My Schefflera is grown outdoors in a container, has been thriving there through the years come our rainy cold winters or excessive hot and dry summers. It was started quite young with a smaller container then we eventually repotted to bigger container where it is currently growing in.
Feb 2016
Dec 2016
This 2019 ha been different though. We got an extended cool down and a bit longer rainy weather which was intially quite good for it:
12 April 2019 - still looking good then
As summer ensued and the hot and dry temps came about, no amount of watering seemed to work. It just dried out and dropped all the leaves. But I see the base part of the plant still viably alive, and branches still showing patches of green though the tips looks really seared by the heat.
This September, it is finally showing recovery. Down to just a handful of leaves, but there is a promise now of new growth on various areas of the branches. It is finally in recovery mode.
I guess it was just patiently waiting for the more amiable Fall-like temps to return again. And we did get a good rain finally a couple of days ago after 5 months of very parched and dry conditions, so any little bit helps! Will continue to observe how this plant recovers.
18 September 2019 update
On the other hand, I have a variegated Schefflera on the other side of the garden, that one did not suffer like this.Thriving so well. I am thinking maybe its position, getting some protection from the fence and overhead by the canopy of city trees helped it.
The other struggling Schefflera gets more of the afternoon sun, although there is some protection from the canopy of city trees, I remembered the city trimmed some branches of the city trees along our fence line, which may have allowed more direct sun to fry my poor schefflera a bit.
Anyways, I am just happy it is still fighting to live. I would hate to lose this plant, it has been with me for over 10 years.
