@Ragman,
												There's an idea.  If they were outside, keeping weeds at bay. I might even like them  

  Oh for your climate.
I had to look up schefflera, and discovered that Mame's umbrella tree is a type. They can get big, which explains her 14 footer.
(Edited to add I only just realised that Mame said schefflera in her first post, but I missed the word.  My eye's went straight to umbrella.)