Umbrella Tree: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 01:38, 21 May 2010

Schefflera actinophylla subsp. var.

Octopus tree, Queensland umbrella tree

Habit:		tree
Height:	⇕	to
Width:	⇔	to
	30 ft	12 ft
Height:	⇕	The wikipage input value is empty (e.g. <code>SomeProperty::, [[]]</code>) and therefore it cannot be used as a name or as part of a query condition. to 30 ft
Width:	⇔	The wikipage input value is empty (e.g. <code>SomeProperty::, [[]]</code>) and therefore it cannot be used as a name or as part of a query condition. to 12 ft
Lifespan:	⌛	perennial
Origin:	✈
Poisonous:	☠
Bloom:	❀	early spring, mid spring, late spring, early summer, mid summer, late summer

Exposure:	☼	sun
Water:	◍
Features:	✓	flowers
Hidden fields, interally pass variables to right place
Minimum Temp:	☃	°F
USDA Zones:		10 to 12
Sunset Zones:
Flower features:	❀	red, pink

Araliaceae >

Schefflera

actinophylla

var.

,

Schefflera actinophylla (syn. Brassaia actinophylla) is a tree in the Araliaceae family. It is native to tropical rainforests and gallery forests in Australia (eastern Queensland and the Northern Territory), New Guinea and Java. Common names include Umbrella Tree, Octopus Tree and Amate.

S. actinophylla is an evergreen tree growing to 15 m (49 ft) tall. It has compound medium green leaves in groups of seven leaves. It is usually multi-trunked, and the flowers develop at the top of the tree. It often grows as an epiphyte on other rainforest trees.^[1] It produces racemes up to 2 metres (6.5 feet) long containing up to 1,000 small dull red flowers. Flowering begins in early summer and typically continues for several months.

The plant produces up to 1000 flowers generating large amounts of nectar which attracts honey-eating birds which then spread the seeds. The fruits are eaten by many birds and animals including Musky Rat Kangaroos, Red-legged Pademelons and Spectacled Flying Foxes.^[2] Its leaves are a favourite food of the Bennett's Tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus bennettianus).^[3]^[4]^[5]

Cultivation

Schefflera actinophylla is commonly grown in mild to warm climates as a decorative tree in larger gardens and, when mature, it has bright red spikes of flowers with up to 20 racemes which develop in summer or early autumn. It prefers well-drained soil and only needs occasional watering and feeding to thrive. It is, however, an aggressive plant and its roots can dominate surrounding soil. In some areas (e.g., Florida & Hawaii USA) it is an invasive weed and therefore planting is highly unadvised.^[6]

Propagation

Propagation is by seed or cuttings.

Pests and diseases

Varieties

Gallery

Rainbow Lorikeets feeding on Umbrella Tree
trunk in Hyderabad, India.
leaves in Hyderabad, India.
canopy in Hyderabad, India.

References

↑ Martin (2005), p. 43.
↑ Beasley (2006).
↑ Pers. comm. Lewis Roberts OAM
↑ Martin (2005).
↑ Beasley (2009), p. 105.
↑ Schefflera actinophylla: information from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR)

Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

w:Umbrella Tree. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
Umbrella Tree QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)

This article is a stub. You can help Gardenology.org by expanding it.

[1] Martin (2005), p. 43.

[2] Beasley (2006).

[3] Pers. comm. Lewis Roberts OAM

[4] Martin (2005).

[5] Beasley (2009), p. 105.

[6] Schefflera actinophylla: information from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 |usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
 |max_zone=12
-|image=Upload.png
+|image=Octopus Tree (Schefflera actinophylla) at Hyderabad, AP W 283.jpg
-|image_width=240
+|image_width=200
-}}
-{{Taxobox | color = lightgreen
-| name = ''Schefflera actinophylla''
-| image = Flowering Umbrella Tree.JPG
-| image_width = 240px
-| image_caption = ''[[Schefflera actinophylla]]'' in the [[Cooktown]] Botanic Gardens, Queensland
-| regnum = [[Plantae]]
-| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
-| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
-| ordo = [[Apiales]]
-| familia = [[Araliaceae]]
-| subfamilia = [[Aralioideae]]
-| genus = ''[[Schefflera]]''
-| species = '''''S. actinophylla'''''
-| binomial = ''Schefflera actinophylla''
-| binomial_authority = ([[Stephan Ladislaus Endlicher|Endl.]]) [[H.A.T.Harms]]
 }}
+'''''Schefflera actinophylla''''' ([[synonymy|syn.]] ''Brassaia actinophylla'') is a tree in the [[Araliaceae]] family. It is native to tropical [[rainforest]]s and [[gallery forest]]s in [[Australia]] (eastern [[Queensland]] and the [[Northern Territory]]), [[New Guinea]] and [[Java]]. Common names include '''Umbrella Tree''', '''Octopus Tree''' and '''Amate'''.
-[[Image:Umbrella Tree flowers.jpg|thumb|Umbrella Tree flowers]]
+[[Image:Octopus Tree (Schefflera actinophylla) fruits or flowers at tree canopy at Hyderabad, AP W 281.jpg|thumb|tree canopy]]
-[[Image:Rainbow Lorikeets feeding on Umbrella Tree.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Rainbow Lorikeet]]s feeding on Umbrella Tree]]
+''S. actinophylla'' is an [[evergreen]] [[tree]] growing to 15&nbsp;m (49&nbsp;ft) tall. It has compound medium green leaves in groups of seven leaves. It is usually multi-trunked, and the flowers develop at the top of the tree. It often grows as an [[epiphyte]] on other rainforest trees.<ref>Martin (2005), p. 43.</ref> It produces racemes up to 2 metres (6.5&nbsp;feet) long containing up to 1,000 small dull red flowers. Flowering begins in early summer and typically continues for several months.
-'''''Schefflera actinophylla''''' ([[synonymy|syn.]] ''Brassaia actinophylla'') is a tree in the [[Araliaceae]] family. It is native to tropical [[rainforest]]s in [[Australia]] (eastern [[Queensland]] and the [[Northern Territory]]), [[New Guinea]] and [[Java]]. Common names include '''Umbrella Tree''' and '''Octopus Tree'''. The genus [[Schefflera]] was named after a 19th century botanist, J.C. Scheffler.
+The plant produces up to 1000 flowers generating large amounts of nectar which attracts honey-eating birds which then spread the seeds. The fruits are eaten by many birds and animals including Musky [[Rat Kangaroo]]s, Red-legged [[Pademelon]]s and Spectacled [[Flying Fox]]es.<ref>Beasley (2006).</ref> Its leaves are a favourite food of the [[Bennett's Tree-kangaroo]] (''Dendrolagus bennettianus'').<ref>Pers. comm. Lewis Roberts OAM</ref><ref>Martin (2005).</ref><ref>Beasley (2009), p. 105.</ref>
-==Description==
+==Cultivation==
-''S. actinophylla'' is an [[evergreen]] [[tree]] growing to 15 m (49 ft) tall. It has compound medium green leaves in groups of seven leaves. It is usually multi-trunked, and the flowers develop at the top of the tree. It often grows as an [[epithytic|epiphyte]] on other rainforest trees.<ref>Martin, Roger. 2005. ''Tree-kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea'', p. 43, note. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Vic., Australia. ISBN 0-643-09072-X</ref>. It produces racemes up to 2 metres (6.5 feet) long containing up to 1,000 small dull red flowers. Flowering begins in early summer and typically continues for several months.
+''Schefflera actinophylla'' is commonly grown in mild to warm climates as a decorative tree in larger gardens and, when mature, it has bright red spikes of flowers with up to 20 racemes which develop in summer or early autumn. It prefers well-drained soil and only needs occasional watering and feeding to thrive. It is, however, an aggressive plant and its roots can dominate surrounding soil. In some areas (e.g., [[Florida]] & [[Hawaii]] USA) it is an invasive weed and therefore planting is highly unadvised.<ref>[http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/hortweeds/species/schact.htm ''Schefflera&nbsp;actinophylla'': information from the&nbsp;Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR)]</ref>
-==Ecology==
+===Propagation===
-The flowers produce large amounts of nectar which attracts honey-eating birds. The fruits are eaten by many birds and animals including Musky [[Rat Kangaroo]]s, Red-legged [[Pademelon]]s and Spectacled [[Flying Fox]]es.<ref>Beasley, John. (2006). ''Plants of Tropical North Queensland: The Compact Guide''. Footloose Publications, [[Kuranda]], Australia. ISBN 1-876617-13-6</ref> Its leaves  are a favourite food of the [[Bennett's Tree-kangaroo]] (''Dendrolagus bennettianus'').<ref>Pers. comm. Lewis Roberts OAM</ref><ref>Martin, Roger. 2005. ''Tree-kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea''. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Vic., Australia. ISBN 0-643-09072-X</ref>
+Propagation is by seed or cuttings.
-==Cultivation==
+===Pests and diseases===
-''S. actinophylla'' is commonly grown in mild to warm climates as a decorative tree in larger gardens and, when mature, it has bright red spikes of flowers with up to 20 racemes which develop in summer or early autumn. Propagation is by seed or cuttings. It prefers well-drained soil and only needs occasional watering and feeding to thrive. It is, however, an aggressive plant and its roots can dominate surrounding soil. In some areas (eg [[Florida]], USA) it is listed as an invasive weed.
+==Varieties==
-==Trivia==
-On VH1's [[America's Most Smartest Model]], contestant Blonde Rachel was asked to walk down the runway while naming several types of trees.  Upon saying "Umbrella Tree", she was criticized by host [[Ben Stein]] who claimed that he had never heard of an Umbrella Tree, and implied that there was no such thing.  Nonetheless, Rachel and VH1 cleared this up and stated that Umbrella Trees are in fact real.
+==Gallery==
+<gallery perrow=5>
+Image:Rainbow Lorikeets feeding on Umbrella Tree.jpg|[[Rainbow Lorikeet]]s feeding on Umbrella Tree
+Image:Octopus Tree (Schefflera actinophylla) trunk at Hyderabad, AP W 286.jpg|trunk in  [[Hyderabad, India]].
+Image:Octopus Tree (Schefflera actinophylla) leaves at Hyderabad, AP W 285.jpg|leaves  in  [[Hyderabad, India]].
+Image:Octopus Tree (Schefflera actinophylla) canopy at Hyderabad, AP W 281.jpg|canopy in  [[Hyderabad, India]].
+</gallery>
 ==References==
 <references/>
+*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
+<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
+<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
+<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->
 ==External links==
-*[http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html/schefflera_actinophylla.htm Contains many images of Umbrella Tree]
+*{{wplink}}
-*[http://mgonline.com/schefflera.html Good general information]
-*[http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Schefflera~actinophylla Detailed description]
-[[Category:Flora of Queensland]]
+{{stub}}
-[[Category:Trees]]
+__NOTOC__
-[[Category:Araliaceae]]
-{{Commons|Schefflera actinophylla}}