Plant of the Week: Fatsia japonica

Big and bold and ideal for north-facing and shady sites. I have heard Fatsia japonica described as an ivy plant on hormones – the leaves are huge and glossy and the flowers appear in late autumn, early winter as heads of rounded white blooms.

Also known as the castor oil plant and fig-leaf palm, not all are hardy – those sold for growing indoors should be kept indoors. Make sure that when you buy a specimen for the garden that it is intended for outdoors and it is fully hardy. After that, give it a rich, dampish soil and a reasonably sheltered position and watch it take off. It's a real eye-catcher and very popular with landscape architects eager to fill a space quickly and permanently. Fatsia is a good choice for the patio. Stick it in a big pot or container and then place it against a light-coloured wall. At night, illuminate it. Any stems which become leggy or top-heavy can be cut back.

YP MAG 16/10/10