Plants
Japanese Aralia
Fatsia japonica · Araliaceae
The Japanese aralia is the plant for all those rooms too cool and dark for other houseplants: stairwells, bedrooms, chilly period-building hallways. Its large, glossy hand-shaped leaves quickly grow into a lush bush — provided you give it a fresh, not-too-warm spot. We buy our Japanese aralias in bushy, well-branched quality at the Veiling Rhein-Maas.
- Light
- Semi-shaded to shady; copes easily with a north window, direct sun scorches the leaves.
- Watering
- Generous during the growing season, keeping it evenly moist; much more sparing in cool winter quarters.
- Care level
- Easy
- Botanical
- Fatsia japonica
The up to 40-centimetre-wide, seven- to nine-lobed leaves are the Fatsia's trademark — the genus name derives from the Japanese word for eight, a nod to the number of leaf lobes. In its native Japan the plant, known as yatsude, is a traditional good-luck charm by the front door.
The most important care note is an unusual one: the Japanese aralia likes it cool. Ideal are 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, in winter happily fresher, down to 10 degrees. In warm, dry heated rooms it grows leggy, develops limp leaf stalks and invites spider mites. If you have a cool, bright hallway, you have the perfect Fatsia spot.
With light it is flexible: semi-shade is ideal, and darker corners are tolerated at a slightly slower pace. Only direct sun scorches the large leaves. The variegated cultivar Variegata with cream leaf margins needs a bit more light than the green species, as does the compact, crinkled Spider's Web.
As a vigorously growing shrub, the Japanese aralia is thirsty: during the growing season the root ball must stay evenly moist, and drooping leaves are the unmistakable thirst signal — after watering they usually stand back up within hours. Waterlogging is still not tolerated.
Older plants reward a cool position with round, whitish flower umbels in autumn, much like those of its relative, the ivy. If the aralia grows too large or leggy, it takes a hard cutback in spring and reshoots willingly from old wood. In the mild Rhineland it even works year-round in a sheltered tub on the balcony.
In interior styling we like to use the Japanese aralia as a green statement with an almost Mediterranean character, combined with other cool-lovers such as aspidistra and ferns. Its foliage is considered mildly toxic — serious poisoning is not expected, but caution is advised with pets that like to nibble.
Is Japanese Aralia toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Mildly irritating
- Cats
- Mildly irritating
- Dogs
- Mildly irritating
The Japanese aralia is considered mildly toxic: leaves and berries contain small amounts of saponins. Serious poisoning is not expected, but larger nibbled quantities can cause stomach upset in cats, dogs and children. Keep out of reach to be safe.
Typical symptoms: After eating larger amounts: gastrointestinal irritation with vomiting or diarrhoea; skin contact with the sap can mildly irritate sensitive individuals.
In an emergency:call the German poison control centre in Bonn on +49 228 19240 (24/7) — for pets, contact an emergency vet directly. This information does not replace medical or veterinary advice.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Place bright to semi-shaded without direct sun; darker corners are tolerated too.
- 02Grow it cool: 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, in winter ideally brighter and fresher, down to 10 degrees.
- 03Water generously during the growing season and keep the root ball evenly moist.
- 04Avoid waterlogging — pour excess water out of the outer pot.
- 05Feed weekly to fortnightly from spring to autumn; the Fatsia is a heavy feeder.
- 06Cut plants that have grown too large back boldly in spring — they reshoot from old wood.
Frequently asked
- Is the Japanese aralia toxic to cats or dogs?
- It is considered mildly toxic: the saponins it contains can cause gastrointestinal upset in cats and dogs after nibbling, but are not life-threatening. In pet households it is still best kept out of reach as a precaution.
- Why is my Japanese aralia drooping its leaves?
- Drooping leaves are almost always simple thirst — the large-leaved Fatsia transpires a lot. After a thorough watering it usually perks up within a few hours. If it happens despite moist soil, the spot is too warm or the roots have been damaged by waterlogging.
- Can the Japanese aralia go outside?
- Yes, it is even semi-hardy. In the mild Rhineland it survives temperatures down to about minus ten degrees Celsius in sheltered, shady spots, in a tub or planted out. Young plants and tub specimens should still be protected or brought in during harder frost.
- How big does the Japanese aralia get?
- Indoors, in a good spot, it reaches one and a half to two metres in height within a few years and grows nearly as wide. An annual cutback in spring keeps it compact and encourages branching — the Fatsia is one of the most pruning-tolerant houseplants.