We have had a Fatsia Japonica in our courtyard garden for several (ten?) years now. The soil here is set upon a sandy base, which is very close to the surface. The plant is in a north-facing corner where it gets very little sun. We are absolutely astounded that it is about 10ft tall, and shows little signs of giving up. We are at present disposing of many of the leaves which seem to suddenly turn brown and crisp - but still the plant thrives. Thata seems to be the extent of pruning it needs!
I took a cutting last year which I gave to a friend and she is saying how well it has settled in her much bigger and sunnier garden. I tried to put a second cutting in an opposite corner of our garden (where there is much more sun); it thrived for a couple of years and then suddenly died. It is certainly a spectacular plant!
I had seen a friends Fatsia and fell in love with it, but when I bought one I decided to grow it in a big pot as I had seen the monster my friends one had become. Could you dig it up and pot it . I can keep mine under control this way.
Fatsia's love shade / dappled shade. I can't give mine as much as it likes until July when the apple tree is in full leaf, so at times it looks pale. It has been in this location 9 yrs after trying various places around the garden. It lived it's first 5 yrs in a big pot. It is healthy and just now producing plenty of new leaves above. The old ones do brown and drop off. I've cut off lower / middle height ones that spread over the path and it hasn't affected it at all. It gets a sprinkle of multi purpose feed each spring and then it's left alone. It is in an area that is quite dry as I believe they like dry shade. I have one self set that I found elsewhere in the garden, I didn't know this happened, this is now doing well in a much shady place.
Later in the year watch for the little pom pom like spikes it throws up with black berries on, if you blink the birds have had them.
I love them and I've just put one in the front border! I used to have one at the end of a deck at a previous house. It got a nice bit of light shade from lunchtime onwards. I just pruned branches/leaves out from time to time to keep a nice shape, and removed any brown ones lower down. Always looked good. Great with 'jungly' type planting - great statement plant.
I would simply take individual branches out to keep a natural look. They make great background foliage in a vase of cut flowers too.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I had mine planted out in the garden for a few years, it adapted quite well to being dug up and planted in a large pot. I just take off all the dead or dying leaves at this time of year.
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We have had a Fatsia Japonica in our courtyard garden for several (ten?) years now. The soil here is set upon a sandy base, which is very close to the surface. The plant is in a north-facing corner where it gets very little sun. We are absolutely astounded that it is about 10ft tall, and shows little signs of giving up. We are at present disposing of many of the leaves which seem to suddenly turn brown and crisp - but still the plant thrives. Thata seems to be the extent of pruning it needs!
I took a cutting last year which I gave to a friend and she is saying how well it has settled in her much bigger and sunnier garden. I tried to put a second cutting in an opposite corner of our garden (where there is much more sun); it thrived for a couple of years and then suddenly died. It is certainly a spectacular plant!
I had seen a friends Fatsia and fell in love with it, but when I bought one I decided to grow it in a big pot as I had seen the monster my friends one had become. Could you dig it up and pot it . I can keep mine under control this way.
Fatsia's love shade / dappled shade. I can't give mine as much as it likes until July when the apple tree is in full leaf, so at times it looks pale. It has been in this location 9 yrs after trying various places around the garden. It lived it's first 5 yrs in a big pot. It is healthy and just now producing plenty of new leaves above. The old ones do brown and drop off. I've cut off lower / middle height ones that spread over the path and it hasn't affected it at all. It gets a sprinkle of multi purpose feed each spring and then it's left alone. It is in an area that is quite dry as I believe they like dry shade. I have one self set that I found elsewhere in the garden, I didn't know this happened, this is now doing well in a much shady place.
Later in the year watch for the little pom pom like spikes it throws up with black berries on, if you blink the birds have had them.
I love them and I've just put one in the front border! I used to have one at the end of a deck at a previous house. It got a nice bit of light shade from lunchtime onwards. I just pruned branches/leaves out from time to time to keep a nice shape, and removed any brown ones lower down. Always looked good. Great with 'jungly' type planting - great statement plant.
I would simply take individual branches out to keep a natural look. They make great background foliage in a vase of cut flowers too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I had mine planted out in the garden for a few years, it adapted quite well to being dug up and planted in a large pot. I just take off all the dead or dying leaves at this time of year.
Awww I love them... can you take cuttings/seeds?
Nicky apparently you can take cutting mid to late summer when wood's a bit firmer. Never done it myself though!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks FG I will try and find someone who has one.
My grandma had one and i always think of her when I see one.
I inherited an old metal dustbin when we moved house so I painted it black and put a fatsia in, looks lovely and it's nicely contained.
During the planting a piece broke off, came away very cleanly from the main stem, I just plonked it in a pot and away it went