That plant is a beauty !

enjoy

Thank you! It’s really impressive in person and getting bigger all the time!

Hey Andrew, where were you able to get your hands on this? What kind of protection? A few inches of mulch or a full out burlap wrap?

This species is variable and there are clones that exhibit much less serration and there are also clones that lose the serrations as they mature. I suspect there might also bet variability in the hardiness of these different clones.

There are few places this species can be purchased, but if you’re looking for the exact clone I have, Kartuz.com has them available, greenhouse grown, as a potted cutting, for about $35. He had it listed as Schefflera spp. Nova, so you may have to email him and tell him I sent you! He’s a long time friend and still going strong, now in his 90s.

A botanist and tropical zone pusher, grew his clone in the ground, in zone 7a, Washington DC, with a bit of leaves as mulch. If it were me, and I was north of zone 8a, I’d keep it potted and bring it indoors, because I love it too much to lose it to cold, wet, winter.

Pot growing might give faster growth, as I’ve read that it grows slowly and mine has easily grown to 5-6 times it‘s width and at least 3 times its height, potted, in morning, filtered sun, on my outdoor patio, this Spring and Summer. I have not overwintered it outdoors and will be bringing it indoors, until I move to FL.

I've tried Schefflera delavayi twice now in my Washington, DC (zone 7) garden. The first time it did relatively well for a couple of years, but both times I've lost it after a cold winter. I think it will make it through our milder winters and may even do well for several years in a sheltered location, but a cold winter will eventually zap it.

I have a Schefflera actinophylla Nova, which looks exactly the same. I keep it indoors. I have had mine for at least 5 years and it only puts out 1-2 leaves per year in the spring and summer. It is beautiful, but grows painfully slow for those who are seeking a large dramatic schefflera. But, they are almost impossible to find. =)