Umbrella Tree - Revision history

Raffi at 01:38, 21 May 2010

2010-05-21T01:38:59Z

Murali.lalitha at 14:39, 20 May 2010

2010-05-20T14:39:42Z

Envoy at 07:08, 24 November 2007

2007-11-24T07:08:16Z

New page

{{Taxobox | color = lightgreen
| name = ''Schefflera actinophylla''
| image = Flowering Umbrella Tree.JPG
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''[[Schefflera actinophylla]]'' in the [[Cooktown]] Botanic Gardens, Queensland
| regnum = [[Plantae]]
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Apiales]]
| familia = [[Araliaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Aralioideae]]
| genus = ''[[Schefflera]]''
| species = '''''S. actinophylla'''''
| binomial = ''Schefflera actinophylla''
| binomial_authority = ([[Stephan Ladislaus Endlicher|Endl.]]) [[H.A.T.Harms]]
}}

[[Image:Umbrella Tree flowers.jpg|thumb|Umbrella Tree flowers]]
[[Image:Rainbow Lorikeets feeding on Umbrella Tree.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Rainbow Lorikeet]]s feeding on Umbrella Tree]]

'''''Schefflera actinophylla''''' ([[synonymy|syn.]] ''Brassaia actinophylla'') is a tree in the [[Araliaceae]] family. It is native to tropical [[rainforest]]s in [[Australia]] (eastern [[Queensland]] and the [[Northern Territory]]), [[New Guinea]] and [[Java]]. Common names include '''Umbrella Tree''' and '''Octopus Tree'''. The genus [[Schefflera]] was named after a 19th century botanist, J.C. Scheffler.

==Description==
''S. actinophylla'' is an [[evergreen]] [[tree]] growing to 15 m (49 ft) tall. It has compound medium green leaves in groups of seven leaves. It is usually multi-trunked, and the flowers develop at the top of the tree. It often grows as an [[epithytic|epiphyte]] on other rainforest trees.<ref>Martin, Roger. 2005. ''Tree-kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea'', p. 43, note. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Vic., Australia. ISBN 0-643-09072-X</ref>. It produces racemes up to 2 metres (6.5 feet) long containing up to 1,000 small dull red flowers. Flowering begins in early summer and typically continues for several months.

==Ecology==
The flowers produce large amounts of nectar which attracts honey-eating birds. The fruits are eaten by many birds and animals including Musky [[Rat Kangaroo]]s, Red-legged [[Pademelon]]s and Spectacled [[Flying Fox]]es.<ref>Beasley, John. (2006). ''Plants of Tropical North Queensland: The Compact Guide''. Footloose Publications, [[Kuranda]], Australia. ISBN 1-876617-13-6</ref> Its leaves are a favourite food of the [[Bennett's Tree-kangaroo]] (''Dendrolagus bennettianus'').<ref>Pers. comm. Lewis Roberts OAM</ref><ref>Martin, Roger. 2005. ''Tree-kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea''. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Vic., Australia. ISBN 0-643-09072-X</ref>

==Cultivation==
''S. actinophylla'' is commonly grown in mild to warm climates as a decorative tree in larger gardens and, when mature, it has bright red spikes of flowers with up to 20 racemes which develop in summer or early autumn. Propagation is by seed or cuttings. It prefers well-drained soil and only needs occasional watering and feeding to thrive. It is, however, an aggressive plant and its roots can dominate surrounding soil. In some areas (eg [[Florida]], USA) it is listed as an invasive weed.

==Trivia==

On VH1's [[America's Most Smartest Model]], contestant Blonde Rachel was asked to walk down the runway while naming several types of trees. Upon saying "Umbrella Tree", she was criticized by host [[Ben Stein]] who claimed that he had never heard of an Umbrella Tree, and implied that there was no such thing. Nonetheless, Rachel and VH1 cleared this up and stated that Umbrella Trees are in fact real.

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html/schefflera_actinophylla.htm Contains many images of Umbrella Tree]
*[http://mgonline.com/schefflera.html Good general information]
*[http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Schefflera~actinophylla Detailed description]

[[Category:Flora of Queensland]]
[[Category:Trees]]
[[Category:Araliaceae]]
{{Commons|Schefflera actinophylla}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:39, 20 May 2010
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	{{SPlantbox
		+	\|familia=Araliaceae
		+	\|genus=Schefflera
		+	\|species=actinophylla
		+	\|common_name=Octopus tree, Queensland umbrella tree
		+	\|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|habit=tree
		+	\|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|Max ht box=30
		+	\|Max ht metric=ft
		+	\|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|Max wd box=12
		+	\|Max wd metric=ft
		+	\|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|lifespan=perennial
		+	\|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|exposure=sun
		+	\|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|features=flowers
		+	\|flower_season=early spring, mid spring, late spring, early summer, mid summer, late summer
		+	\|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|flowers=red, pink
		+	\|Temp Metric=°F
		+	\|min_zone=10
		+	\|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|max_zone=12
		+	\|image=Upload.png
		+	\|image_width=240
		+	}}
	{{Taxobox \| color = lightgreen		{{Taxobox \| color = lightgreen
	\| name = ''Schefflera actinophylla''		\| name = ''Schefflera actinophylla''

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 |usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
 |max_zone=12
-|image=Upload.png
+|image=Octopus Tree (Schefflera actinophylla) at Hyderabad, AP W 283.jpg
-|image_width=240
+|image_width=200
 }}
-[[Image:Umbrella Tree flowers.jpg|thumb|Umbrella Tree flowers]]
+[[Image:Octopus Tree (Schefflera actinophylla) fruits or flowers at tree canopy at Hyderabad, AP W 281.jpg|thumb|tree canopy]]
-[[Image:Rainbow Lorikeets feeding on Umbrella Tree.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Rainbow Lorikeet]]s feeding on Umbrella Tree]]
+''S. actinophylla'' is an [[evergreen]] [[tree]] growing to 15&nbsp;m (49&nbsp;ft) tall. It has compound medium green leaves in groups of seven leaves. It is usually multi-trunked, and the flowers develop at the top of the tree. It often grows as an [[epiphyte]] on other rainforest trees.<ref>Martin (2005), p. 43.</ref> It produces racemes up to 2 metres (6.5&nbsp;feet) long containing up to 1,000 small dull red flowers. Flowering begins in early summer and typically continues for several months.
-'''''Schefflera actinophylla''''' ([[synonymy|syn.]] ''Brassaia actinophylla'') is a tree in the [[Araliaceae]] family. It is native to tropical [[rainforest]]s in [[Australia]] (eastern [[Queensland]] and the [[Northern Territory]]), [[New Guinea]] and [[Java]]. Common names include '''Umbrella Tree''' and '''Octopus Tree'''. The genus [[Schefflera]] was named after a 19th century botanist, J.C. Scheffler.
+The plant produces up to 1000 flowers generating large amounts of nectar which attracts honey-eating birds which then spread the seeds. The fruits are eaten by many birds and animals including Musky [[Rat Kangaroo]]s, Red-legged [[Pademelon]]s and Spectacled [[Flying Fox]]es.<ref>Beasley (2006).</ref> Its leaves are a favourite food of the [[Bennett's Tree-kangaroo]] (''Dendrolagus bennettianus'').<ref>Pers. comm. Lewis Roberts OAM</ref><ref>Martin (2005).</ref><ref>Beasley (2009), p. 105.</ref>
-==Description==
+==Cultivation==
-''S. actinophylla'' is an [[evergreen]] [[tree]] growing to 15 m (49 ft) tall. It has compound medium green leaves in groups of seven leaves. It is usually multi-trunked, and the flowers develop at the top of the tree. It often grows as an [[epithytic|epiphyte]] on other rainforest trees.<ref>Martin, Roger. 2005. ''Tree-kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea'', p. 43, note. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Vic., Australia. ISBN 0-643-09072-X</ref>. It produces racemes up to 2 metres (6.5 feet) long containing up to 1,000 small dull red flowers. Flowering begins in early summer and typically continues for several months.
+''Schefflera actinophylla'' is commonly grown in mild to warm climates as a decorative tree in larger gardens and, when mature, it has bright red spikes of flowers with up to 20 racemes which develop in summer or early autumn. It prefers well-drained soil and only needs occasional watering and feeding to thrive. It is, however, an aggressive plant and its roots can dominate surrounding soil. In some areas (e.g., [[Florida]] & [[Hawaii]] USA) it is an invasive weed and therefore planting is highly unadvised.<ref>[http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/hortweeds/species/schact.htm ''Schefflera&nbsp;actinophylla'': information from the&nbsp;Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR)]</ref>
-==Ecology==
+===Propagation===
-The flowers produce large amounts of nectar which attracts honey-eating birds. The fruits are eaten by many birds and animals including Musky [[Rat Kangaroo]]s, Red-legged [[Pademelon]]s and Spectacled [[Flying Fox]]es.<ref>Beasley, John. (2006). ''Plants of Tropical North Queensland: The Compact Guide''. Footloose Publications, [[Kuranda]], Australia. ISBN 1-876617-13-6</ref> Its leaves  are a favourite food of the [[Bennett's Tree-kangaroo]] (''Dendrolagus bennettianus'').<ref>Pers. comm. Lewis Roberts OAM</ref><ref>Martin, Roger. 2005. ''Tree-kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea''. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Vic., Australia. ISBN 0-643-09072-X</ref>
+Propagation is by seed or cuttings.
-==Cultivation==
+===Pests and diseases===
-''S. actinophylla'' is commonly grown in mild to warm climates as a decorative tree in larger gardens and, when mature, it has bright red spikes of flowers with up to 20 racemes which develop in summer or early autumn. Propagation is by seed or cuttings. It prefers well-drained soil and only needs occasional watering and feeding to thrive. It is, however, an aggressive plant and its roots can dominate surrounding soil. In some areas (eg [[Florida]], USA) it is listed as an invasive weed.
-On VH1's [[America's Most Smartest Model]], contestant Blonde Rachel was asked to walk down the runway while naming several types of trees.  Upon saying "Umbrella Tree", she was criticized by host [[Ben Stein]] who claimed that he had never heard of an Umbrella Tree, and implied that there was no such thing.  Nonetheless, Rachel and VH1 cleared this up and stated that Umbrella Trees are in fact real.
+==Gallery==
 ==References==
 <references/>
 ==External links==
-*[http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html/schefflera_actinophylla.htm Contains many images of Umbrella Tree]
+*{{wplink}}
-[[Category:Flora of Queensland]]
+{{stub}}
-[[Category:Trees]]
+__NOTOC__