Fatsia japonica 'Variegata'

lucienc · Post by **lucienc** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 4:41 pm

Couldn't help myself when out and about yesterday and spotted this. It was at Otter Nurseries in Ottery St Mary.

Didn't think it was too bad for £12.99.

LC

Post by **Dave Brown** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:40 pm

Nice one Lucien, I don't know how available they are as I have not seen them often. I've had one since 1993... A lovely plant that seems to have more interesting leaves than standard Fatsia japonica.

Fatsia is just another garden plant here, but in the States it is still regarded as a real exotic as it is only hardy in coastal and deep southern areas.

I have tried proping my variegata, whithout success so far. Great plant though.

This is my Fatsia shortly after planting out in 1993, (bottom right)

Here last November in flower.

Fatsia is the plant to the right next to the windows.

I must add that it would have been much taller by now, but I cut branches back to about 2 feetin rotation to keep it at about 6 feet and bushy. Left on their own all the growth is at the top with wirey trunks lower down.

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:24 am

I saw a diffrent form the other day in a garden centre near caterham.It was in the houseplant section,completely bone dry pot.and a bit on the poorly side.Can't remember the name of it at the minute,I'm sure it'll come to me later.
Nice looking plant though Lucien,is it going in the polytunnel til spring?if theres room

Steve

lucienc · Post by **lucienc** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:07 am

I wasn't planning on putting it in the tunnel, I thought they were hardy, its currently just outside the tunnel in the sheltered spot of the driveway, where things like Money plants survive the winter fine.

Post by **Dave Brown** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:56 am

They are hardy in most of the UK, but it might need hardening off if it was grown in a greenhouse for the houseplant market. It is the American influence that sees it sold as house plants. They put them in the yard in shade in the summer and bring them indoors for the winter. They are much too big for the average UK house. Also beware that the current leaves may not be tough so you might lose them over the winter, but it will grow tough outside leaves next year.

lucienc · Post by **lucienc** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:54 am

Its staying out then

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:51 am

I want one!!!! As you may know if you read my blog not so long ago I dug mine up then replanted it to make way for the new water butt!! Its growing away happily even though we murdered the roots, but it is a bit yellow looking and has always been, I think it probably gets too much sun, but that wouldn't be a problem with a variagated one would it??? I like the flower heads it send out in the autumn.

lucienc, was it outside or in the houseplant section?

lucienc · Post by **lucienc** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:02 am

It was in the outside covered (shaded) area.

Post by **Dave Brown** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:21 am

Libby wrote:I want one!!!!

I think it probably gets too much sun, but that wouldn't be a problem with a variagated one would it??? I like the flower heads it send out in the autumn.

My plant gets sun from around 8am to midday in Summer. Variegated ones can burn the cream bits, and the variegation is not as marked in full sun as the green bits are more yellow. Also the leaves are smaller in full sun than in shade.

Here is a pic of my flowers last November. The wasps love them.

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:37 pm

I remembered what it was called now

fatsia japonica variegata 'annelise'

The ones I saw were bone dry and looking a bit sad for themselves,which is why I never bought one(thats a first

)

Steve

Post by **Dave Brown** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 9:31 am

I can't remember if my plant had a cultivar name. In fact I think it was called Aralia siebaldii variegata

back in the late 20th century.

They can be somewhat drought tolerant but droop quite markedly and lose many more lower leaves. I cut one stem back to around 2 feet evey year to keep leaves from top to bottom. Left to their own devices you end up with a dome of leaves at the top of 10 foot trunks, and it is difficult to get other plants to grow beneath them.

The Variegated one does not set seed either, The flowers are covered with wasps and other insects but the flower heads always drop off. The plain green Fatsia set fruit and seeds every year. I have even had a couple germinate in pots near the shrub.

Sorry about the smaller pictures my editing software is on the downed laptop

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 2:56 pm

I've got a normal green one in the very badly neglected front garden,thats not really grown much at all since I bought it 2/3 years ago.So thats tended to put me off fatsias.
I'm sure its got nothing to do with my aftercare

I really must get round to planting out the front with some nicer plants and maybe fit an irrigation system to keep them alive.
I might try a variegated one down the bottom of the garden behind the big cordy,might look nice.
Steve

Post by **Dave Brown** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:24 am

I would also water and feed the green one in the front Steve. If it gets some shade they can really look lush. 90% of the US cannot successfully overwinter this which is why they regards it as such an exotic. Like a small version of Tetrapanax, which is less likely to lose its leaves in our climate.

Adrian · Post by **Adrian** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:04 pm

I picked this one up a couple of months back, Im not sure if its the same as in Steves pic. I cant remember the name it went under but I dont think it was Annalise.
The old leaves are dark to very dark green and the new leaves are yellow to light green and fading down.
I have normal Fatsias in the garden but they are forgotten plants really, this one stands out a bit more.
I did have the white varigated one years ago but gave it away.

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:08 pm

Looks pretty much the same plant.If I'm ever passing that garden centre again I'll definately pop in and get one.