Schefflera

The Umbrella Tree

Sounds like a dessert I'd love to eat....but alas....no.  However, the Schefflera family does make for a beautiful outdoor potted plant! I've had this plant outside in potted areas and it does well all year round except for this past winter.  The majority of the plant died back, but new growth from the roots have come back up and it appears that I will be able to save this plant in my "hospital" and bring it back into the courtyard again.  It's slow growing and makes a great filler or thriller for your tropical plant collections.  These plants can be expensive so I generally like to start them out smaller and let them grow into a full shrub down the road.  It's a dependable plant that will add a green backdrop all year round in our courtyard.  I love the variegated varieties as they add some variations to the solid greens of other plants.  Like any tropical, you need to water regularly and during the summer, every several days.  This plant can tolerate some light but definitely not any afternoon sun.  It gets filtered sun and during the summer, the leaves will sometimes burn at the tips, but it isn't really noticeable. It's just me who notices while I'm taking notes for my journal. However, if it gets too much shade, the plant will look spindly and sick. There are a lot of varieties of Schefflera out there, and I prefer the Umbrella Tree.  While it doesn't grow to become a tree here, it does make an attractive open plant.  I have tried this plant in the ground, but I haven't had much success as I have had with the Philodendron or Bird of Paradise. My recommendation is to keep this plant in a brightly shaded area in a pot or planter.  It will spread out and make an empty area look lush and full.  Definitely think about using this plant at your own home....

Big Leaf Philodendron

Another plant that usually does well outdoors with afternoon shade is the Big Leaf Philodendron.  This plant looks great in pots or planters.  If you do put this plant into the ground, make sure you prep the area as if you would the Bird of Paradise. Add some nice gardening soil into the area with some mulch around the base.  While it doesn't grow to mammoth heights like it will in San Diego, it will get large here in the Tucson area at around 4-5 feet.  Again this plant can tolerate some morning sun but nothing more.  The strong afternoon sun will burn the leaves and kill the plant.  I have found this plant to do very well near water sources like a drip system or misty water fountain.  Don't let this plant get waterlogged, but it sure doesn't mind the extra water.  There are several varieties which I think are ALL attractive.....one being Monstera. This particular plant has a swiss cheese look to the leaf.  Most Philodendrons have large leaves with a nice branch structure.  Some are more upright while others have an open and bushier habit.  You should fertilize once a year and I like to throw used coffee grounds around the base of the plant for a little extra nitrogren.

The bark of the Philodendron with Creeping Fig crawling up the side.

  If these plants have been in the ground for awhile, you will notice their roots "crawl" and search for water above ground.  It's one of the unique features of this plant.  Many people think this is a boring houseplant to have around, but I think it looks really nice outside during the summer.   What about winter?  This winter I lost half of my Philodendron plants.  However the other half have snapped back from that deadly freeze. I had covered them with a blanket in our planters here.  This plant makes a great bright shade plant and will perform well with some regular watering.   I chose the Big Leaf Philodendron over the others because it can be a hardy plant year round for our landscape here.  There are other varieties that are fussier and need a lot more shade and moisture.  This is a great tropical for Tucson.  Start it in a pot first and see where the plant does better around your property before planting it into the ground near your home as the light exposure has to be exactly right for it to do well.  Until tomorrow......

Growing Tropicals in Tucson

Good day to you all and thanks for reading!!  I really have enjoyed putting together these garden journals and series of writes.  We are coming to a close on the garden journal series very soon, but I have just a couple more things to write before we finish them up.  The best part of this is that I will update on the status of these plants from time to time in the comments section.

Let's face it.  Everyone, or mostly everyone, loves tropical plants.  Can we grow them in Tucson?  Yes.  BUT, there is a trick to it all.  Most experienced gardeners know where to use them, but for beginners, this can be a daunting task.  They see the lovely large and green foliage and put it in a pot.  Unknowingly, they place the plant in direct sun and the plant burns to a crisp.  Here are some rules about planting tropicals in our desert environment.

Rule 1.  Always place these plants in pots.  Very few tropicals do well in our soil.  There are a few exceptions, but around 98 percent of them need to be in a pot.  Pots can be moved around during our extreme cold temps that will kill this group of plants if not protected from the cold.  It will also allow you to move them into different places if the sun is too bright.  Mobility is important with tropicals here and they should be used as accents in your garden.

Rule 2.  Keep in part shade/part sun.  Don't put this group of plants in extreme sun or they will burn to the ground.  Here in Tucson, they prefer filtered sunlight or morning light only.  Afternoon sun will scorch them to their death.  There are exceptions....banana and cannas, BUT the banana has major issues with our wind.  

Rule 3.  Make sure that your pots drain. Don't let water sit in your pots or your tropicals will rot and die.  Dig them out every year and move them into larger pots.  Loosen the soil so that roots have room to expand.  Many times the roots will outgrow the pot and clog the hole where the water exits and causes rot to occur.

Rule 4.  Tropicals require regular watering. In our heat, water every several days.  It doesn't hurt at all.  I use datura to tell me when to water.  The leaves of the datura go limp and it indicates that it's time to water the plants. During the intense summer heat of June, September, and October, when rains are sparse, I usually have to water every 2-3 days.  Cluster your tropicals together so that watering is made easy.

Rule 5.  Protect from our Tucson wind.  Our wind can rip these larger leaf plants out of their pots....so keep these plants in areas protected from the wind.  The banana loves our sun and heat, but looks terrible after a nasty wind storm....especially during our monsoon season. 

Rule 6.  Keep tropicals grouped together.  Simple and basic.  They require water and it's easier if they are all placed together near the hose or water line. 

Tucson is subtropical and therefore our tropical plants will thrive in our late June through September monsoon rains.  They love the humidity and look their best outside during this time of year.  Follow these basic rules and you'll have beautiful tropical plants growing in your garden.  Tomorrow I have a special post on a place that sells lots and lots of wonderful tropicals here in Tucson all year round.  You won't want to miss my visit to this place.  Until tomorrow.....