What is the cause of Schefflera dropping leaves, and how can we fix this problem? Dropping leaves of any plant, especially Schefflera, is the result of stress on the plant, which is caused by improperly keeping and growing the plant at home. Schefflera is one of the best choices for bringing tropical foliage indoors. This resistant and beautiful plant with its umbrella-like leaves can withstand a lot of neglect, but leaf fall is a common thing that unfortunately happens to many of these plants.
Many factors cause the Schefflera dropping leaves, including improper watering, high environmental temperature, low or high environmental humidity, pest infestation of houseplants, and disease of houseplants.
Sometimes, there are situations where you have provided all the conditions for keeping Schefflera at home in an ideal and appropriate way, but you see its Schefflera dropping leaves again; the reason for this is the decision of your plant itself! which prefers to replace its old leaves with young leaves.
In this article from the thehplants website, we will examine all the reasons for the Schefflera dropping leaves and how to treat it, so stay with us until the end of this article.
What is the cause of Schefflera dropping leaves?
Only one reason cannot cause Schefflera dropping leaves. In summary, watering too little or too much, low light, high temperature, repotting, pests, houseplants diseases, incorrect fertilization, low humidity, or a movement to new location can cause the leaves of this plant to fall.
Note that it is normal for Schefflera and other houseplants to drop old leaves. But the constant falling of umbrella plant leaves can not be a good sign, and you should immediately ask yourself why is my umbrella plant dropping leaves? and try to find the cause of the problem and fix it immediately.
1. Does the light cause the leaves of Schefflera to fall?
Schefflera plant is one of the houseplants with good resistance to low light, but it needs indirect sunlight for maximum growth. In a situation where the ambient light for the plant is low, the leaves of the Schefflera plant change shape and fall, and of course, in this case, the color of the leaves will be dark green compared to normal conditions.
On the other hand, too much light in the place where the plant is kept does not cause Schefflera dropping leaves and only causes the leaves to become burnt. As a result, if you suspect that the leaves of your Schefflera plant are falling due to the low light of the plant’s storage environment. Bring the plant closer to the window and provide indirect and appropriate light (indirect light is the light that passes through the window curtain and is provided to the plant).
The process of bringing Schefflera from apartment oxygen plants to the window should be done slowly because changing the location of the plant at high speed will also have its consequences (a distance of one to one and a half meters to the window is suitable).
2. Too much or too little watering causes Schefflera dropping leaves
Watering less than normal and too much has caused the Schefflera plant to be under pressure, resulting in the leaves of the plant falling. The roots of houseplants have the task of delivering water and nutrients to the stem and leaves, and when the amount of watering is too high or too low, this process will face problems.
Schefflera plant always needs moist soil (not waterlogged) and is very resistant to dry soil conditions.
The correct method and time of watering Schefflera are such that the upper half of the soil in the pot is dry at any time. Watering the plant should be done immediately, and on the other hand, when watering the plant, as soon as the excess water comes out of the bottom of the pot, the process of watering the plant should be stopped completely. Avoid collecting water at the bottom of the separate pot.
Schefflera dropping leaves due to over-watering has specific symptoms so that, in this case, the leaves of the plant turn a little black before falling and then falling. As a result, if you are facing this situation, immediately remove the plant from the pot and prune the rotten and infected roots of the plant to their healthy point. And after that, be sure to do the first watering with fungicide. Although it was mentioned that Schefflera is one of the large houseplants, it is resistant to drought conditions, and if the mentioned conditions continue and the amount of watering is very low, the leaves of the plant will fall. As a result, it is recommended to constantly check the humidity of the upper half of the soil and water your plant if necessary to prevent the leaves of the Schefflera plant from falling. In this case, the leaves will wrinkle and then fall off.
An important point in Schefflera watering
Never use cold or hot water to irrigate Schefflera because using this water will shock the plant and its root system. Be sure to choose ambient temperature water for irrigation.
3. Does the soil affect the Schefflera dropping leaves?
If the watering you do is correct, but you don’t use the right soil for Schefflera, your plant will fall off its leaves. Compact and heavy soil for the plant is one of the other reasons for Schefflera dropping leaves. Because these types of soils do not work well in aerating and supplying oxygen to the plant roots, they always fill the environment around the roots with irrigation water of houseplants, due to which the root function is disturbed and the plant gets stressed.
The best soil for the Schefflera plant is soil with a lot of perlite or soil suitable for cactus. A little sand should be added at the end of the pot, and then the cactus soil and perlite mixture should be added on top of it. In addition to the proper soil, the pot’s drainage should also be suitable so that the excess water can be removed from under the pot after watering.
It is possible that the texture of the soil has worn out over time and its drainage power has decreased, so it is recommended that if you suspect that this is the cause of the shedding of the leaves of your Schefflera plant, replace the potting soil and ensure the health of your plant again. Be sure to use amino acid for plants watering after changing the soil and pot to reduce tension.
In summary, the soil is an indirect factor in Schefflera dropping leaves. Because the heaviness of the soil causes oxygen not to reach the roots, and you will gradually see them rotting.
4. Effect of temperature on Schefflera dropping leaves
This plant, known from its birthplace, is native to tropical regions and cannot tolerate cold weather at all; when the temperature of the place where the plant is stored is lower than 53 degree Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius), the plant will start to drop its leaves. Lowering the temperature will stress the plant. If you live in a cold area where the temperature drops below 53 degree during the cold seasons, move the plant indoors and avoid placing the plant next to the window or the sidewalk. Also, remember that this plant cannot tolerate temperatures above 80 degree Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) well, so increase the amount of watering and the humidity of the environment as the temperature increases. Otherwise, you will see the leaves of the plant falling.
In summary, temperature fluctuations can be one of the main reasons for Schefflera dropping leaves at home.
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5. The effect of fertilization on Schefflera dropping leaves
Always be careful in fertilizing because too much fertilization can be one of the causes of Schefflera dropping leaves, while low fertilization and lack of nutrients will cause the leaves of the plant to fall. Be sure to read the instructions on the package before fertilizing the plant. If you suspect that the shedding of the leaves of the Schefflera plant is due to excessive fertilizing of the plant, stop fertilizing and be sure to wash the pot in such a way that the soil of the pot is washed with lukewarm water to reduce the amount of harmful salts.
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Now, on the opposite side, there is low fertilization, so every plant needs nutrition in its growing season to produce young leaves and keep the old leaves alive. If the old leaves of your plant are turning yellow and falling, you should know that one of the cases is low fertilization. At least during the plant’s growing season, from early spring to late summer, feed your plant with appropriate fertilizers. Fertilizing with 10-10-10 fertilizers and iron fertilizer can help your plant grow and flourish.
make sure to read nitrogen deficiency in plants as well
6. Sudden changes in the storage environment
Changing the storage conditions at once in any plant will cause its leaves to fall. When you buy the plant and move it home or repot, the plant will be shocked, and this will cause the leaves of your plant to fall. You should reduce the amount of these changes (temperature, light, location) in your plant.
7. The effect of humidity on Schefflera dropping leaves
This plant can easily grow well in normal humidity, between 40 and 60%. If the temperature rises and the humidity doesn’t increase as much, your plant will lose leaves. In these cases, be sure to supply the moisture the plant requires by using a cold misting device, dusting and placing the pot on gravel, and adding water under the pot.
8. repotting and Schefflera dropping leaves
Repotting is also known as a change and shock; if the root of the plant is damaged during the repotting, it can increase the process of leaf fall. Also, choosing a pot that is too big will cause the plant to spend all its energy growing the roots, and the growth of the leaves will decrease, and in some cases, you will see the leaves fall.
Tips you should know about repotting:
- If you need to water more than twice a week, it’s time to repot.
- Do not fertilize the plant for several weeks after planting it in a new pot so that the fresh and tender roots do not burn. Fresh soil usually has sufficient nutrition but use amino acids.
- Schefflera roots can grow out of the soil. Please do not add new soil because it can suffocate the plant.
- It is better to repot the plant during the growing season to give it the necessary time to recover.
- It’s tempting to relocate a plant you’ve just brought home, but it’s best to let them get used to their new location first.
9. What damage does the invasion of pests and diseases do to Schefflera?
Another reason for the fall of Schefflera leaves is the invasion of pests on the plant. These harmful insects feed on the leaves and cause the Schefflera leaves to fall. As a result, it is always a good idea to clean houseplant leaves such as Schefflera so that the vegetative tissue of the plant is constantly checked to ensure that there is no pest infestation (especially the underside of the leaves).
To fight the pests of Schefflera houseplants, you can use insecticidal soaps with proper dosage or physically remove them from the branches and leaves of the plant.
On the other hand, the attack of fungal diseases on the plant also causes the leaves of Schefflera to fall. The reason for the attack of these pests on the plant is the over-watering and dusting of its branches and leaves. Spraying the plant only when there is proper ventilation around the plant is recommended.
Is there a way to prevent the natural death of old Schefflera leaves?
No, this is completely normal, and your plant must have the proper nutrition to reduce the loss of old leaves. The normal sign of old leaves falling is that the tips and edges of the old leaves of the plant change color and turn yellow.
Frequently asked questions about the cause Schefflera plant dropping green leaves
Can over-watering be the cause of Schefflera leaves falling?
Yes, over-watering Schefflera will cause its leaves to turn black and fall off.
Does direct light cause Schefflera leaves to fall?
No, direct sunlight does not cause the leaves of this plant to fall. But if it is exposed to direct light for a long time, its leaves get sunburned and wither.
Can fertilizer be the cause of falling Schefflera leaves?
Yes, fertilizers that have a high dose cause the leaves of this plant to fall. As a result, you can use fertilizers with fewer minerals for better growth.
Summary of Schefflera leaf falls at home.
By studying the above, you can solve any houseplant problems especially Schefflera dropping leaves, but in summary, it should be said that the reason for falling leaves of Schefflera plant can be due to excessive or insufficient watering, insufficient light, improper fertilization, improperly compacted soil, hot and dry environment and… Be sure to check the mentioned items and then try to fix the problem.
What experience do you have in maintaining Schefflera and its leaf fall? Be sure to contact us in the comment section.