Polyscias fruticosa 'Elegans', a parsley-like aralia
Polyscias fruticosa 'Elegans'
- Exposure
- Half-shade
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 11b (7.2°C ≤ T° < 10°C)
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Family
- Araliaceae
- Genus
- Polyscias
- Species
- Polyscias fruticosa
Polyscias fruticosa 'Elegans' is a dwarf, compact variety of Polyscias fruticosa. But its small size isn't its only distinctive feature! This cultivar has curly, parsley-like foliage.
How to recognize Polyscias fruticosa 'Elegans'?
Polyscias fruticosa 'Elegans' grows to between 60 and 150 centimetres tall, with a spread of less than a metre. It is a compact, upright shrub.
A light-brown bark covers the woody stem. The gnarled, branched trunk is reminiscent of bonsai in some specimens.
Green leaves, sometimes speckled with white, grow from the tips of supple branches. Each has seven leaflets. Curled like parsley, they have serrated margins.
Polyscias fruticosa 'Elegans' is grown for its decorative foliage. The flowers, like the fruit, almost never appear indoors.
Be careful not to confuse the leaves of your Polyscias fruticosa 'Elegans' with your parsley! The plant is toxic. It causes digestive problems and nausea if ingested. Keep your shrub out of reach of pets and even young children.
Our care tips
Elegans' Polyscias do not like strong light or limestone. Place your plant behind an east-facing window and water it preferably with rainwater.
Watering
Polyscias 'Elegans likes regular, but not excessive, watering. Its roots must not be drowned. Use non-calcareous water, such as rainwater or filtered water at room temperature.
Between waterings, let the soil dry on the surface (by about two centimetres).
Remember to remove any stagnant water from the saucer or planter.
Misting
Spray foliage with non-calcareous water at room temperature. This increases humidity, prevents pest attacks and repels dust.
Repotting
In spring, transfer your Polyscias fruticosa 'Elegans' to a larger pot, so that it can continue to grow.
Obtain a pierced pot one size larger than the previous one. Pour clay balls or pebbles in the bottom to improve drainage.
Elegans' Polyscias like rich, aerated soil. Mix one or two handfuls of heather earth with potting soil for green plants. Place a layer of substrate on top of the clay balls. Plant your plant and add potting soil to the height of the root ball.
Tamp and water to encourage rooting.
Your Polyscias fruticosa 'Elegans' appreciates humid environments. Place its pot on a dish of wet clay marbles to increase ambient humidity.
Fertilization
You can stimulate the development of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.
Use a liquid fertilizer for green plants mixed with water.
Prune
You can prune your Polyscias 'Elegans to control its growth.
Use clean pruning shears to top. You can also shorten the branches.
Taking cuttings
Select a healthy stem with leaves. Separate it from the mother plant using a clean, sharp instrument.
Remove the leaves at the base.
To propagate cuttings, plant the seedling in a pot with a fine potting soil, such as potting soil for cuttings and seedlings, or a substrate that you have previously sieved.
Mist and cover with an empty bottle. Aerate your mini-greenhouse for a few minutes a day and spray two or three times a day.
Mist and cover with an empty bottle. Aerate your mini-greenhouse for a few minutes a day and spray two or three times a day.
Diseases / Threats
Information
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Exposure
- Half-shade
- Substrate
- Humus soil
- Planting methods
- In potsIn tubs
- Tags
- Cold-sensitiveToxic
- Origins
- Southeast AsiaOceania
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 11b (7.2°C ≤ T° < 10°C)
- Leaf color
- Dark green
Discover plants from the same family
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
