
How to grow a false aralia plant?
If you want to get your false aralia plant to flower, you will need to keep it outside in bright sunlight. As we mentioned above, it is important to provide these plants with adequate shade so their leaves don’t get scorched. You also need to grow this plant in a peat moss-based commercial potting mix.
How do you care for an Aralia plant?
You can also grow them in outdoor pots, but they are difficult to acclimate to indoor conditions after spending a summer outdoors. Place the false aralia houseplant near a sunny window where it will receive bright to moderate light, but where the sun’s rays never fall directly on the plant.
Why are the leaves of my false aralia turning brown?
Direct sun can cause the leaf tips and edges to turn brown. You don’t have to adjust the thermostat when growing false aralia indoors because the plant is comfortable at ordinary room temperatures of between 65 and 85 F. (18-29 C.). Be careful not to allow the plant to become chilled, however.
What is the scientific name of Aralia elegantissima?
Note: These plants have had their botanical names changed a fair amount. You may see them sold as Schefflera elegantissima, Dizygotheca elegantissima, or Plerandra elegantissima. Questions about False Aralia?

How fast does False Aralia grow?
False aralia is usually purchased as a tabletop plant, but with proper care, it can grow 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 2 m.) tall over a period of several years.
Should you mist False Aralia?
Should I mist my false aralia plant? Aralia plants do like humidity, so they will enjoy being misted. Keeping them humid can also help to keep certain pests away!
Can False Aralia take full sun?
False aralia plants benefit from plenty of bright indirect light. Too much direct sun can cause the leaves to scorch, so make sure they have some shade if they're outdoors. If you keep them as houseplants, they should be close to a window to receive plenty of light throughout the day.
Is False Aralia a houseplant?
False aralias are good houseplants for adding airiness to your decor. Use young false aralias grown in small pots on a tabletop, desk, or other surface. The plants mix delightfully with other houseplants; the overall airiness makes for a great complement against houseplants that have larger leaves.
Does a False Aralia bloom?
In general, false aralia is grown both indoors and outdoors more for its foliage than its small flowers. It is very rare for false aralia to bloom indoors.
Can you cut back False Aralia?
A False Aralia doesn't need much pruning. It usually maintains a beautiful shape allow its own. If the plant drops leaves and gets thin, you can aggressively cut it back in the spring to make it bushier. The best way to propagate an aralia is to use stem tip cuttings.
Why is my false aralia dropping leaves?
The plant loses leaves if the soil is too wet or too dry. During the winter, when the plat is resting, allow the soil to dry out more before watering. Temperature: False Aralias like warm temperatures between 65-85°F, 18-29°C. If the temperature dips below 60 degrees, a False Aralia may lose leaves.
Why is my false aralia dying?
When there's not enough water, roots will wither and the plant wilt. When too much water is applied too frequently, the roots will be deprived of oxygen and suffer from root or stem rot. Once you find a good location for your False Aralia, and the plant appears happy, avoid moving it.
Is False Aralia toxic?
Above: Lucky for Minou, false aralia is non-toxic to dogs and cats.
How much sun does a false aralia need?
Height: This Pacific Island native can grow to 20 ft (6 m) in the wild, but indoors this tree will slowly reach about 6 ft (1.8 m). Light: For a lush, bushy plant, give False Aralia plenty of bright light, but no direct sun. Too much sun exposure may cause leaf edges to turn brown. Don't have a sunny spot for it?
How often do you water aralia?
Water aralias just enough to keep them from wilting. It's best to let the top inch or so of the potting mix dry before watering it again. That may be from a couple of times a week to once every two weeks, depending on the size of the plant, the size of the pot, and how much light it gets.
How do you prune aralia?
Cut back the entire Japanese aralia shrub in late winter or early spring, just before it begins to sprout with new growth. Snip the branches 2 to 4 feet back, just above the leaf nodes, shaping the bush as desired. This type of pruning helps maintain a shrub that is dense, upright and full of blooms.
How do you water aralia?
WATERING. Water aralia houseplants just enough to keep them from wilting. It's best to let the top inch or so of the potting mix dry before watering it again.
How do you make aralia grow faster?
Caring For The Aralia PlantSoil: The tropical Aralia plant grows best in a well-drained, loamy, rich, acidic potting mix. ... Light: In an indoor setting aralias like very bright, indirect lighting. ... Water: When watering your Aralia plant indoors, keep a close eye on the soil.More items...
Why is my False Aralia dying?
When there's not enough water, roots will wither and the plant wilt. When too much water is applied too frequently, the roots will be deprived of oxygen and suffer from root or stem rot. Once you find a good location for your False Aralia, and the plant appears happy, avoid moving it.
How do you save a dying False Aralia?
False Aralias like to have consistently moist soil, but be sure to not over or underwater your plant. Be sure that your watering schedule is consistent–water when the top inch of the soil is dry. Water when 50% of the soil volume is dry. Always check the soil moisture before watering.
How to Grow False Aralia Plants
False Aralias have become some of the most popular houseplants. Aralias in small, decorative containers look great as coffee or side-table pieces. Taller, mature Aralias in larger containers are useful for decorating rooms and larger spaces.
How to Care for False Aralia Plants
Caring for a False Aralia plant is simple – which is why we love them as houseplants! Once you’ve got their location picked out regarding sunlight exposure, all that’s left is to make sure the soil stays moist and the humidity consistent.
Common Varieties and Cultivars
Although there are few varieties and cultivars within the S. elegantissima family, this is a plant with many closely related cousins. Here are some varieties of S. elegantissima as well as some alternatives to consider, most of which have similar care requirements.
How to grow false aralia?
False Aralia plants need plenty of bright filtered sunlight. If you are growing this plant outside, keep it in the shade. If you have it inside, keep it a few feet from a curtained window that receives direct sunlight. You will need to water this plant regularly while it is still growing.
How to get false aralia to bloom?
If you want to get your false aralia plant to flower, you will need to keep it outside in bright sunlight. As we mentioned above, it is important to provide these plants with adequate shade so their leaves don’t get scorched. You also need to grow this plant in a peat moss-based commercial potting mix.
What are the problems with false aralia?
Common False Aralia Plant Diseases. Some of the pests that can become a problem with false aralia plants include aphids, spider mites, mealy bugs, and scale. These pests can do quite a bit of damage to your plants, but there are numerous insecticide products to help keep them away.
How to keep false aralia healthy?
2. Water. You will need to keep your false aralia plant’s soil moist so it remains healthy. You don’t want to over water it though, as root rot can become a problem. You want the soil to be moist all the way around but not drenched. Do not allow the soil you keep this plant in to become completely dry.
Do False Aralia plants like hot or cold?
False Aralia plants prefer warm, semi-humid regions that aren’t too hot. These plants do well in somewhat humid climates.
Do false aralias grow fast?
Most false aralias do not grow very quickly, which is why regular repotting is not a necessity. Even when grown under the most ideal conditions, this plant is a pretty slow grower.
Plerandra elegantissima
There are some houseplants out there that take a bit of extra work to keep happy, but they’re so beautiful that they’re worth it. False aralia is one of those plants.
What Is False Aralia?
Plerandra elegantissima is a pretty distinctive little plant. The leaves have heavily toothed edges and the coloring can be copper, burgundy, or medium green, or a mix of all three, depending on the cultivar and the amount of light it receives.
Cultivation and History
The first false aralia was introduced to the Western World in 1873 at what is now known as the Chelsea Flower Show in London by horticulturist John Gould Veitch.
Propagation
You can grow false aralia from seed or from cuttings, though neither method is particularly reliable. That’s probably why most people simply opt to purchase a plant.
How to Grow
Finding the right balance of light to provide these plants can be tricky, but it’s the key to a nice display.
Pruning and Maintenance
This plant isn’t a fast grower, so you won’t have to worry about pruning or repotting very often.
Cultivars to Select
There aren’t a ton of cultivars out there, and a lot of plants are simply sold under the generic common name or botanical name, like this one that’s available in a three-gallon pot from Plant Vine via Amazon.
What is the color of the false aralia?
Galaxy false aralia shows off shiny, dark green leaves which aren't quite as finely divided as other varieties. One of the more beautiful varieties, Gold Crest false aralias offers feathery green leaves edged in gold. Offering dark green leaves, Olympia's leaves are also flushed with shades of red and violet.
What is a false aralia plant?
This medium- to slow-growing houseplant is one of the best for high-light situations. The plant's appeal comes from its finely divided leaves, which gives it a feathery appearance. False aralias are good houseplants for adding airiness to your decor.
How to grow false aralias?
False aralias grow best in medium to bright light. Like many houseplants, they grow just fine in medium-light conditions, but grow faster, fuller, and lusher in brighter spots. Water false aralias when the soil starts to dry. They'd rather be too dry than too wet, so check the potting mix with a moisture meter or probe it with your finger before watering.#N#As they grow, false aralias benefit from being repotted every couple of years. Spring and summer are ideal times to do this, but autumn and winter are just fine, as well.#N#False aralias don't require regular fertilization to keep them healthy. Just a couple of times a year should be enough to keep them going. But if you want the plants to grow faster, you can fertilize more regularly. Just be sure to use a fertilizer formulated for houseplants and follow the directions on the packaging carefully.#N#Please note: False aralia is beautiful to look at, and not intended for human or animal consumption.
What is the best way to cover false aralia?
Pothos. Grow pothos as a colorful carpet to cover the soil of false aralia. Devil's Backbone. Devil's backbone has a lovely, contrasting shape and texture that accents false aralia beautifully.
What color are Olympia leaves?
Offering dark green leaves, Olympia's leaves are also flushed with shades of red and violet.
Can false aralias be grown in pots?
Use young false aralias grown in small pots on a tabletop, desk , or other surface . The plants mix delightfully with other houseplants; the overall airiness makes for a great complement against houseplants that have larger leaves.
How tall does false aralia grow?
The juvenile plants tend to have more textured foliage, while the adult leaves are more deeply-lobed. Though the plant can reach heights of up to 6 feet when fully mature, it is a slow-growing varietal, so plan on enjoying it petite for at least a few years.
What is false aralia?
An immensely popular houseplant, false aralia has beautifully textured foliage, with deeply serrated leaflets that start out a copper or burgundy shade and eventually deepened to a rich green. The juvenile plants tend to have more textured foliage, while the adult leaves are more deeply-lobed. Though the plant can reach heights ...
How much humidity does false aralia need?
Additionally, false aralia loves humidity and will need humidity levels of at least 50 percent most times in order to thrive.
How to keep false aralia moist?
Additionally, false aralia loves humidity and will need humidity levels of at least 50 percent most times in order to thrive. Give the plant regular spritzings in order to keep it moist, or house it in a typically-humid area of your home, like the bathroom or kitchen. You can also set the pot on a tray layered with wet pebbles to increase the humidity levels surrounding the plant.
What temperature does false aralia thrive?
Take note: False aralia hates to be cold! The ideal temperature range for the false aralia to thrive is somewhere between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, though it can handle brief dips in temperature to about 45 degrees.
Why are my aralia leaves turning brown?
However, be mindful of exposing the plant to any direct rays of sunlight . They can damage the thin, delicate leaves and cause them to brown.
How to propagate false aralia?
Propagating False Aralia. False aralia can be planted by seed or propagated in the spring using stem cuttings. To take cuttings, use a rooting hormone for best results and keep the stem cuttings in a warm, humid place for a few weeks until new growth emerges.
How big can false aralia grow?
False aralia is evergreen, and a moderate grower you can keep 5 to 8 feet ...or let it grow larger (15 feet or more) if you prefer. This plant prefers part shade, with a bit of morning sun, or dappled shade is ideal, though the plant will grow in full shade or even part sun.
What is false aralia?
The exotic false aralia, with its lacy leaves and tropical beauty, is perfect for narrow, shady spots. Elegant as its botanical name implies, this plant goes through a transformation for a completely different look as it matures. The young leaves are very narrow and dark - almost bronze - with serrated edges.
Why are tall shrubs underused?
These tall shrubs are underused because not enough homeowners are familiar with them. Like a number of South Florida landscape plants, this is used as a pretty houseplant in less warm climates.
Does False Aralia grow tall?
As the plant matures, it morphs into feathery layers of wider green leaves with softer jagged edges. Both leaf sizes and colors appear on the plant at the same time, giving it a lush texture. False aralia grows tall and upright and works very well in tight spaces.
