x Fatshedera lizei Annemieke - Tree ivy

x Fatshedera lizei 'Annemieke' is a beautiful variegated variety of a bigeneric hybrid (hence the x before the name) man-made by crossing a Fatsia and a Hedera, or ivy, hence the full name (Fats + Hedera). This small shrub bears extremely decorative evergreen foliage, with different shades of green combined with yellow to create a tasteful effect all year round. Rarely exceeding 1.50m in height and width after slow growth, it can climb or creep along the ground, thus betraying its double parentage. Of medium hardiness, it can be planted in the garden in mild climates, or grown in a conservatory, or even indoors in cold regions. Appreciating fresh, humus-bearing soils, neutral or slightly acidic, it tolerates shade well, but also copes in brighter positions, provided it is protected from scorching sun.

Fatshedera, also known as Ivy Aralia, belongs to the Araliaceae family, like more than 50 genera, including its two parents, ivy (Hedera) and Aralia, and many other ornamental plants, some little-known, such as Tetrapanax with giant leaves that can exceed 1 m in diameter, or the astonishing Cussonia reserved for the mildest coastal areas. We owe Fatshedera to the whimsy of the Lizé brothers, gardeners from Nantes who, around 1910, had the idea of crossing a Fatsia japonica 'Moseri', a compact Japanese Aralia, and Hedera helix subsp 'Hiberbica', with its beautiful shiny dark green foliage. x Fatshedera lizei was born, a horticultural hybrid blending the characteristics of the two original genera, with palmate leaves closer to one, and a flexible habit, erect to climbing or creeping, inherited from the other. 
The story does not end there, as mutations appeared and the original green plant gave rise to several variegated varieties, such as 'Annemieke'. This one has a slightly more compact habit than the others, with well-grouped stems that highlight the foliage. The palmate leaves are divided into three to five leaflets, and their surface is highly glossy. The variegation is very harmonious, ranging from dark green on the edge to lighter green towards the inside, chartreuse green and a little yellow near the veins. Being an evergreen shrub, the foliage is decorative all year round. Like ivies, the plant can flower in autumn provided it grows upwards (and not as a creeper). Cream-white flowers then bloom in October or November and have the advantage of being nectar-rich, a rare advantage at this season. Not only very aesthetic, but the plant then proves useful to biodiversity. Sometimes fruits may form, but this is not always the case. Its growth is rather slow; it will reach about 1.20 to 1.50m in height in about ten years, peaking at maturity at a maximum of 1.80m. It is therefore easy to find a spot for it in the garden, or to grow it sustainably in a pot to overwinter it in a frost-free room in overly cold climates.

With its leathery and glossy leaves and their superb variegation, x Fatshedera lizei 'Annemieke' is an original, ornamental plant. Its exotic appearance encourages association with other distinctive plants within a themed bed. Another strange plant with a striking silhouette, Farfugium will be a good companion in partial shade. A clump of Rodgersia, a perennial with large leaves reminiscent of those of the horse chestnut, will reinforce the atmosphere you have created. Add a specimen of Cimicifuga racemosa, also known as fairy candle, with its endless white spiked inflorescences, and a curtain of bamboo in the background to complete your scene.