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Fatsia (from a Japanese name). Araliaceae. Halfhardy shrubs or small trees, used for subtropical foliage effects in the North, and planted permanently far South.

Fatsia (from a Japanese name). Araliaceae. Halfhardy shrubs or small trees, used for subtropical foliage effects in the North, and planted permanently far South.

While fatsias require more care in the North than the hardy aralias, their massive subtropical appearance is highly distinct. A perfect specimen is figured in Gardening 5:133, where W.R. Smith says of F. papyrifera: "This plant produces the beautiful substance known as rice paper; it grows to 10 ft. high, with a st. 4 in. diam., full of white pith like the elder; in a full-grown specimen the pith is about 1 in. diam. It is divided into pieces 3 in. long, and by the aid of a sharp instrument is unrolled, forming the thin, narrow sheets known as rice paper, greatly used by the Chinese for drawing figures of plants and animals, and also for making artificial fls. Until about 1850 the source of this substance was unknown to scientists. The Chinese, on inquiry, gave very fanciful figures and descriptions of it. ... It is destined to be a people's plant, as 1/2in. of the root will grow and form a good plant the first season. It has survived most winters for the past 5 years in Washington, D. C."

While fatsias require more care in the North than the hardy aralias, their massive subtropical appearance is highly distinct. A perfect specimen is figured in Gardening 5:133, where W.R. Smith says of F. papyrifera: "This plant produces the beautiful substance known as rice paper; it grows to 10 ft. high, with a st. 4 in. diam., full of white pith like the elder; in a full-grown specimen the pith is about 1 in. diam. It is divided into pieces 3 in. long, and by the aid of a sharp instrument is unrolled, forming the thin, narrow sheets known as rice paper, greatly used by the Chinese for drawing figures of plants and animals, and also for making artificial fls. Until about 1850 the source of this substance was unknown to scientists. The Chinese, on inquiry, gave very fanciful figures and descriptions of it. ... It is destined to be a people's plant, as 1/2in. of the root will grow and form a good plant the first season. It has survived most winters for the past 5 years in Washington, D. C."

As associates in groups of bold-habited plants, F. W. Burbidge suggests Polygonum sachalinense, Chamaerops Fortunei and Rodgersia podophylla. For contrast with feathery and cut-leaved foliage, he suggests bamboos, aucubas, cut-leaved maples and various ivies. Fatsia may be grown in the temperate house in the North, outdoors southward. It is easily grown and propagated. The species are unarmed; the very spiny plant sometimes referred to this genus as F. horrida, is treated under Echinopanax, which see. Siebert and Voss declare that most of the plants sold as Fatsia japonica are Aralia spinosa. These plants like shade. Full sunlight for an hour or two in early morning is enough. They should have a shelter-spot, where the wind will not whip their foliage.

As associates in groups of bold-habited plants, F. W. Burbidge suggests Polygonum sachalinense, Chamaerops Fortunei and Rodgersia podophylla. For contrast with feathery and cut-leaved foliage, he suggests bamboos, aucubas, cut-leaved maples and various ivies. Fatsia may be grown in the temperate house in the North, outdoors southward. It is easily grown and propagated. The species are unarmed; the very spiny plant sometimes referred to this genus as F. horrida, is treated under Echinopanax, which see. Siebert and Voss declare that most of the plants sold as Fatsia japonica are Aralia spinosa. These plants like shade. Full sunlight for an hour or two in early morning is enough. They should have a shelter-spot, where the wind will not whip their foliage.{{SCH}}

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'''''Fatsia''''' is a small [[genus]] of three species of [[evergreen]] [[shrub]]s native to southern [[Japan]] and [[Taiwan]]. They have stout, sparsely branched stems bearing spirally-arranged, large leathery, palmately lobed [[leaf|leaves]] 20-50 cm in width, on a petiole up to 50 cm long, and small creamy-white [[flower]]s in dense terminal compound [[umbel]]s in late autumn or early winter, followed by small black [[fruit]].

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'''''Fatsia japonica''''', known as '''Fatsi''' or '''Japanese Aralia''' (also occasionally as glossy-leaved paper plant, castor oil plant, fig-leaf palm), is a shrub growing to 3-6 m tall. The leaves have 7-9 broad lobes, divided to half or two-thirds of the way to the base of the leaf; the lobes are edged with coarse, blunt teeth. It is native to southern Japan. The name "Fatsi" is older Japanese, meaning 'eight' (in present-day Japanese ''hachi''), referring to the eight lobes. The name "Japanese Aralia" is due to the genus formerly being classified within a broader interpretation of the related genus ''[[Aralia]]'' in the past (synonyms include ''Aralia japonica'' and ''Aralia sieboldii''). It is a popular [[garden]] shrub in areas where winters do not fall below about -15°C.

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'''''Fatsia oligocarpella''''', from the [[Bonin Islands]], differs in the lobes on the leaves being less coarsely toothed, but is otherwise very similar. It is [[naturalised]] in [[Hawaii]].

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'''''Fatsia polycarpa''''' is native to [[Taiwan]]. The leaves have 9-13 deep, narrow lobes, divided nearly to the base of the leaf. Some authors treat it in a separate genus, as ''Diplofatsia polycarpa''.

''[[Fatsia japonica]]''<br/>

''[[Fatsia oligocarpella]]''<br/>

''[[Fatsia polycarpa]]''

 

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Some species formerly included in ''Fatisa'' are now classified in other genera. ''Fatsia papyrifera'' is now ''[[Tetrapanax|Tetrapanax papyrifer]]'' and ''Fatsia horrida'' is now ''[[Oplopanax horridus]]''.

<gallery>

<gallery>

Image:Fatsia japonica.jpg|A small ''Fatsia japonica'' leaf

Image:Fatsia japonica.jpg|A small ''Fatsia japonica'' leaf

Image:Fatsia japonica1.jpg|Close-up of flower umbel

Image:Fatsia japonica1.jpg|Close-up of flower umbel

</gallery>

</gallery>

== External links ==

==References==

* [http://aoki2.si.gunma-u.ac.jp/BotanicalGarden/PICTs/munin-yatude.jpeg Photo of ''Fatsia oligocarpella'' foliage]

*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

* [http://www.ukoasis.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/fatspoly1.jpg Photo of ''Fatsia polycarpa'' foliage]

<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->

<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->

<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->

[[Category:Araliaceae]]

[[Category:Araliaceae]]