schefflera pruning and trunk development

Dwillow

I have a schefflera that is about 3 years old now and I would like to keep it in a broom style but was wondering how to encourage branching and decrease leaf size. I read a few other posts about pruning scheffleras but I can't tell in a case like this how much I should cut it back. If I defoliate and cut the petioles, will I get the same result?

Also, I can't seem to get the trunk any thicker than it is (which is probably about 3/4") and was wondering if there were any good ways for me to do that.

Thanks.

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agraham

The only way I've been able to get a decently thick trunk on arboricolas is by using arial roots as a trunk of sorts.As they fuse, or atleast wrap around the trunk....it appears thicker.You can create taper by spreading the a. roots out as they aproach the ground.

Defoliating Might increase branching,but tip pruning AND defoliating does the best job in my experience.

All of these procedures are going to be difficult to do in an indoor environment though.Scheffs like heat and humidity to do their best.

andy

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