Pseudopanax lessonii Dark Star

Pseudopanax Dark Star is part of a series of recent hybrids, selected in New Zealand, which have supplanted their parent, Pseudopanax lessonii, thanks to their beautiful foliage. Dark Star is an unusual evergreen shrub that will delight lovers of rare exotic plants. This plant has a narrow habit, with vertical stems and intricately cut leaves ranging from dark green to almost black-purple. Strange and highly architectural, it deserves a prime spot in an ericaceous bed, in mild areas. Gardeners in colder regions can showcase it on the terrace during the summer and protect it from hard frosts in winter. 

Pseudopanax lessonii and its hybrids belong to the Araliaceae family, just like the Angelica tree. It is native to the moist and cool coastal areas of New Zealand. Its hybridisation with P. crassifolius has given rise to numerous varieties, including Dark Star, which is very difficult to find. This shrub prefers humus-rich, fertile, and slightly acidic soils, and an oceanic climate that is mild and humid. It can reach a height of 3 m (10ft) and a spread of 2 m (7ft). Its habit is both ramified and erect, supported by stems that grow vertically. Its growth is relatively slow. The young leaves have a different appearance from the mature leaves. The latter are divided into 3 narrow and elongated leaflets with a thick texture. They are green with bronze margins, and then become deep, dark purple-violet. This Pseudopanax has both male and female individuals. Only the female plants bear small black ovoid fruits after pollination.

Most often cultivated for their unusual habit and beautiful evergreen foliage, Pseudopanax lessonii and its varieties are fascinating plants of great ornamental value, and relatively easy to acclimatise in the open ground in oceanic areas. The Dark Star hybrid is appreciated for its architectural habit design and colour. It can be displayed as a solitary plant in a large pot on the terrace, or for example, combined with dwarf bamboos, ferns, and horsetails. Hardy to -7 °C (19.4°F), it requires a lime-poor, humus-rich, well-drained soil and a sheltered position from cold and dry winds, in mild climates, including in coastal areas. It is undoubtedly a beautiful collector's plant, to be grown in a large pot that can be taken inside in winter like citrus trees, in a minimally heated conservatory or a temperate greenhouse.