Tetrapanax papyrifer

Plant Characteristics

Habit		shrub
Height:	⇕	20 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 20.
Width:	⇔	15 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
Bloom:	❀	early fall, mid fall, late fall

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	part-sun
USDA Zones:		8 to 11
Flower features:	❀	white

Scientific Names

Araliaceae >

Tetrapanax >

papyrifer >

Tetrapanax papyriferus (Tung-tsau or Rice-paper Plant) is an evergreen shrub in the family Araliaceae, the sole species in the genus Tetrapanax. Its botanical name is unusual in that its specific epithet varies from one source to another, sometimes being rendered as "papyriferum" or "papyrifer". It is endemic to Taiwan, but widely cultivated in East Asia and sometimes in other tropical regions as well.*

The pith from the stem is used to make a substance commonly known as rice paper, but more properly termed pith paper.

It grows to 3-7 m tall, with usually unbranched stems 2 cm diameter bearing a rosette of large leaves at the top (superficially similar to a palm crown). The leaves are carried on 40-60 cm petioles, the leaf blade orbicular, 30-50 cm across, deeply palmately lobed with 5-11 primary lobes, the central lobes larger and Y-forked near the end. It spreads extensively by sprouts from the root system underground. The inflorescence is a large panicle of hemispherical to globular umbels near the end of the stem. The flowers have 4 or 5 small white petals. The fruit is a small drupe.

Read about Tetrapanax papyrifer in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Tetrapanax (four and panax, referring to the four-merous flower structure). Araliaceae. By Bentham & Hooker (Genera Plantarum) this genus is included in Fatsia, and is so treated in Vol. III, page 1204. By others, however, it is kept distinct, and the plant known as Fatsia papyrifera then becomes T. papyriferum, Koch, the only species. The reader may take his choice whether to name the plant in one genus or the other; the preference probably lies with placing it in Tetrapanax. This genus, if accepted, differs from Fatsia in its four-merous rather than mostly five-merous flowers, with two-merous ovary, the tomentose-lanate character, and other features. T. papyriferum is an excellent subtropical subject. Fatsia japonica, Decne. & Planch., remains in that genus, as treated on page 1204. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Read about Tetrapanax papyrifer in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Fatsia papyrifera, Benth. & Hook. (Aralia papyrifera, Hook. Tetrapanax papyriferum, Koch.). Height 5-7ft. (according to Franceschi, 20 ft. in the open ground in S. Calif.): branches and young lvs. covered with stellate, more or less deciduous down: mature lvs. reaching 1 ft. long, cordate, 5-7-lobed; lobes acute, serrate; sinus very deep :fls. inconspicuous,white, in sessile,globose clusters. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

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