Root Awakening: Schefflera’s leaves change shape as they age
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The Schefflera elegantissima’s large leaves are mature ones.
PHOTO: POH CHEE KOK
Wilson Wong
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Prune plant to manage its shape
My Schefflera elegantissima has two different types of leaves. Are the ones on top the mature leaves? Also, I intend to repot this plant into the ground. How tall will this plant grow if I do so?
Poh Chee Kok
Schefflera elegantissima can grow into a small tree or more than 10m tall when given sufficient space. The leaves also grow larger as they mature.
You may want to prune the plant to achieve an aesthetically pleasing shape as it grows, as well as encourage the production of juvenile leaves.
Protect variegated foliage from injury
The wound on the Monstera’s leaf may be permanent.
PHOTO: VICTOR CHUA
Why does my young propagated Monstera have a burn mark on its leaf? I keep it in a semi-shaded area. The same thing happened to the parent plant.
Victor Chua
In highly variegated cultivars, the portions of a leaf that lack chlorophyll – the natural compound that gives plants their green colour – are easily damaged. These plants can be injured by rain, strong sunlight and rough handling, and need to be protected.
When a portion of the plant is injured, a wound opens up, which can bring about an infection due to pathogens in the environment. Some pathogens do not spread, but they will leave a permanent mark. For those that do spread, you will need to prune infected plant parts.
White growths are orchid’s roots
The roots may be coming out of the pot due to the growing medium being too soggy.
PHOTO: YEW WANHUA
What are these growths sprouting from my orchid? They resemble long beans and seem to thrive with minimal care. What should I do to make the orchid look neater?
Yew Wanhua
The white, wiry structures are the roots of the Moth Orchid.
To give the plant a tidier look, you can take the plant out of its pot and carefully fold the roots downwards, beneath the plant’s leaves.
After this, move the plant into a slightly larger pot and fill the gaps with a coarse growing mix such as charcoal chips. The Moth Orchid is an epiphyte (a plant that grows on another plant) and needs to be planted in a porous, fast-draining mix.
The roots may be coming out of the pot due to the growing medium being too soggy. For example, sphagnum moss – a mix which is commonly used to grow this orchid species in nurseries – retains too much moisture for Singapore’s tropical climate.
Water bonsai regularly
Check whether the brown portions of the plant are alive by gently bending them.
PHOTO: JUNE WONG
How can I revive my bonsai? The branches show signs of rotting. I water it often and have placed it in direct sunlight, and have changed the soil, but to no avail.
June Wong
Your bonsai looks like a species of Juniperus. Check whether the brown portions of the plant are alive by gently bending them. If they are dry and snap easily, those parts are dead and need to be pruned. However, pruning will cause the bonsai to lose its artistic form.
Bonsai is usually kept in a small pot with limited soil volume. As such, water your plant thoroughly and regularly. A lack of water can cause the roots and branches to dry out and die.
Juniperus are sun-loving plants and need at least six hours of direct sunlight a day.
Answers by Dr Wilson Wong, an NParks-certified practising horticulturist and parks manager. He is the founder of Green Culture Singapore and an adjunct assistant professor (Food Science & Technology) at the National University of Singapore.
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