Houseplant - Scheffelera
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  (January) I have a good sized Schefflera, which I have owned for some time. Now I am noticing that many of the leaves are very sticky to the touch. I cannot see any insects, but obviously something is wrong with the plant. Most of the leaves are green, but occasionally some have turned yellow and dropped off. I'm sure I can spray it with something but I'm not sure what. Please send along some advice.

  Two things can cause stickiness--insects, or a process where the plant actually can release some moisture through a process called guttation. It usually occurs when the plants have extra moisture in the soil. You see this more commonly in some plants than others. The plants "cry" or "sweat" and this excess moisture forms on the edges of the leaves. It can be sticky, and has been known to discolor the carpet or floor underneath. You would notice beads of moisture along the edge of the leaves usually if this is the problem. The insect most common on scheffeleras is spider mites. Heavy infestations will cause some tiny webs to form in the joints of the leaves, and the leaves typically feel somewhat rough and can be discolored. Scale insects and mealy bugs can also give off a sticky substance called honeydew. Investigate a little more closely to see which is causing the problem, before you start spraying.

  I have a large old scheffelera that is losing all of its leaves. I have not repotted it in several years. It gets medium light; and I am not over watering it.

  Scheffeleras are often plagued by spider mites, which can cause the leaves to fall off. Usually you will see some tiny webbing along with a sticky honeydew substance on the foliage. The leaf you sent in, however, looked clean. If you are sure you are not over watering, could you possibly be keeping the plant too dry? When a pot gets overly root-bound, the soil is unable to retain moisture due to the heavy accumulation of roots. Stick your finger down into the soil. If it feels moist, you should be ok. If it is bone dry, that may be your problem. Repotting is best done when you move the plant outside to avoid a big mess inside. If you want to limit plant growth, prune off some of the old roots and repot in the same size container with fresh soil.

  I have a scheffelera plant that has developed a clear, sticky substance on some of its leaves. There are also, small brownish flecks about the size of a pinhead on those same leaves, mostly on the underside. These flecks can easily be scraped off with your fingernail. From a distance, the plant looks beautiful and very healthy. It is producing new leaves all the time. Could you tell me what kind of problem this is and how do I correct it?

  You more than likely have spider mites, but scale insects are also a possibility. Scheffelera plants are often plagued by spider mites. These tiny pests normally live on the underside of the leaf or where the leaves are attached to the stem. When large populations occur, you should be able to see tiny webbing along the veins or at the stem juncture. Scale insects feed in much the same way as spider mites, both taking sap out of the host plant and giving off a sticky honeydew. The upper surface of the leaf will be mottled and eventually new foliage may be deformed. Look for a houseplant insecticide such as insecticidal soap, or one containing resmethrin such as Intercept. You may want to destroy the most heavily infested branches.

  Please tell me what is happening to the foliage on my scheffelera. It looks like something is burrowing just beneath the upper epidermis of the leaf. Should these leaves be removed from the plant? Should I spray with anything? Thanks.

  The plant has a leaf miner problem. Leaf miners are tiny insects that feed between the upper and lower epidermis of the leaf, leaving the interesting trails on the foliage. Usually they don’t cause severe damage, but do clip off and destroy any leaves that have the damage on them. Hopefully, this will stop the problem. If it reoccurs, try using orthene.

  I’ve enclosed some leaves from my scheffelera. I have searched my gardening books and can’t find the source of the problem. The scheffelera is indoors in moderate light. I cut back on watering as I was afraid it was getting too much water. The plant is putting forth new growth, but the leaves darken and fall off.

  Normally scheffeleras are attacked by spider mites, but your leaves are clean of any insects. There is some spotting which could be fungal in nature, but my guess is it is a root problem. Lift the plant out of the ground and inspect the roots. If any are brown and gummy, prune them off. Then replant in clean potting soil, and water every two weeks and see if it won’t grow out of it.

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