Linacre Plants

Fatsia is grown for its huge, glossy, palm shaped leaves. It is an easy plant to grow and as long as it is given some fairly basic care, it will grow into an impressive specimen plant quickly and with little fuss.

It is often seen growing outside in temperate areas as it is fairly hardy. However, is large glossy leaves tend to get a little tattered and the worse for wear over the average winter, and the plant does not look nearly as impressive as it does when grown in the shelter of a conservatory or a green house.

While Fatsia Japonica will tolerate a fail amount of shade, there is various varieties that need fairly bright light or their colour will fade.

It really needs to be shaded from hot sun, as this can scorch and shrivel the leaves, In hot summer weather try to provide good ventilation to move the plant out of doors into a shady spot. They are generally unfussy plants and their only definite requirement is for a cool temperature in winter, they can be moved out into a cool greenhouse if the conservatory is too warm over this time. Watering and feeding are all fairly standard, and they will appreciate being misted occasionally to raise humidity, particularly when temperature is too high in the summer. Another way of raising the humidity is to sponge their leaves down occasionally. This also keeps them looking clean and glossy. Alternatively group them with other humidity lovers such as ferns and regularly damp down the paths and benches nearby. In the wild Fatsia plants can grow large, but in containers in a conservatory or green house they should stay at manageable size. As they grow so quickly by a small and pot on every year soon you will have a specimen. To prevent it from getting leggy, cut back the growing tips before new growth emerges each spring. This will help to keep a good bushy shape. If it gets too large or leggy, you can cut back really hard without damaging it. Cut back so that just a few leaves remain. And fresh new leaves will soon emerge. In autumn fatsias produce large white flower heads. You can enjoy these before cutting them off, but removing them before flowering occurs will help to keep the foliage in best condition.

Soil: Will thrive if planted into good multi purpose compost.

Temperature: Grow in cool green house conditions with a minimum temperature of 2⁰C.

Water & Humidity: Water normally during summer, sparingly in winter, high humidity, particularly during warm weather.

General care: If the plant grows too large for its space or grows leggy, it will regenerate well from being cut back hard.

Pets & diseases: Mealy bugs and scale insects can occur. Leaves become brown, spotted or pale in under watered.