Re: Fatsia japonica
Barry wrote:
>I was wondering the same thing. Rubber Plant where i'm from refers to a
>species of Ficus with big oval leaves that are thick. I thought Fatsia
>Japonica was called Japanese Aralia?
Had me puzzling a bit too - it is also widely grown as the 'False
Castor Oil Plant' on account of its Ricinus shaped leaves although
most people tend to call it just "Castor Oil Plant'.
Anyway down to Tim's original problem. I suspect the roots of Tim's
plant may have hit some kind of barrier - underground rocks etc.
Fatsia can sometimes, in some soils, outgrow the available nutrient
supply. It is a 'gross feeder' which if inured to growing in a thin
poor soil, will survive perfectly well. However if it was originally
planted in a moderately rich soil and the root system cannot extend
sufficiently to find more nutrients, it will react in the way Tim has
described - particularly in spring where after very wet periods, most
of the nutrients will have been leached out of the soil. Often, after
a couple of years of poor growth, the plant 'sorts itself out' again
and starts to grow away properly. If it can be moved to a new site,
so much the better - early autumn (September) is the best time.
Dave Poole
TORQUAY
