Schefflera Plants

Two kinds, two addresses: a bushy little shrub that settles in beside the keyboard, and a glossy tree for the corner of the room that's been standing empty, waiting for a tenant with leaves.

Delivered by hand across Toronto and the GTA · Potted before it leaves · Pick-up 702 Queen St W · Designed in Toronto since 2004

Schefflera is a genus of tropical trees and shrubs in the ivy family, Araliaceae, whose leaflets spread from one point like the ribs of an umbrella. Indoors it is grown for glossy leaves and quick growth in bright indirect light; it likes a thorough watering once the top of the mix dries, dislikes cold drafts, and is toxic to pets.

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At Chive Plant Studio, our plant shop at 702 Queen St W in Toronto, every schefflera stem ends in a ring of glossy leaflets, spread like the ribs of an umbrella that lost its fabric and kept the attitude. One customer fanned a cluster across his palm like a hand of cards, checking for a pair. Give it bright indirect light and a good soak once the mix is dry, and it gets on with things.

All the time, someone comes in asking for a plant that grows fast. They've waited for enough things this year and want one thing in their life to hurry up. We walk them to the scheffleras. Where they're grown, down south, they practically run wild, and in a bright room at home they keep putting out leaves at a pace that holds an impatient person's attention. We carry scheffleras from a 3-inch pot for a desk up to a 14-inch pot of tree, the bigger sizes when we have them, grown by our nursery partners and brought to Queen West. They are toxic to cats and dogs: the ASPCA lists schefflera, the umbrella tree, as toxic because of the calcium oxalate crystals in its leaves, and the sap can irritate skin.

Delivered by hand across Toronto and the GTA, or pick up at 702 Queen St W. Every schefflera is potted before it leaves the shop, in its grow pot or one of the house pots, with the potting included in the price shown.

Umbrella Plant

"Umbrella plant" and "umbrella tree" are common names for the same plants: each leaf is a ring of leaflets radiating from the tip of one stalk, like the ribs of an open umbrella, as NC State Extension describes. Clemson Extension calls scheffleras superb, long-lived houseplants, and notes that older bushy ones can be trained into small trees.

Schefflera Plants in Toronto

Our scheffleras sit on the plant floor at 702 Queen St W, where Ryan Hearst looks after them and writes our schefflera care guide. Every summer the staff prune and shape them, and they grow straight back. In a Toronto winter, growth slows and the danger is cold: keep a schefflera above about 16°C, away from doors, drafty windows and heat vents, and water it less until spring. Schefflera at a glance: bright indirect light, a few hours of filtered sun · water thoroughly once the top few centimetres are dry · keep above about 16°C · toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA) · easy · pots from 3 to 14 inches. Taller plants that stand on their own, the Amate among them, are on our large plants page.

Schefflera Plants varieties we grow

Reviewed by Ryan Hearst, Plant Shop Manager · Updated October 2026

From our shop floor (plain facts, short list under the byline):

Ryan Hearst writes the shop's schefflera care guide.
Designing ceramic pots in Toronto since 2004; running the Chive plant shop on Queen Street West since 2020.
Grown by our nursery partners and brought to Queen West; every plant is potted before it leaves.
Delivered by hand across Toronto and the GTA. Pick-up at 702 Queen St W.

Schefflera Plants Frequently Asked Questions

Is a schefflera the same as an umbrella plant?

Yes: "umbrella plant" and "umbrella tree" are common names for schefflera, after the way each leaf's leaflets spread from one point like an umbrella's ribs, according to NC State Extension. The names cover both kinds on this page, the bushy Arboricola and the tree-sized Amate.

Do you deliver schefflera plants in Toronto?

Yes. Delivered by hand across Toronto and the GTA. You can also pick up at the Chive plant shop, 702 Queen St W, and in winter every plant goes out wrapped in paper.

Where can I buy a schefflera in Toronto?

You can buy scheffleras at the Chive plant shop, 702 Queen St W, or order them on chive.ca for hand delivery across Toronto and the GTA; we don't ship scheffleras elsewhere in Canada. We've been designing ceramic pots in Toronto since 2004 and running the Chive plant shop on Queen Street West since 2020.

Is a schefflera toxic to cats?

Yes: the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plants list shows schefflera (umbrella tree) as toxic to cats and dogs; its calcium oxalate crystals cause mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing if chewed. If a pet has eaten some, call your vet. For a home with a chewer, start with our pet friendly plants instead.

Is a schefflera easy to look after?

Yes: give it bright indirect light, let the top few centimetres of mix dry and then water thoroughly, and keep it warm and out of drafts. It keeps you informed, too. A schefflera has precisely one way of raising an issue: it drops a leaf. Find one on the rug, check the soil, then check for a draft; fix whichever it is and the plant goes back about its business. Our schefflera care guide covers the rest.

Can you pot my schefflera before it leaves?

Yes, every schefflera is potted before it leaves the shop, and the potting is included in the price shown. Choose the grow pot or one of the house pots offered with each plant and size; potting is $1 per inch of pot, already built into that one price.

What sizes of schefflera do you carry?

From a 3-inch pot up to a 14-inch pot. Indoors an Arboricola can reach about 4 to 6 ft in a pot but is easy to keep smaller by pruning; an Amate grows into a small tree of about 4 to 6 ft over years, and older plants can top 8 ft. For a tall, large umbrella plant, start with the 14-inch sizes.

About Chive Plant Studio

More from the plant shop: every plant we carry is on our plants Toronto page. If you're starting with one, start with the schefflera arboricola. For a plant that copes with dimmer corners, try an aglaonema. For the right size of home for any of them, see our small indoor plant pots.