In the Bamboo family?

[Mariam]

Here is that Walmart find, I talked about in another post. The little card in it says elegant accent, air purifier and assorted foliage. The back is no help either. It actually says, "thrives in specific locations", under vague care instructions. No wonder the average person quickly kills their various houseplants! Please help me identify it, wise ones.

 

[Becky]

Looks like a Schefflera to me!

 

[Mariam]

Yes, I do believe you are right. The leaf clusters do look like an umbrella, but the stem is more bamboo like. Look at the stem on this one, though. Is that not crazy beautiful? Do the stems determine the different kinds of Schefflera?

 

[gata montes]

Your plant very definitely - doesn't belong to the bamboo family and would very much agree with Becky that your plant is one of these

A Schefflera Arboricola or Umbrella Tree

Which come in numerous varieties including variegated ones like the one in this picture. Scheffleras require very little maintenance and are extremely hardy as houseplants as they are very difficult to kill

Oh and in answer to your question - there are a number of things that determine the variety but it is more often than not the shape of the leaves or the coloring.

 

[firelily99]

Yes, I do believe you are right. The leaf clusters do look like an umbrella, but the stem is more bamboo like. Look at the stem on this one, though. Is that not crazy beautiful? Do the stems determine the different kinds of Schefflera?It is definitely a schefflera and a nice looking one at that. The schefflera leaves are fairly universal so they are probably not how different types and I'm not sure the stems can either. A quick Google search and you should be able to find some info on the different types of schefflera.

That definitely is a schefflera and a healthy specimen it is. The leaves are pretty universal so its not how

 

[Mariam]

I really love my Schefflera, thanks for the ID. It was small when I bought it, and next thing I know it was growing nicely. I really hate the fact that the stores are not put labels on plants like they should! I mean, how hard is it to just label it, so the buyer can better take care of it? Thank goodness I have everyone here to help me out.

 

[gata montes]

Mariam - glad we were able to help and that you now know what your plant is and how to look after it - but think you were already doing pretty well - as the plant in your picture looks very healthy
Although I do agree with you that can be very annoying when stores don't put labels on things and especially so in the case of plants - I'm thinking that its even more infuriating when they do put manage to put labels on - but they are not the right ones for that particular plant - especially as I've known many people that have bought a plant with a label - only to find that the label was for a totally different plant altogether - so am thinking maybe no label at all is better in the long run - as at least you wouldn't be following the wrong care instructions