PlantFiles: Ming Aralia
Polyscias fruticosa

I, too, purchased my Ming Aralia @ IKEA 1yr ago. I live in New England, so I was concerned about it's survival. This plant has prospered this summer, spending most of time outside in my garden. It has been outside the last couple of nights in 50 degree temps and has actually sprouted another branch. It is now 2 ft high, and looks very healthy.
I logged on the other night because I was going to re-pot the plant and was looking for info and helpful hints on what I should be feeding it, etc. I used a 5-10-5 general purpose plant food, and it appears to be doing well. I will be bringing it in as the temps drop below 55 degrees and put it back in the widow with full sun for the winter.

Bought my example from - of all places - Ikea! I'm not sure if it's the big-box nature of the store, but I guess they have the bargaining power to obtain some occasionally uncommon specimen, and in good health too (contrary to the average Lowe's or Home Depot plant). I'd seen an occasional Aralias in smaller reputed nurseries, but usually only Parsley Aralias. This one got my attention because its compound leaves are larger.

Mine was obviously mass-produced, so it has a thick trunk cut back with many branches coming off random nodes. It's definitely tree-like (like the Ming) but in its own way since the leaves are larger, in a rainforest way. Great buy, though, and it's a hardy plant.

The aralia likes to be somewhat dry between waterings. I kept mine a bit too wet at first, and it responded by browning a bit and dropping new stem growths. However, I gave it a bit more sun and let it dry out about 1" into the soil between waterings. In the spring I let it get direct sun in a south-facing window for several hours a day and the plant never scorched. In bright light, it grows slowly, though new leaves come up and enlarge rather quickly in the spring and summer before they taper off and stay that way. However, it seems to tolerate purely indirect light as well, though it definitely grows even more slowly in these conditions. The one time I left town and let it get too dry, the delicate leaves all drooped heavily. However, some water and sun had it bounce back in a few days.

I definitely recommend this plant if you want something different and dependable. Not common, but it's hardy and definitely nice to look at. A great unconventional find.

This is a gorgeous plant!
So easy to root- just stick in the ground or pot and give some daily water until it is adjusted. They grow in such strange formations, too.

They can take full shade to alot of sun- they prefer mainly shade, though. The ones here that grow in mainly shade do not need any extra water; but we do get alot of rain here, which may account for it.

Not surprised at all to see 7 positive ratings for this beautiful plant, but I WAS surpised to see the notes "Very high moisture needs. Suitable for bogs and water gardens". Like most of the posters mentioned, this is a tough easy plant and I've often let mine dry out a good bit between watering. I grow as houseplant in my zone 8a of course but often put outside in summer shady spot. I have two large plants I've had for many years. Would be larger but I clip often for arrangements or for propagating for gifts. Frequent showers keep insects at bay. Have other Polyscias but this is my favorite. joshz8a

I have had this plant for about 2 years now and it is a delight to look at! I just love the type of lace-like leaves. I do mist it often because I have noticed that the leaves do not turn yellow as often if I do. There are a few healthy baby plants growing beside it that I plan to transplant into another pot by themselves. One thing that caught my eye recently is that the trunk of the tree is letting out a lot of amber sap. This must be normal because my Aralia looks very happy. :-)

This is a fantastic plant!! I was told it was a "Parsley Ming", but that could just be a slight variation for the particular plant I have- it has curlier leaves. I never knew it needed high humidity and mine seem fine without it. When i first brought it home it had a little baby growing next to it, I let that grow some more and finally divided the two plants. It had also been infested with Spider mites (ewwww) when I brought it home, but I dunked it in soapy water and it was fine. Then the little buggers came back again, I did the same thing, and it was fine :) Every once in a while a couple of the leaves turn yellow and drop. Seems pretty normal to me though.
The color is great, the texture is wonderful, and it's a fantastic accent plant indoors.

Though it is grown as a potted plant, it does well outdoors in the shade in my yard in central Florida.

I must be lucky because I have abused this plant something awful and it just keeps on going like the "pink bunny".

I bought it six years ago or maybe more at Eagles which is now called Lowes and it was six inches high. I was told it was False Aralia and now I know its true name.

It lives indoors most of the year in my sunroom. I have forgotten to water it repeatedly until it is totally wilted. The leaves all fall off and then it starts up again in a week or so. If it needs lots of humidity it doesn't know it. I have a small pond in the sunroom but on hot summer days the humidity is down around 30% or less. It has been attacked by spider mites and looked dead after I sprayed it with soapy water. It came back once more. Last summer I put it out by the big pond...just next to it...not in it and it flourished. You should see it now....It couldn't be lovelier. It has bloomed several times also.....Very neat plant!

This plant, to my astonishment, is cold-hardy outdoors here in zone 9. I forgot to bring in my potted specimen; it died down to the ground, but sprouted again the following spring. Our winter temps two years ago reached the mid-teens a number of times. And it looks so very delicate!

I received my Ming Aralia as a birthday gife from my husband 2 years ago. It is the most amazing indoor tree I have ever seen. I was quite pleased to actully see a picture of one that looks exactly like mine.

We were told that ours is called Lace Leaf Aralia, and I have had great luck with it. A few months after we had it, it got uprooted and lost all but two leaves on one branch. We were able to re-pot it quickly and within a few months it was growing strong and has been ever since. My husband waters it and we mist it alot. The leaves are bright green and it's approx. 30 inces tall.

Small to medium shrub, with an ever soft stem (technically, it´s an "herb", a tall one). It has profoundly divided bright green leaves. You may need a support for it if it grows too much. The inflorescence is insignificant, and is hardly noticed (I have mine for 8 years and never saw it blooming. However, I saw another plant with flowers the other day).

I like it. I never had problems with insects (specially aphids), nor ever cared much about watering, and it´s kickin´ in a vase. People say that this plant, plus another species of Polyscias (P. guilfoylei) together bring luck to one´s house.