without compacting it around the fine roots.
Nutrition and repotting
Use Nutri One during active growth strictly at the label rate and not on a dry root ball. Repot when the root system has genuinely filled the pot.
Botanical identity Origin of the cultivar The species’ range and the history of the cultivated selection
The accepted Heptapleurum arboricola
The accepted name is Heptapleurum arboricola in Araliaceae. Schefflera arboricola is the widely used synonym in cultivation.
The cultivar ‘Charlotte’
RHS accepts the name Heptapleurum arboricola ‘Charlotte’. The listing confirms the species-cultivar combination without adding a published breeder or parent line.
The species’ wild origin
Wild Heptapleurum arboricola is native to Hainan and Taiwan, where it grows as a scrambling or spreading shrub in wet tropical habitat.
From natural habitat to care: The wild species is a woody scrambling shrub of wet tropical habitat, where roots receive water and abundant oxygen. In a pot this means bright filtered light, thorough watering and then partial drying in airy Ficus Mix.
Greenleaf for Plant Nerds Scientific facts nobody asked for Botanical details for anyone curious about the plant behind the foliage
A compound leaf has one shared petiole
All leaflets connect at the end of one petiole and form a single leaf unit. When the whole petiole drops, the entire umbrella is lost at once.
The bicolour pattern is a clonal trait
To retain this tissue distribution, the cultivar is propagated vegetatively from shoot material. Seed does not faithfully copy the parent ‘Charlotte’.
Leaf abscission is hormonally regulated
Stress from cold, relocation or roots can activate a specialised zone at the petiole base. The leaf detaches cleanly rather than rotting on the stem.
Pruning reduces apical dominance
Removing a shoot tip lowers local auxin influence and allows side buds to activate, producing a more branched crown.
Frequently asked questions
Practical answers about growth and the plant’s most common signals.
01 Why do whole leaflet groups suddenly drop?
Each group is one compound leaf and can detach after cold, sudden relocation, excess moisture or drought. Check all conditions before watering again.
02 Why do leaves drop after relocation?
Umbrella plants can respond to abrupt changes in light, temperature or draughts by activating the abscission zone. Stabilise the position and check the mix before watering.
03 When does it need water?
When the upper 3–5 cm are dry and the pot feels lighter. Water the whole root ball and empty the cover pot; do not keep the woody crown constantly moist.
04 Can I prune it for branching?
Yes, during active growth with a clean cut just above a healthy node. Remove a small portion of the crown at a time so enough functional foliage remains.
05 Why is variegation fading?
Low light can reduce contrast, while harsh sun burns pale areas. Move it gradually to brighter filtered light and assess new leaves.
06 Is it safe for pets?
Not for chewing or ingestion. Insoluble calcium oxalate crystals can cause oral pain, drooling, swelling and digestive upset.
Shop the look
Lovely apart. Irresistible together.
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Your selected lookPlant + pot €29,00 EUR
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