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It is a normal event to see the usual normal things, animals, humans, plants and trees, but eyes tend to open a little wider when a dwarf passes by.  

Such dwarfs may include monkeys, humans and plants too.  The latter is a non-issue as few people are bothered regardless of whether it is domesticated and cultivated or growing untended in its natural habitat.

The important issue that matters is for the plant to be usable and be of benefit to anyone who cultivates it. These may include, for instance, the provision of shade, colour, fruits, screen, or simply for beautification purposes within or outside the home or office.  

These are the so-called indoor and outdoor decorative plants that are showering nursery operators with mega bucks every year, year in and year out.

While most of the plants are considered to be of normal height and spread, there are some varieties that are visibly smaller in size. The size, however, is comparative only as they may still appear to be quite big when properly grown, unless forced to dwarf down using the correct horticultural methods.

The best example is to look at how a bonsai plant which is among a list of other bonsai materials, is started, grown, trained and shaped over a long period of time, and in this respect, one of the best examples is the commonly-seen species of plant known as Wrightia religiosa or Shui Mei.  

This variety of plant is widely used as a bonsai stock material where it is possible for the plant to grow wild in abandoned lands to heights of 5-7 metres, but when trained into a bonsai, the height may be restrained to a mere 25-30 cm.  

The variety has great flexibility in that it can be forced into any shape or form without any breakages.  It also has much-treasured advantages in its ability to produce a lot of green foliage while blooming profusely without any problem.

In the case of naturally dwarf plants, the size including diameter of crown and overall height of plant, is comparatively smaller.  These plants include dwarf bananas and papayas which start to bear fruit at a trunk height of about 0.5 metre. Crepe myrtle also has a dwarf that begins to bear flowers at about 0.3-0.5 metre.  

With woody shrubs and trees, a larger dwarfish variety that is mainly foliage in nature, also blooms seasonally with pinkish flowers over a crown that is about 3-4 metres tall compared to its other taller members.  

This variety which is known commonly as Dwarf Umbrella Tree, is found in many tropical countries.  The plant is actually a small tree or large shrub that belongs to the genus of Schefflera and family of Araliaceae. It includes widely-known members such as ginseng, angelica tree and ivies.

In terms of size, umbrella trees are not truly dwarf as its height of 3-4 metres is virtually beyond comparison with humans.  Nevertheless, its tall variety that may reach heights of 8-10 metres certainly makes it a very tall, bushy and shady tree with plenty of leaves that stay on from the lowest to the highest levels.

Another is a variant where the foliage is variegated with streaks and stripes or splashes of creamy yellow to pale yellow. This allows it to be more widely used as outdoor potted as well as partially indoor potted plants.

As an ornamental plant, umbrella trees are fine for many different environmental situations including outdoors, indoors or partially indoors, abandoned lands, untended cultivations, or even those given roughshod treatment.

They may either be grown on the ground or else in pots for better mobility.  As they are evergreen, perennial and woody, they are therefore tougher than many soft herbaceous plants with succulent structures that need more care and attention to be sustained for long periods of time.

Umbrella trees are thickly foliaged with plenty of palmately compound leaves that are produced along the lower stems and branches right up to the highest levels.  Each compound leaf carries from 7-10 leaflets with glossy green surfaces that bear pointed apices.  

Each plant enlarges in size to form a dense crown thus providing a good cool shade at ground level. This zone is often cooler and a little damp to the feel. The more mature ones are often laced with multiple aerial roots that grow downwards to extend its root system as well as to seek moisture and nutrients.  

In time, such roots tend to behave like those found in Ficus elastic or rubber plant where the very large trees may reach 30 metres with very penetrating and suffocating roots. Fortunately, with potted umbrella trees, this characteristic is very seldom seen unless it is too massive, neglected and untended.

Umbrella trees are not difficult to propagate and cultivate.  Cuttings of diameter 1.0-1.5 cm may be easily taken from branches at the lower levels of a mature tree by selecting the well-formed and straight sections before trimming them neatly.

Trim each section to lengths of about 15 cm with an inclined basal tip.  Such cuttings may then be inserted directly into polybags or small pots to await for the arrival of new sprouts in about 3-5 weeks’ time.

While waiting, it may be a good idea to go for a cuppa or a bottle of your favourite fiery beverage to take the heat off the day.

The above writer may be reached at: onggrow@yahoo.com