Ming Aralia, Parsley-Leaved Aralia

Polyscias fruticosa Harms

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Araliaceae

Explanation of name: For generic name, see P. crispata. Fruticosa means shrubby. Filicifolia means fern-leaf.

Natural range: Tropical Asia (not Florida)

Recognition: Small shrubs with alternate, fine, bipinnately (to tripinnately) compound fernlike leaves having sheathing bases. Differs from other Polyscias species in this manual by having numerous (9-13) leaflets. The leaflets variably have dissected margins, or the leaves may be fully bipinnate, sometimes even tripinnate (WHI).

            Parsley-Leaved Aralia is Polyscias elegans (C. Moore & F. Muell.) Harms.  Although sometimes classified as a distinct species, this is often listed as cultivar ‘Elegans’ of P. fruticosa.

            Polyscias filicifolia L. H. Bailey, Fern-Leaf Aralia, is similar but has once-pinnate leaves, with the pinnae lobed, often regularly so. This species has several cultivars, including variegated ones.

Landscape uses: These usually small shrubs with lacy, fernlike leaves having a delicate Asian appearance and making beautiful small focal points, container plants, and bonsai.