Fatsia polycarpa in pot

Credit: Megan Hansen

Lobed leaf of Fatsia polycarpa

Credit: Chendada

Fatsia polycarpa in bloom

Credit: Lin Scott

Fruits of Fatsia polycarpa

Credit: jody Hsieh

Fatsia polycarpa, a shrub with highly dissected leaves

Fatsia polycarpa comes to us from Taiwan and belongs to the same family as ivy: the Araliaceae. Untraceable in nurseries just a few years ago, it is gradually making its way into our interiors and gardens.

How to recognize Fatsia polycarpa?

Fatsia polycarpa is a bushy shrub. It grows up to six meters tall in its natural environment. Smaller when grown in pots, it rarely exceeds two meters in height and 1.5 meters in width in our latitudes.

The palmate leaves grow on long petioles. Each leaf is divided into narrow, sharply cut lobes. The green, leathery leaf blades have between nine and thirteen lobes, while fatsia japonica has between seven and eleven.

Fatsia polycarpa blooms in late summer. The flowers are white and clustered in corymbs.

When fertilized, the flowers produce round berries. Green, they turn black when ripe.

But it's best not to taste them! Only birds can eat them. In humans and other animals, berries can upset the stomach. Leaves and stems, on the other hand, are non-toxic.

Our maintenance tips

Resistant to pollution, sea spray and cold, fatsia polycarpa can be grown outdoors and indoors. If yours is a houseplant, try giving it a winter rest in an unheated room, such as a veranda or loggia. This will speed up its growth.

Watering

Fatsia polycarpa appreciate freshness. Their soil must be kept slightly moist in spring and summer. But the plant doesn't like excess. Be careful not to soak the substrate!

Provide water at room temperature, without lime. You can, for example, collect rainwater or use filtered water.

Once you've watered your Fatsia polycarpa, empty any stagnant water from the saucer or planter. It may rot the roots.

Spray

Spray foliage with water at room temperature. Do not use tap water. It is often too hard and leaves marks on the leaves.

Fogging temporarily increases humidity and combats the appearance of parasites.

Repotting

In spring, transfer your Fatsia polycarpa to a larger pot, so that it can continue to grow.

Obtain a perforated pot. Line the bottom with a bed of clay balls or gravel to promote drainage.

For the substrate, you can use houseplant potting soil mixed with sand. Pour a layer and plant fatsia polycarpa in the center. Add potting soil around the edges and tamp down.

Water with room-temperature water to expel air bubbles and facilitate rooting.

To increase humidity, place your pot on a saucer filled with moist clay balls.

Fertilization

You can stimulate the development of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.

Apply liquid fertilizer for green plants when watering.

Prune

Remove dry, yellowed leaves.

Using clean, sharp pruning shears, cut back dead branches.

You can also shorten branches to maintain a compact habit.

Plantation

Once the last spring frosts have passed, you can plant.

Choose a location that is sunny but sheltered from the wind. It should be at least one meter away from other trees and walls to allow your Fatsia polycarpa to grow.

Soak the rootball. Meanwhile, dig a hole two to three times the size of the rootball. Plant fatsia polycarpa in the center and fill in. Don't hesitate to amend the soil with sand and compost if it's poor or heavy.

Water generously to encourage rooting. You can mulch the soil with mineral or organic matter to keep it cool. This will reduce the need for watering.

Cutting

Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.

Dig up one of the shoots forming at the foot of the main plant. Remove the leaves at the base.

Plant your cutting in a mixture of sand and potting soil. Water to moisten the substrate.

The operation is more likely to be successful in a smothered environment. Cover the pot with a bell jar or translucent plastic bag. You can also place it in a clear plastic crate with a lid.

Place your cuttings in semi-shade.

Aerate every day for a minute or two to prevent rotting, and mist the substrate to keep it slightly moist.

Diseases / Threats

Information

Family	Araliaceae - Araliaceae
Type	Fatsia - Fatsia
Species	Fatsia polycarpa - Fatsia polycarpa
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposures	Sun Half-shade
Substrat	Humus soil
Planting methods	Open ground In pots In tubs
Category	Shrub
Tags	Flowery Rustic Soiffarde
Origin	Southeast Asia
Hardiness (USDA)	8a
Leaf color
Flower color
Fruit color