Fatsia Japonica

The beautiful fatsia japonica gets its name from the Japanese word ‘fatsi’, meaning ‘eight’, because its magnificent leaves have eight lobes. It’s found in the wild in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, where it lives happily through warm summers and pretty cold winters (it can cope with temperatures as low as −15 °C).

It’s become hugely popular around the world for its impressive glossy leaves. In summer, you should also see it bloom with small white flowers, then possibly little (inedible) black fruits. 

Another reason for its popularity is its easygoing nature. It’s happy almost anywhere and is a great choice for outdoor space that gets limited sun. It likes a mix of sun and shade best, but it will cope with whatever you can give it. It’s not too fond of strong wind, so try to put it somewhere sheltered.

Your plant will arrive in a nursery pot (the plastic pot it’s been growing in). There’s no need to remove it from this. Just place the whole thing inside a decorative pot. Choose one that’s as gorgeous as those leaves.

Did you know?

Though it’s sometimes known as the castor oil plant, it has nothing to do with castor oil. The proper castor oil plant is ricinus communis.