schefflera

American  

[shef-ler-uh, shef-leer-uh] / ˈʃɛf lər ə, ʃɛfˈlɪər ə /

noun

1. any of various tropical trees or shrubs belonging to the genus Schefflera, of the ginseng family, having glossy, palmately compound leaves and often cultivated as a houseplant.

2. a similar, related plant, Brassaia actinophylla.

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Etymology

Origin of schefflera

< New Latin (1776), after J. C. Scheffler, 18th century German botanist; see -a ²

Example Sentences

A single bed and a leafy schefflera — the only thing passing for green space in a concrete-dense neighborhood — took up most of her living space.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2023

A newly planted bed, the Exotic Plant Garden, blends brunnera, tall blue salvia and hardy schefflera.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 6, 2021

For one Brooklyn homeowner, Ms. Muñoz put a schefflera tree in the kids’ room, with rich, green foliage that droops like an umbrella.

From New York Times • Feb. 14, 2020

My dorm, Cleveland Hall, an old-style residence hall with communal bathrooms, had been converted from a male dorm simply by placing evergreen schefflera plants in the urinals and proclaiming it a women’s dorm.

From Washington Times • Oct. 13, 2019