Fatsia Japanese Aralia

Fatsia japonica

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 8a (7b?)-10b Find Your Zone

Shrub Type: Evergreen Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 5-8′

Width at Maturity: 5-8′

Spacing: 5′ for solid hedge; 10’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Upright

Flower Color: Creamy White

Flower Size: Small in Rounded Clusters

Flowering Period: Late Winter

Flower Type: Single

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Deep Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Shade, Morning Sun with Afternoon Shade or Filtered Sun, or All Day Filtered Sun

Water Needs: Average, Lower when established

Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist but Well Drained

Soil pH: 5.5 – 7.0 (Acid to Neutral)

Maintenance / Care: Low if any

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Drought (when established), Heat, Cold, Humidity, Insect, Disease

Description

Bring the look of the tropics to the shady spots in your landscape with this cold hardy, evergreen tropical shrub we call Fatsia…what others might call Japanese Aralia or Glossy Paper Plant. This large, cold hardy tropical shrub with large, bold and glossy leaves can be grown outdoors year round as far north as USDA Zone 8a (maybe 7b?). In Zones north of 8a it can be grown in a large container that can be brought indoors during the coldest part of winter, or you can grow it year round as a house plant. In our north-central location it remains evergreen throughout the winter. If temperatures drop to 0 to 10 degrees F the foliage may die back to the ground but new growth reliably emerges in spring. Unique, rounded clusters of creamy white flowers appear in fall persisting into winter, adding even more delightful interest to the landscape. It tolerates salty air, heat, and humidity extremely well.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing in a large mound 5 to 8 feet tall and equally as wide, Fatsia japonica is ideal for use as an accent, in groupings, or as a natural low hedge in shady to partially shaded home foundation plantings, landscape borders and garden beds. In home foundation plantings, it does best on the east side of the home, which receives the morning sun but shade in the afternoon. Very nice around garden ponds and in tropical-look gardens. Fatsia also makes a great container plant for use outdoors or as a year round houseplant. For those who live and garden north of USDA Zone 8a, containers can be overwintered indoors.

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8a, where this Fatsia is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

Fatsia are exceptionally easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained soil of average fertility and part shade to shade. Avoid direct afternoon sun. Morning and late evening sun is okay. Constantly soggy soil or standing water is problematic, so plant in a well-drained site. Fatsia make great container plants and can be enjoyed indoors where not winter hardy.

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