The sticky stuff is likely to be caused by some sap-sucking pest,
probably scale insect. If you can eradicate the pest, you'll get rid
of the problem. This probably means spraying with insecticide/fatty
acid. You could also wipe the bugs off with cotton wool dipped in
methylated spirits, but with a schefflera it would take ages and there
are always one or two scale insects that get missed.


Thanks for the answers to this - I had never realised that the lumpy bits on
the leaves were actually insects until I looked up scale insects on the
internet yesterday!! You live and learn. It was the RHS site which came up
first, but reading through the description, I have to say that I have never
(in the 10 or more years I've had these plants - and the problem of sticky
carpets) seen any eggs or larvae - I have checked again and still nothing
that looks like larvae, only the lumpy bits, mostly on the veins.

Still on the subject of schefflera - one of them has grown aerial roots in
the last couple of months - again something I haven't seen - is this common
with this plant?