With snow melting, I am now confident planting a second schefflera (Schefflera taiwaniana) along the driveway. Here, the snow has melted more quickly than the rest of the garden, but the schefflera replaces an often damaged, non-remontant hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) planted years ago that rarely displays more than a flower or two. The mophead has long been slated for removal, but without a suitable replacement, it served as a black spotted, non-flowering placeholder.

The first schefflera (Schefflera delavayi, above) planted in the garden several years ago is slightly more cold hardy, but it sailed through recent nights of four and five degrees (Fahrenheit) with no visible stress upon close examination. I would hesitate to plant schefflera if winter temperatures regularly dropped nearer zero, but perhaps those winters are gone.

I expect the hydrangea will be discarded to the compost heap, with a few other oldtimers being watched for possible elimination if they again fail to flower. Unfortunately, I’ve lost track of ones planted decades ago that flower only from buds set the previous summer that are regularly damaged by freezes, often cold that comes in early spring when plants are stirring from their winter dormancy.

This schefflera is said to be slightly less cold tolerant, so siting it in a milder microclimate is most critical. Not only is this spot beside the asphalt drive, it is also beneath the canopy of a wide spreading ‘Jane’ magnolia and further protected by an evergreen ‘Dixie Star’ holly. This should further moderate winter temperatures, and while I’m overjoyed to have finally located this schefflera, I do not spend this exorbitant amount without covering as many bases as possible to assure it survives.