Image – Wikimedia/Vengolis
Polyscias are shrubs and trees that have bright green leaves.. They live in the tropics, so in an area with a temperate climate, they are kept indoors, at least through the winter so they don’t spoil or die.
But they are not always easy to maintain. In addition, I would tell you that they are quite demanding, since in addition to not supporting the cold at all, they have difficulty in very dry environments, with low relative humidity.
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Origin and characteristics of Polyscias
It is a genus made up of a hundred species that grow both in the Pacific Islands and in Australia. These They are perennial plants, which have leaves that are generally rounded and/or composed of several leaflets or pinnae.. In addition, they have a very long petiole, that is, the stem that connects the leaf to the branch is long. The flowers can be unisexual or bisexual, and group together to form inflorescences in the form of panicles or umbels.
In popular parlance it is known as aralia, or aralia plum, but care should be taken with this because, although they are related to plants of the genus Aralia, they are not aralias.
What are the best known species?
Although there are about a hundred described species, unfortunately only two different species are cultivated, which are the following:
Polyscias fruiticosa
Image – Wikimedia/Mokkie
The Polyscias fruiticosa it’s a bush reaches a height of about 2 meters. Its leaves are light green and lobed in shape. The flowers are white, and although they have no ornamental value, it is interesting to say that they bloom in summer.
Polyscias scutellaria
Image – Wikimedia/Billjones94
The Polyscias scutellaria it’s a bush reaches a height of 2 to 6 meters. The leaves are rounded, green. In regions with a tropical climate, it is kept outdoors all year round, either in pots or in gardens; on the other hand, when it is temperate, it is kept as a houseplant.
How are Polyscias cared for?
Our protagonists are plants that, as we said, can be very demanding and difficult to maintain. However, it is also true that if you keep a few things in mind, it won’t be that complicated. In any case, below I will tell you everything you need to know about them and thus make them grow well:
Inside or outside?
Polyscias are very, very sensitive to cold, so much so that if the temperature drops below 13 ° C, it is better to keep them at home. An alternative may be to have them outdoors in the spring and summer, and bring them indoors when it gets cold, but hey, they can also be kept indoors all year round.
Now well, it is important that they are placed in areas where there is a lot of light, but no direct light because they do not tolerate it. Also, if they are going to be in the house, they should be placed in a room where there are no fans or air conditioning, as drafts harm them.
In a pot or planted in the garden?
This will depend, above all, on the climate of the region. As we said, as they do not tolerate cold, if this is the case where we live, it is preferable to have them in pots.
But if, on the contrary, the climate is hot all year round, with a minimum temperature equal to or greater than 13ºC, you can choose to plant them in the garden, or keep them in pots that you will place, for example, on the patio or on the terrace.
What kind of land do they need?
Image – Flickr/David Eickhoff
The Polyscias grow in fertile, well-drained soils. For this reason, if they are kept in pots, it is important that they are filled with a universal substrate containing perlite. For example, the following brands are highly recommended: Fertiberia, Westland, Flower.
If you wish to have them in the garden, they will be planted in soils rich in organic matter, and which do not flood easily. Likewise, it is important that the pH is neutral or slightly acidic.
How often should you water the Polyscias?
Watering should be more frequent the hotter it is and the less it rains. A) Yes, in summer it will be necessary to water more often than in winter for example. Now, we must also take into account the fact that we will not water a plant that is inside the house at the same times as another that is outside, because inside the house the earth will always stay moist longer than that which is in the open air
For this reason, and so that problems do not arise, we recommend that you check the humidity with a small thin wooden stick.
Should I spray its leaves with water?
Only if the relative humidity is below 50% should we spray them. If it is equal to or greater than, no. To find out what humidity there is in a certain area, we recommend buying a weather station for home use, because for little money it is possible to get a fairly decent one, like this one:
Should they be paid?
Yes, if we want them to be really beautiful, we will have to pay them from spring until the end of summer. To do this, you must use fertilizers or fast-acting fertilizers in order to make the most of these weeks when the weather is favorable. For this reason we will use liquid products, such as universal fertilizer or guano.
As you can see, Polyscias are very beautiful plants, which with a minimum of care will make them look great.