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Schefflera actinophylla
Australian Umbrella Tree
Octopus Tree
Schefflera
Synonym(s): Brassaia actinophylla
Not native to Florida
This plant is an invasive exotic that is altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives.
This species should never be planted (many with this designation are prohibited by law), and generally should be removed whenever possible.
This tree native to Australia, Java and New Guinea can be found in the keys and coastal counties of south Florida north into Brevard, Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.
The leaves are palmately compound with five or more leaflets at the end of a long spineless petiole. Leaflets have long petiolules and are large, long elliptic with entire margins. Like a palm, only the leaves near the end of the stems remain on the plant. The inflorescence arises from the end of the branch in an umbulate form of many long arching racemes up to 61cm (2 ft.) long that bloom with numerous red flowers. The fruit is small black nearly round drupes.
A popular potted plant, when planted outside in the warm conditions of south Florida it can grow into a tree up to 12m (40 ft.) tall. This is not recommended due to the invasive qualities, destructive root systems and messy leaves.
Schefflera actinophylla is a member of the Araliaceae - Ginseng family.
Other species of the Schefflera genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Schefflera arboricola - DWARF SCHEFFLERA
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Nov 22, 2020
