Madame De Smet Dwarf Umbrella Tree

Madame De Smet Dwarf Umbrella Tree (Schefflera arboricola 'Madame De Smet') is the golden variegated form of the plant that has kept Australian living rooms green for decades. Each glossy leaf splits into fingers marbled in cream and gold, and in a pot it settles at about 2m tall and 1.2m wide. It is the simplest way to get a tall, bright indoor plant that will not sulk if you go away for a week.

Why you'll love it

• Bright variegation without flowers. The gold and cream marbling carries the plant all year, which matters in a room with no seasonal colour.
• Real height in a pot. At around 2m it fills a corner or flanks a doorway where a low plant would disappear.
• It forgives a missed watering. The stems store moisture, so short dry spells do no lasting harm. Constant wet does.
• Easy to shape. It reshoots readily below a cut, so it stays dense at the height you want instead of going bare and leggy.

Where it works best

Indoors. A bright room with light filtered through a curtain is ideal, anywhere in the country. Inside, your climate stops mattering, which counts for a plant this frost tender.

Pots and balconies. Under a covered patio it grows faster than it does inside, and in tropical and subtropical gardens it can go in the ground and reach about 3m.

Feature planting. A matched pair in identical pots at an entry reads as formal, and the variegation lifts a dark wall.

Growing Madame De Smet Dwarf Umbrella Tree in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light keeps the variegation strong; in dim rooms the new leaves come through mostly green and the stems stretch. Outdoors it wants part shade in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. Being frost tender, it is an indoor or verandah plant everywhere colder.

Soil. Premium potting mix with extra perlite or coarse bark for drainage. The pot needs a working drainage hole, and the saucer should be tipped out rather than left full.

Water and feed. Water when the top 3cm of mix is dry, roughly weekly in summer and every two to three weeks in winter. Liquid feed monthly through the warm months, then stop over winter.

Pruning. Tip prune in spring for a fuller plant, and cut leggy stems back by a third. Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth a few times a year, since dust dulls the variegation.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in a 300mm pot and as a 200mm pack of six. The 300mm plants are established and already carrying height, ready for a decorative pot. The 200mm plants are younger and bushier, useful when you want several through a room or along a balcony.

Expect a few older leaves to yellow and drop in the fortnight after it arrives; that is the plant adjusting to your light, not a fault. Leave it in one position and new growth follows within four to six weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order $300 before delivery, with our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Browse the indoor plant range
• Compare other variegated plants

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Like all scheffleras it contains calcium oxalate crystals and is toxic to cats and dogs, causing drooling, mouth irritation and vomiting if chewed. Keep it where pets cannot reach the lower leaves.

Why is the new growth coming through plain green?

Not enough light. Move it closer to a window with filtered sun and the following leaves come back marbled, though the green ones stay green.

Can I keep it shorter than 2m?

Yes. Cut the main stems back by a third in spring and it branches below the cut, holding at whatever height suits the room.

Can it live outside all year?

Only in frost free gardens. In part shade it grows happily outdoors, but a single hard frost will damage it badly.