What is this, and how do I care for it?
By Elferous
Kenton County, Kentucky,
United States 
Hello! My wife got this plant as a gift - it did very well in a medium light area of our living room over the summer - but it's been dropping leaves like crazy the last couple of weeks! Any help identifying it, and letting me know where to put it, how much to water it, etc. would be greatly appreciated!
5 May, 2008
What you have is Schefflera - very common indoor plant in the US. They need bright but indirect light. Direct sun burns the leaves. Leaves drop while they are green if light is not bright enough. If leaves turn black and then drop, plant is over watered. Best to allow the soil to dry out quite a bit before watering. Sometimes we over water large plants just because they are large.... If you cannot move the plant to more light, consider a small fluorescent lamp in the corner behind the plant. I have used that trick for decades - it up-lights your plant at night. Is that a radiator in bottom left corner? If so, it can dry out this rain forest plant.
5 May, 2008