Schefflera Arboricola vs actinophylla?

[Cayden]

Hey all,

I'm having a hard time knowing which is which and was hoping you guys could help me out. I have two different schefflera in my enclose, one with solid green leaves and the other with green/yellow leaves.

I really need some help figuring out which one i need to remove, or if both are okay.

I searched online for images of each but different sites were using pictures interchangeably so I do not know which is which.

EDIT: I have a panther so I'm not concerned about him eating the leaves but either way I do NOT want a toxic plant in his enclosure..

 

[KatCham]

I know what you mean!!!

Hard to tell the difference. I got told my new plant was the bad one, but it said Schefflera arboricola on the little plant card and on researching on the net, the arboricola variegata has green leaves with yellow blotches and matches mine exactly, so you can't even go off leaf colour!!!

Not sure how you tell the difference sorry.. you could try posting pics and one of the plant experts might be able to identify it for you???

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Yes, pictures of your plants would make it easiest to tell what they are.

 

[DGray]

key 'em out

For a quick way to tell _S. arboricola_ from _actinophylla_, the leaflets are smooth along their edges; _actinophylla_ usually has as least a few serrations along each leaflet. S. _actinophylla_ also grows much bigger and has bigger, wider leaflets from an early age; at the base of each leaf-stem (petiole) where it joins the main trunk or branch they often show a little upward-projecting point.
S. _arboricola_ is now available in a huge number of forms that vary in size and leaf shape and color. Even the largest forms are smaller than a typical _actinophylla_ leaf.