A fantastic and impressive example of Fatsia japonica (Araliaceae) (Japan and South Korea) observed growing outdoors (in the U.K.). Commonly known as the castor oil plant or fig leaf palm, it grows up to 4m in a decade. An evergreen shrub with 7-8 dicotyledonous splayed, leathery, palmately lobed leaves, and small white flowers in terminal compound umbels, it produces a beautiful cluster of ornamental, non-edible black berries. It grows well in moist and well-drained soils in partial shade and can be propagated by semi-hardwood cuttings. Cultivated, it likes rocky and informal, courtyard and banked gardens. It can be adversely affected by scale insects, thrips, mealybugs, leaf spot and honey fungus.
An enormous Fatsia japonica and its cluster of berries, happily growing outside.
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