Fatsi (Fatsia japonica (Thunb.) Decne. & Planch.)
Also known as paperplant, false castor oil plant, Japanese aralia, glossy-leaved paper plant; also classified as Aralia japonica Thunb.
↑Range - Expand
| Legend | Color |
| Introduced or Not Present |
This map is based on our research. We have checked its accuracy to Level 3 ecoregions. Although this plant occurs somewhere in each of these regions, it may only occur in a small part of some or all of them.
This species is occasionally cultivated in gardens in the warmer parts of the US, and could possibly escape into the wild. FSUS reports this species as a waif in both Florida and the NC Piedmont; we could not find any specific records in either location. BONAP reports the FL instance but nothing in NC. Our tentative map reports only the FL instance; we will update the map if we see any records.
↑Uses
In the US, this species is primarily grown as a houseplant where it is valued for its attractive foliage and tolerance of relatively low-light conditions.
People sometimes try to grow it outdoors, but it is a poor choice of plant to grow outdoors in the US and it tends to struggle here for multiple reasons. It usually cannot survive outdoors in areas colder than USDA Zone 8. However, its native range has a considerably more mild climate than most of the US, and in the parts of the US with mild enough winters for it to survive, the summers are much hotter than it prefers, and sometimes bring more prolonged periods of drought. It has poor tolerance for sun, particularly for the combination of sun and hot, dry weather. In most of the southeastern US it cannot be grown outdoors without irrigation.
It can be a good houseplant however, when one has enough space for it, as it is rather large among houseplants.
↑Links & External Resources
• Fatsia japonica | Biota of North America Project (BONAP) (About This Site)
• glossy-leaved paper plant | Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder (About This Site)
• Fatsia japonica (Thunb.) Decne. & Planch. | Plants of the World Online (POWO) (About This Site)
