Home  •   Ask Judy  •   How to grow & Care for Fatsia japonica ‘Variegata’ Variegated Japanese Aralia

How to grow & Care for Fatsia japonica ‘Variegata’ Variegated Japanese Aralia

Can you tell me what this houseplant is & how to care for it?

Hi Thanson,

Your plant looks like a Fatsia japonica ‘Variegata’ Variegated Japanese Aralia

White and green Fatsia japonica 'Variegata' Variegated Japanese Aralia

Fatsia japonica ‘Variegata’ Variegated Japanese Aralia

Here are some basic care tips on how to grow and care for a Fatsia japonica (variegated Japanese aralia). You can read more about this plant in the Popular Houseplant section of the website.

https://www.houseplant411.com/houseplant/fatsia-how-to-grow-care

Light: A Japanese aralia does well in bright filtered light. If you move it outdoors in the spring and summer be sure to keep it in the shade.

Water: Allow the top 50% of the soil to dry out before watering. The leaves may even start to droop a little. Brown brittle leaves indicate under-watering. Soft leaves that turn yellow and fall off indicate over-watering.
fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.  : Use a well-balanced liquid plant food every other week in the spring and summer at 1/2 the recommended strength.
Temperature: A Fatsia japonica likes cool temperatures especially in the winter when it is resting. It does well in temperatures between 45-55 degrees in the winter and never above 70 degrees during the rest of the year.
Humidity: This plant likes medium to high humidity