Octopus Tree
Schefflera actinophylla
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- West Bengal
How to identify Octopus Tree
Identify Octopus Tree by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a tree habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Large leaves radiating like umbrella spokes (octopus tree).
- Confirm leaf type: Palmately compound.
- Confirm flower colour: Red.
- Confirm flower arrangement: Raceme.
- In India, compare location records such as West Bengal.
- Confirm it sits within the Araliaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Octopus Tree.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Schefflera actinophylla
- Genus
- Schefflera
- Family
- Araliaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Distribution
- Tropical Asia to Australia
- Found in India
- West Bengal
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf type
- Palmately compoundrecordedLeaflets radiate outward from a single point, like fingers on a hand.“It has palmately compound medium green leaves in groups of seven leaflets.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Characters marked “recorded” are for Octopus Tree itself; the rest are typical of the Araliaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Redrecorded“It produces racemes up to 2 m (6.5 feet) long containing up to 1,000 small red flowers.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Flower arrangement
- RacemerecordedIndividual stalked flowers arranged along a central stem, opening from bottom to top.“It produces racemes up to 2 m (6.5 feet) long containing up to 1,000 small red flowers.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Inflorescence
- Umbel
- Fruit
- Berry
Characters marked “recorded” are for Octopus Tree itself; the rest are typical of the Araliaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Bengali
- অক্টোপাস গাছ
About Octopus Tree
A member of the Araliaceae family, Octopus tree (Schefflera actinophylla) is a tree. In India it has been recorded in West Bengal.
Uses
Locally it is planted as an ornamental.
Araliaceae
Ginseng Or Aralia Or Ivy Family
Octopus Tree belongs to the Araliaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Araliaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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