Found this SCHEFFLERA ARB at Homedepot

[Kev]

I found this Schefflera in the indoor section at Home Depot. Do you think I can plant it outdoors in Zone 9B?

[813PalmsnCycads]

Yes. They do very well in a Florida zone 9b in part shade, but I think they can handle full sun here  too. 

[Silas_Sancona]

4 minutes ago, 813PalmsnCycads said:

Yes. They do very well in a Florida zone 9b in part shade, but I think they can handle full sun here  too. 

Fresno is in CA.. Slightly different winter conditions than 9b in FL.

[Silas_Sancona]

6 hours ago, Kev said:

I found this Schefflera in the indoor section at Home Depot. Do you think I can plant it outdoors in Zone 9B?

Tough call.. Not impossible, but may be a challenge, esp. at first until established.  I tried a couple Arbicola several years ago in San Jose but lost them that first winter to a pretty minor frost event.. That said, i have seen other, bigger plain green Schefflera growing in certain parts of town. 

Because you're often hotter than San Jo in summer ..potentially get a little colder in winter, you may do best placing it in a situation that offers protection from both the worst of the heat thru the summer,  and coldest nights in the dead of winter.

Being grown as an interior plant specimen, it will probably need an adjustment period to harden off  -to life outdoors- also. 
 

[mnorell]

I used to grow these in Natchez, Mississippi (zone 9a with at least one long, hard freeze most years, to low 20s). I planted them under the canopy of Prunus caroliniana or other evergreens, which got them through most frosts/freezes in the 27+ range. But even after some really bad freezes they would come back every spring and look decent over summer. They do love heat and perhaps that really helps them keep going in some freeze-prone areas. I've grown them in L.A. many years ago, and grow them here in Rancho Mirage now. I couldn't grow them in the Florida Keys but just because the deer would chow them to the ground. But there are some nice ones in Key West, and also in other deer-free areas of South Florida. So they handle a lot of different climates. I consider them toughies...and if it dies, you can easily replace if you like from many sources. So I think of this as one of those "Why not try it?" species.

[Kev]

12 hours ago, mnorell said:

I used to grow these in Natchez, Mississippi (zone 9a with at least one long, hard freeze most years, to low 20s). I planted them under the canopy of Prunus caroliniana or other evergreens, which got them through most frosts/freezes in the 27+ range. But even after some really bad freezes they would come back every spring and look decent over summer. They do love heat and perhaps that really helps them keep going in some freeze-prone areas. I've grown them in L.A. many years ago, and grow them here in Rancho Mirage now. I couldn't grow them in the Florida Keys but just because the deer would chow them to the ground. But there are some nice ones in Key West, and also in other deer-free areas of South Florida. So they handle a lot of different climates. I consider them toughies...and if it dies, you can easily replace if you like from many sources. So I think of this as one of those "Why not try it?" species.

Thank you, they're really nice plants that I've always wanted to grow in my backyard. I just planted them in the ground. Have you ever grown them in full sun?

[Tracy]

57 minutes ago, Kev said:

Have you ever grown them in full sun?

Yes, I have grown them in full sun, but they were in Carlsbad and my neighbor here has some that used to be full sun, now in shade of their Howea forsteriana.  My qualifications are that sun is a lot milder here in Coastal San Diego than what you get in Fresno.  Despite that I hope this is a starting point for you.  If they like your climate they can get really big.  I had one that was reaching the roof of the 2 story house after a few years in the ground.  I'm getting root issues with my neighbor's since his is adjacent to the fence.  They  like the PalmPlus and water my palms and other plants get which is a bit of a problem for the smaller and very slow growing palms due to the root competition.

[Kev]

12 minutes ago, Tracy said:

Yes, I have grown them in full sun, but they were in Carlsbad and my neighbor here has some that used to be full sun, now in shade of their Howea forsteriana.  My qualifications are that sun is a lot milder here in Coastal San Diego than what you get in Fresno.  Despite that I hope this is a starting point for you.  If they like your climate they can get really big.  I had one that was reaching the roof of the 2 story house after a few years in the ground.  I'm getting root issues with my neighbor's since his is adjacent to the fence.  They  like the PalmPlus and water my palms and other plants get which is a bit of a problem for the smaller and very slow growing palms due to the root competition.

Great to know! I'm sure you have a nice Schefflera Arb there. Do you have any pics of your current plant? 

[Tracy]

2 hours ago, Kev said:

Great to know! I'm sure you have a nice Schefflera Arb there. Do you have any pics of your current plant? 

Looking over the fence at one of my neighbor's plants.  I took out the last one I had to plant a Hedyscepe canterburyana about 15 years ago in one spot and the other came out to make room for a Clinostigma savoryanum at about the same time. Mine were the variegated form.

[Kev]

1 hour ago, Tracy said:

Looking over the fence at one of my neighbor's plants.  I took out the last one I had to plant a Hedyscepe canterburyana about 15 years ago in one spot and the other came out to make room for a Clinostigma savoryanum at about the same time. Mine were the variegated form.

They're massive!  Do you have any palm tree that look like Clinostigma savoryanum, can grow in full sun? 

[Tracy]

3 hours ago, Kev said:

They're massive!  Do you have any palm tree that look like Clinostigma savoryanum, can grow in full sun? 

Can't think of any that will grow in your area that look like Clinostigma, as it is a stretch down here.  There are plenty of cool palms that will do well in your area though.  The folks closer to you can give better advice.   The standout was Jeff's Chrysalidocarpus (Dypsis) decipiens in Modesto.  A spectacular specimen.