Where to Position Schefflera (Umbrella Plants) in the Home

A Schefflera plant, commonly known as an umbrella plant, is a great way to make a statement in your home. With their shiny leaves that stay green and fresh year-round, Schefflera add a lush, tropical look to any room. They’re also auspicious plants; in the tradition of Feng Shui, umbrella plants bring positive energy, prosperity, and good fortune, while offering protection from bad energy. This guide will take you through everything you need to know about where to position Schefflera plants in the home to maximize these benefits while also providing the plant with the environmental conditions it needs to thrive.

Where to Position Schefflera (Umbrella Plants) in the Home – The Essentials

In Feng Shui, Schefflera plants are associated with prosperity and wealth, thanks to hand-shaped foliage that “reaches out” to receive money and positive energy. Place Schefflera in the southeast or left-rear corner of your home, room, or office space to attract prosperity and near the front door to protect against bad energy.

---

About Schefflera Plants

The umbrella plant is a member of the Schleffera genus, which contains 600 to 900 species. These species grow as shrubs, trees, or woody vines (lianas). Schleffera is the largest genus in the Araliaceae family.

Two species are often grown as houseplants. S. arboricola grows from 10 to 25 feet tall, with a spread to 8 feet, while S. actinophylla grows up to 40 feet tall. Both are smaller when grown indoors but can grow to three feet per year. Both species of Schefflera have glossy, green foliage.

S. actinophylla is native to Australia and New Guinea. S. arboricola is indigenous to tropical regions of China and Taiwan. In their natural habitat, Schefflera plants thrive in warm and humid conditions, bright but indirect light, and rich, slightly acidic soil. Replicating these conditions at home helps the plants thrive.

Schefflera Plants and Feng Shui

The Chinese tradition of Feng Shui roughly translates into “wind and water.” It can be used to bring balance to your surroundings, providing harmony in life.

Feng Shui involves the placement of objects inside a home or room. Objects’ location influences energy flow, known as Ch’i. Object placement can be used to attract positive energy and deflect negative energy, or Sha.

Feng Shui practice involves five elements: “wood,” “earth,” “fire,” “metal” and “water.” The goal is to balance these elements appropriately through object placement. Plants are associated with “wood,” which is aligned with attributes of action, growth, compatibility, and kindness.

Plants such as the Schefflera play a key role in Feng Shui. An umbrella plant can be thoughtfully placed to attract wealth, prosperity, and positive energy, thanks to its finger- or hand-like foliage. Their canopies form a sheltering “umbrella,” giving these plants protective properties, too.

Along with Feng Shui principles, you must also consider the Schefflera plant’s environmental needs when deciding where to position your umbrella plant. After all, you want your plant to thrive, and in Feng Shui, dead and unhealthy aren’t auspicious.

Where to Position Schefflera in the Home

How can you position an umbrella plant in the home according to Feng Shui? Using a guide known as the Bagua can help you find the right spot.

Use the Bagua like a map that you picture over your home, room, or office floor plan. The Bagua consists of nine sections, laid out in a three-by-three square.

Each section relates to a part of life (gua), one of the five elements, a direction, and part of the home (when aligned with the main entrance of your space). Starting in the lower right corner and moving clockwise, the nine sections are:

• Qian: Travel and helping; metal; northwest; bottom-right corner of home or room
• Kan: Career and life path; earth; north; bottom-middle of home or room
• Gen: Knowledge and personal growth; earth; north-east; bottom-left corner of home or room
• Zhen: Family and new starts; wood; middle-left of home or room
• Xun: Wealth and prosperity; wood; south-east; left-rear corner of a home or room
• Li: Fame and reputation; fire; south; rear-middle of home or room
• Kun: Love and relationships; earth; southwest; right-rear corner of a home or room
• Dui: Children and completeness; metal; west, middle-right of home or room
• Tai Qi: Health and center; earth; center of home or room

Using the Bagua Map to Find an Appropriate Placement

Start by (mentally) placing the Bagua over your home or room’s floor plan. Align the bottom middle gua, Kan, with the main entrance to the space.

Of course, not all homes and rooms are perfect squares, so the Bagua likely won’t fit perfectly. Just do your best to align the spaces in a balanced manner.

Now you can associate each gua with its specific elements and activate that good energy. Areas that especially align with a Schefflera include Xun. Place your Schefflera in the southeast or left-rear corner of your home, room, or office space to attract good fortune and prosperity.

You may also place a shuffler (or two) inside the front door of your home or entrance to a room. The plants offer protection against Sha while attracting positive prosperity energy.

Plant Care Needs and Position

Along with the principles of Feng Shui, it’s essential to consider the Schefflera’s environmental needs. While the plants are known as relatively low-maintenance, they’ll grow best when placed in spots with:

• Bright indirect light
• Consistent humidity
• A temperature that remains between 60 and 75 degrees F year-round
• Protection from both cold drafts and heat sources

Avoid spots with too-intense sunlight, such as in south- or west-facing windows and too-dark corners. Keep Schefflera away from heating registers, air conditioning vents, and doors and windows that may create cold drafts.

Where Not to Place Schefflera in the Home

Schefflera are associated with prosperity and wealth. Avoid placing them in a bathroom, kitchen, or other rooms with drains. The good fortune may be washed or flushed away.

Feng Shui principles often dissuade the placement of plants in the center of the home or the bedroom. Plants bring live, active energy, which may disrupt the calm.

Avoid placing a Schefflera anywhere that it’ll receive bright sunlight or near heat registers. This can dry out the soil and harm plants. Avoid spots that are too dark.

Where to Place Schefflera Outdoors

If you live in USDA zones 10 to 12, you may be able to grow Schefflera outdoors in partial shade locations or in locations with protection from full sun exposure.

In colder climates, you will have to bring the plants inside if temperatures fall below 60 degrees F.

Essential Schefflera Plant Care

Your Schefflera will grow best when you mimic conditions in its native habitat. This includes:

• Bright but indirect light, such as found in an east-facing window, a few feet from a south- or west-facing window, or a south or west-facing window with a sheer covering
• Temperatures that stay between 60 and 75 degrees F
• Consistent humidity
• Moist, rich, and well-draining soil with a balanced or slightly acidic pH level
• Water with rain or distilled water when the top two inches of soil are dry.

---

Where to Position Schefflera FAQs:

---

The Final Word

Schefflera or umbrella plants add lush, tropical beauty to the home. They’re also a great way to attract wealth and prosperity while protecting against negative energy. To reap these benefits, position a Schefflera in an auspicious place that also provides the plant with the environmental conditions it needs to thrive.

---