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paul_cronin

Help ID please!

paul_cronin
10 years ago

Hi!

I got a bargain at Lowe's a few weeks ago for $1.00 - I root pruned and divided into two plants, but I have no idea what it is. Any help with the ID from the foliage?

Thanks!
Paul

Comments (14)

  • flowerpottipper
    10 years ago

    Schefflera elegantissima also known as False Aralia

  • paul_cronin
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    that's it - thank you!

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    Used to be called Dizygotheca. You may find lots of info under that name too.

  • pirate_girl
    10 years ago

    I still see that tagged as Dizygotheca or False Aralia. Haven't seen it as Schefllera (yet?)

    Comes in a bronze kind of color too, my Mom used to grow it, nice plants.

    I wouldn't divide it (personally) they look best when they're grown w/ several stems in a pot together.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    Heythere, PG! I've not seen any plants for sale with new names, and don't want to. I hope Coleus will always be called Coleus, and Sedum will always be called Sedum.

    I got 2 different ones of these recently, (Olympia, and really not sure which one of the others) tiny things with 3-4 plants in each pot. I separated them to use as "trees" in separate mini gardens, an operation none of the plants seemed to notice. Thought that was a pleasant surprise.

    Yours might be different still from the 4 pictured at the link.

  • stewartsjon
    10 years ago

    Wow, these called a Schefflera now?

    I can't keep up!

  • asleep_in_the_garden
    10 years ago

    Just wiki searched Schefflera and as it turns out...it's in the Araliaceae family. Never owned a FA to contrast/compare with but all the same from the pica I"ve seen thus far I woulda never guessed!

  • PRO
    The Ficus Wrangler
    10 years ago

    I've never seen these called Schefflera, only Dizygotheca elgantissima. I did a little research (like 3 mins) and I see that many in this family have been renamed under Schefflera, which is probably what happened to the Dizzy; however, many people want to reclassify the reclassifications based on molecular subtleties of which we shall forever (blessedly) remain ignorant.
    I expect that this dear plant - which is, by the way, not the easiest of creatures to grow - will continue to be grown and marketed under the name Dizygotheca elgantissima.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    Well said!

  • tropicbreezent
    10 years ago

    Dizygotheca was the last name that I knew it as but the name change was formally accepted back in 1989.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    Someone sent me a private note professing disdain for name changes... paraphrased... "It will always be Coleus to me, not Solenostemon."

    I couldn't reply due to that person's GW settings, but just wanted to say that there's no reason to worry about Solenostemon anymore (now that I finally learned how to spell it too) because it's now Plectranthus scutellarioides.

    Marlie, it doesn't look like any growers/stores are going to ever use the new names. Like you, I hope they don't! Probably not much danger of that since hardly any places label the plants anyway. "Low light tropical" should be good to go forever! LOL!

    I've said before, call any garden center and see if they have Plectranthus scutellarioides and I doubt you'll find any that do... But they all have plenty of Coleus!

  • teengardener1888
    10 years ago

    I didnt know it was a schleffera either. Leaen something new everyday

  • PRO
    The Ficus Wrangler
    10 years ago

    Purple -
    Absolutely! But you know, there has to be something to keep the botanists busy. It's a dying profession, apparently. I saw just the other day that universities have few botany classes, the number of people graduating in botany can be counted on a hand, and the particular university that was being discussed is closing its botany dept entirely. So maybe we should cut 'em a little slack.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    Oh I love the botanists, and the work they're doing! I just see no need to change the names of plants according to the info they find, and in fact think it's more harmful than helpful.