They often grow as epiphytes, so they're used to going through dry periods. But a coping mechanism is to drop excess (or sometimes all) leaves. So your plant should make a come back. it's too much water starting off rot that will do more damage.

To Donnagee, I know this was asked a couple years ago but wondering if you ever hit an answer your plants leave turning black and dropping off. I have had that happen to one of mine and it didn't survive. Now a dwarf schefflera That I've had for about 6 months is now going through the same thing. I am almost certain that it's not light. For both of them, I repotted it in soil I purchased from a nursery. I also cut it back and it seems something might have attacked it...just not sure but that was when it started to be problematic. I hate hate it and am trying to get this one healthy. May try master gardeners in my area. Just wondering if you had any luck

And by the way, wasn't the water or lighting. My plants have definitely survived drought spells. It actually looks as if it had gotten cold...but that didn't happen either???

Is it in a pot or in the ground? Is it a dry (low relative humidity) heat, or a humid one?

Its in the ground, in San Diego, its had both dry heat yesterday and high humidity heat earlier this summer and fall.

TG - I wouldn't write it off just yet. If the plant is losing leaves now, it's probably related to conditions that impacted the plant starting weeks earlier. Once an abscission layer forms at the base of the leaf (as a drought response) the leaf's fate is sealed (it will be shed), no matter how attentive you are to it's watering needs subsequently. If the plant has a reasonable amount of energy reserves, it will prolly push another flush of foliage when moisture levels are favorable. One thing you really need to guard against if the plant DOES start to push new growth is letting it get dry enough that it aborts foliage a second time. It's not likely the plant will have enough stored energy to tolerate a second stress load of that magnitude within a short time.

The pictures in the OP look to me like it would if cold injury, the leaf becoming over-heated due to sun load (different than sunburn), or a severe toxicity were to blame. Under or over-watering doesn't cause that type of response in Schefflera.

Al

Tom, it could be blight. Blight is favored by warm days and cool nights, along with humidity. You might try a systemic fungicide that says on the label that it treats blight. Make sure the soil isn't dry before you do it. A plant in a drought state doesn't respond well to chemicals, whether they're "cides" or fertilizer.

Deanna

Thanks know they are a tough plant, in Hawaii, it darn near took an RPG just to dig one like this up just to get a cutting, and its lost nearly all its leaves once before.

Mine is doing the same thing. Turns out two weeks ago my furnace shut down and the house was 53 degrees for 3 days.

Mine is doing the same thing. I moved it to a different spot at Christmas to make room for the Christmas tree. It's getting more light and suddenly had a bunch of new growth. Then the leaves in the back (against the wall) started turning black and falling off. It's not the water or light, so I'm thinking a fungus or temperature? I'm stumped.

Photos?

Hi All, am having a similar issue with my plant. Several leaves are dropping every day. Some of them are blackened and others are green. Purchased approx 6 months ago in a 14” pot and recently transplanted it into this larger one (the blackening started before transplant). Was concerned that perhaps I was overwatering it but roots looked white and healthy albeit a bit dry. Watering it now 4 cups per week. Could it potentially be being burned by SE facing window? Any advice is most appreciated.

I had the exact same Scheff problems in January this year. I am curious if any of you have determined what caused your plant problems.

I knew right away. I moved the plant because it was in the spot our Xmas tree goes in also. The Schef is in a cache pot. Over the holidays I watered every thirsty plant carelessly, more concerned getting ready for all the company I had coming. My home stayed wall to wall people for 3 or 4 days, and I never had a view of the plant in a corner out of the way. It sat in water from my watering as I forgot to empty it, I was sure I had killed it, it is the worse inhumane thing I have ever done to a plant. Was overwatering or a mistake such as mine what was behind your plants problem or was there some other issue.

My one was outside my girlfriends house in a tiny pot, in full sun and sometimes went without water. The stalks were long and widespread, the leaves had yellow streaks. There was hardly any soil anymore, just roots. It was tall but the leaves were few, a sign to me of a plant needing a new environment, or a bigger pot.

We moved house and I moved the plant inside, and into a much bigger pot. I also trimmed about 6 of the longest stalks off. I watered her slowly, trying not to over water it. The leaves fell off and the plant kinda went into hibernation while it was adapting to it's new environment.

About a month later the thing exploded into life as the roots had obviously taken nicely, and now it's in better condition than I've ever seen it. I also believe its good to cut the stalks down now and again (1 or 2 at a time).

The leaves started going black too a short while ago, and just falling off (the whole leaf, not jut the tips). I think I was over watering it. So I left it a few days and started watered less frequently. Seems to be doing a lot better now.