The Aralia: [Characteristics, Planting, Care, Irrigation and Substrate]

The Aralia, is a plant of Asian origin that adapts very easily to indoor cultivation, it has a peculiarity that makes it a favorite for decorating rooms and cheerful spaces: its leaves are a bright green, very bright.

It is a resistant plant, which manages very well in lighted and shaded exposure sites.

Characteristics of the aralia

Common Name: Umbrella plant, Japanese aralia, false castor oil plant.
Scientific name: Fatsia Japonica.
Plant family: Araliaceae.
Origin: These plants are native to the coastal forests of southern Japan and Korea.
Height: 2 to 4 meters, although it can be pruned to keep it smaller.
Light: This shrub prefers shade and will not thrive in full sun.
Temperature: resistant to -10°C.
Hardiness: This plant is generally hardy as long as it is protected from cold easterly winds.
Soil: You don’t need to worry too much about the soil, but it will grow particularly well in rich, heavy soil.
Fertilizer: Apply a slow release fertilizer or a handful to blood and bone fish in April and August. Fertilize container grown plants monthly during the growing season.
Propagation: You can propagate these plants by seed or cuttings, however the simplest way is by layering.
Pests: These plants are resistant to most pests and diseases, but are occasionally affected by aphids, caterpillars, andboll bugs.

Its scientific name is Fatsia japonica.

This is the variety that best adapts to life in a pot and another, the Fatsia papyrifera, highly revered in the East because it allows the production of rice paper. This can have a height of up to 6 meters outdoors, under controlled conditions.

Some varieties have leaves spotted with small white spots.

Its foliage grows as if it were a short tree, with a thin, invisible trunk that reaches a certain level of visibility, which favors the existence of many ramifications of very shiny, palmate, lobed leaves.

Temperature: Where to plant an aralia?

Consider first of all that the Aralia does not support freezing temperatures or cold winds. Keep it away from climates that mark 0 ° C or more.

Forgetting this condition can be fatal and you will lose it.

It prefers a stay away from the cold and a rather temperate, pleasant climate .

Light: What needs do you have?

She is a friend of the shadow. Even if the weather is mild, you can take it out to bring some natural light but in a shaded space in your garden or balcony.

The aralia will reciprocate with the spectacular shine of its intense green foliage.

Substrate and Fertilizer: How do we prepare the land?

A universal growing medium suits him extremely well.

And if you mix it with a perlite aggregate (30%) that strengthens the drainage, it will be much better. You cannot allow the roots to rot.

The ideal fertilizer is one rich in minerals or, better yet, one of organic origin. It is good to be paid once a month.

Alternating these two types of subscriptions is a more than recommended option. But there is another technique that insists on paying it only in the period between April and August, every 15 days.

Plant aralia step by step

Choose a pot at least 300-400mm wide (or larger, depending on the size of the plant) and place it somewhere indoors.
Partially fill pot with Yates Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter.
Remove the plant from its pot and gently loosen the soil, trying not to disturb the roots too much.
Place the aralia in the center of the new pot. Fill around the plant with the potting mix and water well.
After the initial watering, allow the potting mix to dry almost completely before watering again. During the cooler months, reduce watering to every two weeks.
Fertilize every two weeks during the growing season, usually spring and summer.

Irrigation: How and how often is it watered?

The normal thing is to water it every 5 or 6 days throughout the year, except in summer, where it is intensified to 2 times a week.

Another important key to watering is to keep water in the pot’s saucer for less than 30 minutes. The roots will cool down without rotting.

Pruning it is absolutely unnecessary. It only needs you to gently remove the withered leaves, without damaging the stem.

In summer, you have to be very aware of its leaves and stems because the attacks of the so-called cottony mealybugs are frequent and this pest does a lot of damage.

You can remove them with the help of cotton swabs dipped in alcohol where you see the white cobwebs.

As you can see, it is a resistant plant that likes to move outdoors in the morning even for a while to receive sunlight. It won’t take much of you! Adopt an Aralia and you will see how your home will receive its blessings.

Plagues and diseases

One of the most important diseases is verticillium wilt. Verticillium or Verticillium wilt is a common soil fungus that thrives in temperate climates around the world and can be present in the soil for decades.

Verticillium wilt overwinters in the soil as dormant mycelium or tiny dormant black structures called microsclerotia, waiting for favorable conditions to return.

They enter damaged plant tissue through the roots and multiply. Many common weeds, such as dandelions and weeds, can be Verticillium host species.

Verticillium wilt is a disease that affects more than 350 species of eudicolous plants. It is caused by six species of Verticillium fungi: Verticillium dahliae, Verticillium albo-atrum, Verticillium longisporum, Verticillium nubilum, Verticillium theobromae, and Verticillium tricorpus.

Many plants with significant economic weight are susceptible, such as cotton, tomatoes, potatoes, oilseed rape, aubergines, peppers, and ornamental plants, as well as others in natural vegetation communities.

Many species and cultivars of eudicots are resistant to the disease, and all monocots, gymnosperms, and ferns are immune. To know more: Verticillium wilt in the Orchard: What is it? How do we identify it?