Schefflera or the Hawaiian umbrella bonsai tree.

Schefflera or the Hawaiian umbrella bonsai tree, for indoor as well as outdoor gardens. Surely you can grow this plant very easily in your garden with minimum caring. Moreover, it is one of the most suitable plants for making bonsai.

Schefflera or the Hawaiian umbrella is a fast growing tropical evergreen tree. The bright green umbrella like foliage is the main attraction of the plant. About 5 to 10 leaflets are arranged in a circular manner at the tip of leaf stems. 
Usually the plant grows up to a height of about 10 to 15 meters. With proper pruning, we can keep it as dwarfs in our garden.

Truly there are different varieties of plants in the Schefflera family. For making bonsai, we can use the plant with bright green leaves ( Schefflera arboricola), which is more common.

Definitely, this plant is one of the favorites of bonsai beginners.

Schefflera or the Hawaiian umbrella bonsai tree. How to make it.

Indeed, we can make the Schefflera bonsai through the following simple steps.

Propagation.

We can use stem cuttings of the Schefflera plants for propagation. For this, collect cuttings with a length of about 6 to 8 inches. In addition, plant selection is equally important  for growing a bonsai.Hence, always make sure that the mother plants are healthy, and not affected by any kind of diseases.
You can also buy saplings directly from sellers.

Potting medium

Make a potting medium for your Schefflera sapling, in the following ratio.River sand :  40%
Vermi Compost : 30%
Coco peat : 10%
Neem seed powder : 10%
Crushed bricks : 10%

Selection of training pot.

Of course, you can use an ordinary terracotta pot for training your Schefflera bonsai.

Training your Schefflera or Hawaiian umbrella bonsai tree.

• Put a few pieces of broken bricks at the base of the pot for ensuring proper drainage.
• Then fill two third of the pot with the medium you have already prepared. Plant the cutting in the pot about two inches deep.
• Keep it in shade and water regularly. After two or three weeks new buds begin to sprout.
• Then move the pot gradually to a place where it gets partial sunlight. Always remember to avoid keeping the plant in direct sunlight as it may cause the plant to die.
• Water your plant as and when the top soil becomes dry. Keep the medium moist, but avoid over watering.
• Add diluted liquid organic fertilizer at intervals of  two to three months. Keep the plant in the same pot, and new branches develop gradually.

Pruning.

As the branches grow longer, you can do pinching and pruning your Scheffllera bonsai.
Remove all unnecessary branches of the plant using a pruning scissors. Also you can use a sharp knife instead.

Schefflera or Hawaiian umbrella bonsai tree – Wiring.

Really, wiring gives the required shape to your bonsai. For this, wind the branches and bend it carefully using soft aluminum or copper wires.  Keep the plant in the same pot for about two or three years.Water regularly and add fertilizer at intervals of two or three months. You can use any liquid organic fertilizer.
Also prune the branches when it becomes longer.

Replanting.

Then carefully transfer your Schefflera to an original bonsai pot.
For this, take the plant out of the training pot. Remove two third part of the roots of your bonsai using a pruning scissors.

Meanwhile prepare the bonsai pot as shown in the pic.

After that, carefully place your bonsai in the pot. Fix the roots in the pot using the wire. Then fill with fresh potting medium prepared in the same ratio as stated above.Replanting your Schefflera bonsai every two to three years, is a must for maintaining its health and beauty.Finally, your favorite Schefflera bonsai is ready. Surely, you can place it anywhere in your home.Keeping the above points in mind, try to grow your own Schefflera bonsai. Enrich your garden as well as your home with this beautiful art piece.