Now the Christmas tree is gone, the houseplants take centre-stage again, and so I took the time to prune and tidy an overlarge umbrella plant, and put something in a vase on Monday.
The umbrella tree is probably Schefflera arboricola Nora and I bought it many years ago from Thelma’s florist shop in Tottenham. It grows quite happily in a dark corner, spreading out its funky jazz-hands leaves, tolerating low light levels and infrequent watering. If you’re looking for an easy care, high impact houseplant, this one’s a keeper.
It seemed worth attempting some cuttings, so I’ve trimmed a couple of large stems from the umbrella plant and popped them into water. On the left of the image below, the newly pruned plant and on the right, in the vase, are the cuttings.
In a #wastenotwantnot mood, I put a few of the leftover leaves in a vase with some leftover ‘baby’s breath’ (Gypsophila paniculata) from a bargain bouquet I bought just after Christmas. I don’t usually buy imported flowers, but in darkest January I’ll make an exception to the rule. And I really like how the two elements contrast, particularly when they catch the sun.
On the left of the image is the Prior Made planter that I picked up at Frome market, its a teeny succulent in a planter made by hand out of recycled plywood. They’re really cute and now available online as well at craft fairs and markets. https://www.priormade.co.uk/
If you’d like to see more arrangements in a vase on Monday, pop over to Cathy’s blog and see what’s new this week.
Doing The Plan 
Love the idea of pruning house plants for vase material…..yours is lovely!
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Thanks Donna! It’s a great tactic if you want a bit of winter greenery and the garden is all twigs 😉
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That’s a great idea… one of my houseplants could do with a trim, so you have inspired me! 🙂
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Oh do let us know if it roots. I have decided, after many years without, to have a couple of big green houseplants so shall be looking out for them soon- Schefflera could be in contention. They certainly need to be quite tough as I am likely to neglect them! Your trimmings are perfectly paired with the gypsophila and make a nice rounded vase. Thanks for sharing
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Thanks Cathy! I’ll post updates on the roots if any come along 🙂
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‘Leftovers’ sounds so contrary to ‘elegant’.
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Sometimes there is beauty in what might have been discarded, if you look closely 👀
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Oh, I certainly do not doubt that. I just think of ‘leftovers’ as bits of a fancy dinner eaten as super in front of the television.
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The Schefflera stems look wonderful in a vase, especially a vase as spectacular as that first one. Now my own Schefflera leaves may not be safe – I do have a large plant that’s awfully top-heavy…
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Love those leaves…even without flowers, I would be perfectly happy.
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