Starting a schefflera?

[Hanandokita]

I'm a little confused about thickening schefflera trunks. I started this guy this last spring. I believe it's a compacta. It has a loooong way to go. I know that we are supposed to let them grow out for a while to thicken trunks, but I feel schefflera don't thicken up too much. I've also read that cutting back hard helps to thicken it up. So which is the way forward? Should I cut back next year, let it grow a year, cut back again the following year, rinse and repeat, or just let it grow out?

 

[RozendaalArts]

I think both help, so just cut it back whenever you want, long as it's healthy. I keep mine inside on a crowded windowsill so I just prune it whenever it gets too big, maybe twice a year, but it's also not as vigorous as others I've seen, I think. Mine is also a year old, maybe 2 cuz I got it as a fairly mature plant but still with green stem, now it's about 2cm in diameter with bark

 

[Hanandokita]

I think both help, so just cut it back whenever you want, long as it's healthy. I keep mine inside on a crowded windowsill so I just prune it whenever it gets too big, maybe twice a year, but it's also not as vigorous as others I've seen, I think. Mine is also a year old, maybe 2 cuz I got it as a fairly mature plant but still with green stem, now it's about 2cm in diameter with bark

Twice a year? We have tropical summers in Japan and I usually cut mine down every 2 years, but it's been slow going on those.

 

[RozendaalArts]

Twice a year? We have tropical summers in Japan and I usually cut mine down every 2 years, but it's been slow going on those.

Once every 2 years? How big does it get in between?

 

[Hanandokita]

Once every 2 years? How big does it get in between?

Not too big. Maybe about a foot. Thinking about, maybe it's once a year. I have a few cuttings that I stuck in the same pots with the mother, I've tried letting those grow out and maybe chop back every 2 years. They have "barked" up, but haven't gotten any thicker.

 

[RozendaalArts]

Not too big. Maybe about a foot. Thinking about, maybe it's once a year. I have a few cuttings that I stuck in the same pots with the mother, I've tried letting those grow out and maybe chop back every 2 years. They have "barked" up, but haven't gotten any thicker

Creating branching through pruning will certainly help. Also, how are the roots? As with any bonsai, a flat root plane with even radial spread will stimulate thickening

 

[RozendaalArts]

What do you do in winter? Summers here are hardly ever warm enough to keep mine outside but inside with a growlight it'll grow all year round

 

[Hanandokita]

Creating branching through pruning will certainly help. Also, how are the roots? As with any bonsai, a flat root plane with even radial spread will stimulate thickening

I don't worry about the roots. They throw out aerial roots like crazy every summer. The one I have pictured above were barley rooted cuttings in these green foam blocks I ordered. Some of the roots were barley 1cm long. I actually just trimmed some of the longer ones and placed rocks to bring them closer to the soil.
All my tropical trees are brought out from mid spring to mid autumn.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I'm a little confused about thickening schefflera trunks. I started this guy this last spring. I believe it's a compacta. It has a loooong way to go. I know that we are supposed to let them grow out for a while to thicken trunks, but I feel schefflera don't thicken up too much. I've also read that cutting back hard helps to thicken it up. So which is the way forward? Should I cut back next year, let it grow a year, cut back again the following year, rinse and repeat, or just let it grow out?

How big of a trunk are you looking to get?

I'd put it in a much bigger pot until it gets the size you want. Using a small pot restricts growth, and once you get the trunk the way you want it then you can move it to a smaller pot to slow it down.

All this talk about hardly ever pruning has my head spinning, I've pruned mine at least six times this year, and I've eased up on the fertilizer. I keep mine in full sun from spring to fall, and in the winter under lights or in a grow tent. And I have to prune at least twice during the winter.

You check out my progression thread to see what I started with and see one that was ground grown in Florida for decades.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/mtm-schefflera-banyan-progression-thread.63489/

Pic below is from Aug 17 2025.

 

[Hanandokita]

How big of a trunk are you looking to get?

I'd put it in a much bigger pot until it gets the size you want. Using a small pot restricts growth, and once you get the trunk the way you want it then you can move it to a smaller pot to slow it down.

All this talk about hardly ever pruning has my head spinning, I've pruned mine at least six times this year, and I've eased up on the fertilizer. I keep mine in full sun from spring to fall, and in the winter under lights or in a grow tent. And I have to prune at least twice during the winter.

You check out my progression thread to see what I started with and see one that was ground grown in Florida for decades.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/mtm-schefflera-banyan-progression-thread.63489/

Pic below is from Aug 17 2025.

It's in a small pot right now because these guys barley had any roots when I got them and from my experience don't like to be water logged, but I will up pot when the time comes. I have no idea how big I want the trunks. I'm just letting it grow right now and maybe for the next few years. I'm just wondering what is the best way to thicken the trunks since in my experience they are slow to fatten up.
I thought the more leaves the fatter the trunk would get? Summers in my area are tropical, but it does snow in the winter, so stop growing when I take them in.
Found a couple pictures from when I got them.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Agreed. They don't like to be waterlogged & the trunks are slow to grow, and I haven't seen a lot of big trunks unless they're old. Yes, more leaves/growth will help but a bigger pot will also help. You can safely up pot the one in your original pic next spring. I find they grow better in organic soil that's slightly acidic to neutral ph.

Yours do look healthy.

Pic of a Fat trunk one. not mine

 

[Hanandokita]

Agreed. They don't like to be waterlogged & the trunks are slow to grow, and I haven't seen a lot of big trunks unless they're old. Yes, more leaves/growth will help but a bigger pot will also help. You can safely up pot the one in your original pic next spring. I find they grow better in organic soil that's slightly acidic to neutral ph.

Yours do look healthy.

Pic of a Fat trunk one. not mine

View attachment 613863

Now that's what I'm talking about!
So would you say letting it grow a few years then chopping back is better than a yearly chop and grow?

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Yes. Let it grow for sure, bigger pot, bigger results. Cuttings take years to grow out and shape. Decide what you want the end result to look like, and push for that. Good luck.

 

[Hanandokita]

Yes. Let it grow for sure, bigger pot, bigger results. Cuttings take years to grow out and shape. Decide what you want the end result to look like, and push for that. Good luck.

Looking at maybe five year grow out then. I heard compacta are even slower growing just like other dwarf species of trees.