Schefflera (umbrella plant) advice? Zone 9. &&&UPDATE 031819: PLANT DOING WELL OUTDOORS SHADED SPOT
My son's legacy plant from his grandma (it thrived on her kitchen table in a small pot for a decade with northern light) is a schefflera that has not thrived tended by me. Since a 4 foot tall schefflera grows beautifully in a neighbor's yard with northern exposure, it seemed okay to put it outdoors in a 5 gallon tub with the same environment. First, all its leaves dropped off and then the trunk shriveled despite watering. Now it's in a more shaded spot with water increased and up from the bottom come new leaves, thank goodness. Any thoughts on keeping the plant going even better? Would it be okay to trim the dead trunk way down?