Japanese Aralia, False Aralia: Planting, Growing, and Care.

Description and botany

The Fatsia is a decorative bush (sometimes considered a giant perennial) from the Araliaceae family, like common Ivy or Schefflera. There are very few species, including Fatsia oligocarpella, Fatsia polycarpa and Fatsia japonica, the latter being the most widespread and commonly used in gardens. Also known as Japanese Fatsia or False Aralia, it originates from Japan, Korea and Taiwan. It is sometimes found under other botanical names like Fatsia sieboldii or Aralia sieboldii, but should not be confused with Aralia, a bush from the same family but representing a distinct genus.

Fatsia japonica: botanical illustration (Wikimedia commons)

For a long time confined to our interiors and used solely as a houseplant, it turned out to be hardier than thought and gradually migrated to gardens with mild to moderately harsh winters. Its hardiness allows it to tolerate temperatures between -10 to -15°C, depending on growing conditions. However, tender young leaves developing in spring may be damaged by late frosts.

An evergreen bush, it is highly valued for its exotic, tropical appearance. When grown in pots, it rarely exceeds 1.50m but can reach over 3m when planted in the ground. Its spread typically ranges between 1.20m and 3m.

The main attraction of Fatsia is its foliage – palmatilobed, meaning deeply divided, usually into 7 to 9 lobes with more or less dentate edges. Large in size, these leaves can measure over 30cm in diameter. They are glossy and borne on thick, sturdy petioles. Light green and shiny for the type species, they are darker and variegated with white in Fatsia japonica ‘Variegata’, or green broadly splashed with cream in Fatsia japonica ‘Spider’s Web’. Also green, Fatsia polycarpa ‘Green Fingers’ (the Taiwanese Fatsia) features leaves divided like fingers on a hand. Mature bushes develop a dense, upright habit with a rather rounded crown.

The Fatsia flowers between late summer and autumn. Nectariferous, it produces umbels of very small off-white flowers, reminiscent of ivy flowers, atop sturdy stems. These flowers later turn into decorative, round black berries, which are toxic to humans.

Rather slow-growing, Fatsia works wonders in woodland settings, in sheltered patios or grown in pots on terraces protected from harsh winds and scorching sun.

A moist but well-drained, light and neutral to acidic soil provides ideal conditions for developing its opulent foliage.

The divided foliage and inflorescences of Fatsia japonica

Maintenance of False Aralia is minimal, making it ideal for contemplative gardeners. Rarely affected by diseases, it may occasionally suffer from scale insects, spider mites or whiteflies, but organic control methods are now available.

Species and varieties

There are few species used in the garden, but some varieties offer interesting and highly decorative colour or shape variations.

False Aralia - Fatsia japonica

The species-type, with its broad, glossy, shiny leaves in a deep green, ideal for creating a lush atmosphere in an exotic composition!

• Flowering time October, November
• Height at maturity 2,50 m

See the product sheet

Fatsia japonica Variegata

A slightly more compact variety, but with equally impressive foliage, its green irregularly variegated with creamy white.

• Flowering time September to November
• Height at maturity 2 m

See the product sheet

Fatsia japonica Spiders Web - Variegated False Aralia

This mutation is widely popular due to its incomparable foliage, generously splashed with white, which enhances its decorative appeal and gives it a decidedly modern look!

• Flowering time August to October
• Height at maturity 2 m

See the product sheet

Fatsia polycarpa Green Fingers

A variety with deeply cut, almost shredded foliage, making each leaf resemble a giant hand!

• Flowering time November, December
• Height at maturity 2 m

See the product sheet

Planting

Where to plant

• Place your Fatsia in a neutral to acidic soil, which remains moist in season but well-drained in winter, and preferably rich and light.
• Provide it with a sheltered spot, protected from both cold, strong winds and intense sunlight, as both can scorch the foliage. Dappled light or light shade, such as that found at the edge of a forest, in woodland undergrowth, or beneath the canopy of a tree, suits it perfectly. It also thrives very well against sheltered walls, such as those of a patio.
• When grown indoors, avoid overly hot and dry locations and direct sunlight from a south-facing window. Generally, a bright, not overheated and humid atmosphere ensures a healthy plant.

When to plant

• Planting in the ground is ideally done in autumn in mild climates, or in spring in less temperate regions.
• For indoor use, planting can take place year-round.

How to plant

In the ground

1. Soak the root ball in a large volume of water to thoroughly saturate the substrate.
2. Dig a hole 2 to 3 times the size of the root ball and loosen the soil removed.
3. If needed, lighten your soil with sand (which improves drainage) and compost. A drainage layer (clay pebbles, gravel, etc.) enhances water drainage at root level.
4. Remove your Fatsia from its pot and position it in the centre, ensuring the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface.
5. Fill in with the remaining substrate and firm gently around the base.
6. Water generously (a 10-litre bucket), then mulch with your chosen material (grass clippings, dead leaves, wood chips, ready-to-use mulch, etc.).
7. Monitor the substrate to prevent it from drying out, as the plant is more sensitive to drought in its early years.

Monitor the watering of your Fatsia to give it the best chance to develop properly

In a pot

1. Soak the root ball to moisten it.
2. Choose a pot slightly larger than the one in which you purchased it.
3. Ensure there is a drainage hole at the bottom of the pot and add a drainage layer a few centimetres deep, such as clay pebbles.
4. Use a rich and light compost. Place an initial layer, position your bush on top, then fill in the gaps and firm lightly. Leave a few centimetres at the top of the pot to facilitate watering.
5. Water in stages to thoroughly saturate the substrate.
6. Apply a mulch on the surface of the pot, which serves both a decorative purpose and reduces evaporation.
7. Never let the compost dry out completely. In summer, daily watering may be necessary during extreme heat and drying winds. Space out watering more in winter, especially during rainy weather.

Tip: To create a more humid atmosphere, you can place the pot on a saucer filled with clay pebbles. Keeping them moist creates a microclimate favourable to the plant. Outdoors, remember to remove the saucer in winter or slightly elevate the pot.

Care and maintenance

Outdoor cultivation

The Fatsia is a bush that requires almost no maintenance. However, ensure the soil remains moist during the season. To this end, prefer a generous weekly watering to less significant daily applications. In a pot, you will need to intervene more frequently, as the soil dries out faster.

Its relative hardiness may require you to protect it with a winter fleece in case of intense and prolonged cold, which should be removed as soon as temperatures rise.

At the end of winter, simply cut back damaged stems and leaves, then add a layer of compost or an appropriate soil amendment at its base, before completing the mulching.

Once flowering is over, i.e., when berries form, you can cut back spent stems to concentrate the plant’s energy into leaf development.

→ Read also: Our tips for growing a Fatsia in a pot outdoors.

Indoor cultivation

When grown indoors, the Fatsia can quickly suffer if the environment is too hot and dry. Water regularly throughout the year, but more frequently and generously in summer. Also mist its leaves to maintain the humidity it enjoys and limit attacks from certain pests.

Between March and October, mix a liquid fertiliser into your watering water (following the recommended dosages) every 2 to 3 weeks.

When your Fatsia starts to outgrow its pot, repot it into a slightly larger container. If repotting is not possible, top-dress the plant. This involves scraping off the top layer of compost to remove a small thickness and replacing it with fresh compost. Don’t forget to water immediately afterwards.

→ Read also Fatsia japonica: our tips for growing and caring for this plant indoors.

Pests

• The Fatsia can be targeted by scale insects, such as the Brown Scale, which attaches to the underside of leaves as small brownish bumps. The simplest method is to remove them by hand or with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol and destroy them. Learn more about this pest in our advice sheet.
• Red spider mites, which are actually tiny mites, also thrive in overly dry and hot environments. To learn how to identify and combat them, read our advice in this dedicated sheet.
• Aphids may also occasionally settle on the Fatsia. In this case, shower your plant with a fairly strong, concentrated jet to dislodge them. Find all our tips for combating aphids in our special feature.

Finally, there are natural control methods to limit the spread of pests to your plant.

Propagation

Both propagation by cuttings and sowing yield good results.

Propagation by Cuttings of Fatsia

1. Between June and September, take semi-hardwood cuttings (their base has started to lignify while the tip is still in growth and tender) about fifteen centimetres long, cutting below a node (the part where the petiole is inserted on the main stem).
2. Remove the leaves at the base, keeping only 2 or 3 at the top. Cut the top leaves in half to also reduce evaporation.
3. Insert your cuttings up to the upper leaves into a bucket filled with light compost, such as special cutting compost.
4. Keep your cuttings warm and in a bright spot but out of direct sunlight. To maintain high humidity, cover them with a transparent plastic bag, ensuring it doesn’t touch the leaves.
5. Plant them in the ground or in pots the following spring.

Sowing Fatsia

1. In November, collect the seeds from your bush.
2. Sow them in small pots and cover with a thin layer of vermiculite.
3. Place your buckets at a temperature of around 15 to 20 °C. Germination usually occurs within the next 15 days.
4. When the young plants have developed 2 true leaves, transplant them into individual pots and keep them under shelter.
5. You can plant your young specimens in the ground the following spring, but an additional year of pot cultivation will produce sturdier young plants.

Fatsia japonica seeds before ripeness

Pairing Fatsia in the Garden

The large leaves of Fatsia give it an exotic look that creates beautiful tropical atmospheres. You can focus your composition on foliage, choosing plants renowned for the texture, shape, colour or size of their leaves. This is the case, for example, with the common Aucuba (though not so common when paired with well-chosen companions). Like the False Aralia, the Schefflera is hardier than one might think, and its palmate, graphic foliage enhances the jungle effect. Another must-have is the Gunnera manicata, which displays enormous leaves, and its cousin Gunnera magellanica, which forms a dense, low-growing ground cover. The Farfugium, with their round leaves—sometimes curly or speckled with yellow spots—brightened further by autumn daisy-like yellow flowers, add a truly original touch. Other candidates can complete the picture, such as the Aspidistra (which has also migrated from our interiors to flower beds), the Colocasia with its broad spear-shaped leaves—some varieties of which are almost black-purple—the Darmera peltata, the Acanthus, the Rodgersia, the Chinese Windmill Palm or the Japanese Banana.

And since we’re talking about Japan, why not enhance the atmosphere of gardens inspired by the Land of the Rising Sun with plants like Bamboos (rest assured, with species like Fargesia, which know how to stay in place, no root barrier is needed!), Japanese Maples (their spring foliage is often stunning, and they become irresistible when autumn paints them in vibrant colours), Camellias, Azaleas and Rhododendrons, prized among other things for their exceptional flowering.

Among low-growing perennials, consider the Hostas, whose beautiful foliage is complemented by delicate, sometimes fragrant flowers, the Bleeding Hearts with flowers that are symbols even Cupid would envy, or the Epimedium (or ‘Fairy Wings’). Finally, insert low, soft-habited grasses like Carex or Hakonechloa, or gramineous perennials such as Ophiopogon, and scatter a few bulbs here and there—some to brighten the first days of spring, others to take over in summer or close the season once autumn arrives.

→ Also discover 7 ideas for pairing Fatsia!

Fatsia japonica, Aucuba japonica, Gunnera manicata, Hakonechloa, Rhododendron and Ophiopogon