Fatsia japonica Spiders Web - Variegated False Aralia

Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web' is a variety of false aralia with a very exotic appearance, but is much hardier than it seems. An evergreen bush with a wide and rounded habit, it bears large palmate leaves with a shiny finish and a dark variegated colour splashed with small white-cream spots. At the end of summer, white-cream globular flowers bloom in large numbers, grouped in clusters that somewhat resemble ivy inflorescences. They are also honey-bearing and give rise to fairly decorative black fruits (these berries are not edible). This plant is perfect for shaded or semi-shaded areas of the garden. It thrives in a rather moist, humus-rich soil without excess limestone.

Fatsia japonica (syn. Aralia cordata), also known as Aralia or Japanese Fatsia, is a plant from the Araliaceae family, native to Southeast Asia, particularly Japan, Korea, and China. It is a giant herbaceous perennial, not to be confused with Aralia, which are true deciduous trees with spiny stems. The false aralia is composed of long petioles bearing very large leaves, giving it a rounded and spreading habit as well as a lush tropical plant appearance. Its growth is rather slow. Having initially enjoyed its moment of glory indoors, the Japanese Aralia has become, through inspired landscapers, an excellent garden plant, hardy and valuable for urban shady spaces. When grown in pots, it will not exceed 1.50 m (4.9 ft) in all directions, while it can easily reach 2 m (6.6 ft) when planted in the ground.

The cultivar 'Spider's Web' is a horticultural mutation of this species. It is mainly distinguished by its variegated and speckled white-cream foliage. Its superb palmate leaves, divided into 7 to 9 lobes, measure 15 cm to 30 cm (5.9 in to 11.8 in) in diameter. The evergreen leaves are borne on a branched false trunk giving it a very structured appearance and an exotic look. Tiny flowers appear from July to September, and are grouped in clusters of small white-cream pompoms. Later, they transform into equally decorative black beads, greatly appreciated by birds.

Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web' prefers semi-shade, very fresh, light, and rather neutral to acidic soil. Hardy to -15° C (5° F), its foliage may suffer damage from the burning of snow or winter wind; therefore, choose a sheltered place away from cold and dry winds to plant it. In the garden or on a terrace, this Fatsia immediately creates an atmosphere of lush and exotic undergrowth while brightening shaded areas. Plant it to the south or west, against a wall or in a shady bed, in the company of luxuriant foliage plants, such as rodgersias, bamboo, Chinese palm or Gunnera. Ferns, hostas, and creeping bugles can also be planted at its base. Small gardens or urban patios will be transformed by its presence.