Aralia
Polyscias fruticosa · Ming Aralia
The lacy little indoor tree of the houseplant aisle is almost never a true aralia. It is Polyscias, a finely cut shrub from the wet tropics of Island Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It is famous for sulking and dropping its leaves after any sudden change.
Family
Araliaceae
Origin
SE Asia and the Pacific
In the wild
Wet tropical forest
Indoors
1–1.8 m
Growth
Slow
With pets
Toxic
Where it's from
Wet tropics of Island Southeast Asia and the Pacific
Wet tropical home
Native to Sulawesi, the Maluku Islands, New Guinea and northeast Australia, in warm, humid forest.
Outdoors: zones 11–12
Frost-free tropics only. Elsewhere a patio plant brought in over winter.
Also a vegetable
In Vietnam its young leaves are eaten in soups and wraps, the prized herb dinh lang.
The fussy plant is also dinner
In Vietnam Polyscias fruticosa is the prized herb dinh lang. Its young leaves are eaten raw or cooked into soups, stir-fries and wraps, with a flavour likened to celery and parsley. It sits in the same family as true ginseng, and its roots are used like a folk ginseng.
Eaten in Southeast Asia
Young leaves go into soups, curries and omelets across the region.
A ginseng relative
Araliaceae is the ginseng and ivy family, alongside Panax ginseng.
Roots used in folk medicine
Traditional use for fever and other complaints, not a proven remedy.
How to keep it
LightBright, indirect
Tolerates filtered sun and a bright window. Avoid harsh direct indoor sun.
WaterLet it nearly dry
Water deeply, then let the soil nearly dry out. Avoid both soggy and bone-dry.
HumidityModerate to highDry indoor air triggers leaf drop and spider mites. Use a pebble tray or group plants.
TemperatureAbove 16°CWarm rooms only. No frost, no cold drafts, no blasts from the AC.
SoilRich, well-drainedA peaty or sandy soil-based mix with excellent drainage.
FeedingLight, in growing seasonA light, regular feed through the growing season. Ease off in winter.
DifficultyModerateIts whole reputation is for sulking and dropping leaves after any change.
With petsToxicSaponins. Contact dermatitis, vomiting and loss of appetite if chewed.
PropagationStem cuttingsEven woody stem sections root readily, which is how the chunky stump look is made.
RepottingEvery 2–3 yearsIt dislikes disturbance, so pot up gently and only when root-bound.
What the data says
What it costs
A common, mass-propagated shrub. Variegated forms cost a little more, with no collector bubble.
$15–60
Larger trained and bonsai specimens cost more. Lace and variegated forms sit a step up but stay widely propagated.
IUCN · Not assessed
In the wild
The houseplant is a commodity, while other members of its own genus are among the rarest plants on Earth.
The staple species are widely cultivated and of no conservation concern. But several wild island endemics in the genus are threatened or critically endangered, notably Hawaiian and Mauritian Polyscias. Abundance in cultivation and wild rarity sit in the same genus.
When it sulks
Leaf dropThe signature complaint. Any sudden change: cold, a draft, relocation, over or under-watering.
Mushy base, root rotSoil kept too wet. Let the top dry and improve drainage.
Spider mitesDry air. Raise the humidity around it.
Bare lower stemsNormal as it forms its little-tree shape. Prune to encourage bushiness.
Varieties & company
The varieties
MingFabianBalfourParsley (Elegans)Lace (Victoriae)
Pairs with · keep apart from
CalatheaFernsPeace LilySnake PlantZZ PlantCacti
A new plant, every week.
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