Plerandra elegantissima

Plerandra elegantissima
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Apiales
Family:	Araliaceae
Genus:	Schefflera
Species:	S. elegantissima
Binomial name
Schefflera elegantissima ( Veitch ex Masters ) Lowry & Frodin

Schefflera elegantissima (formerly Dizygotheca elegantissima) (false aralia) is a species of flowering plant in the Araliaceae family, native to New Caledonia. Growing to 8–15 m (26–49 ft) tall by 2 m (7 ft) broad, it is an evergreen shrub or tree. Its leaves are thin, coppery red to dark green with toothed edges. On adult plants the leaves are much broader. In autumn it bears clusters of pale green flowers followed by black fruit. With a minimum temperature of 13–15 °C (55–59 °F), in temperate zones it is grown as a houseplant and is much more compact, typically reaching heights of 2–3 m (7–10 ft).

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

In pop culture

In the Three's Company episode "Days of Beer and Weeds" (season: 2, episode: 22; air date: Tuesday February 21, 1978), Jack and Chrissy think a plant found in the Ropers' garden is marijuana, but Janet later identifies it as a False Aralia. [1.]