Balfour Aralia and Ming Aralia – Polyscias scutellaria ‘Balfourii’ and P. fruticosa

Common Name: Balfour Aralia and Ming Aralia

Botanical Name: Polyscias scutellaria 'Balfourii' and P. fruticosa, pol-i-SCI-as

Decorative Life: Many months to years.

Availability: Year Round

• Members of the Araliaceae (aralia family). Family relatives include false aralia, Fatsia, American ginseng, English ivy and rice-paper plant.
• Native to Eastern Malaysia and the Western Pacific.

• Erect evergreen shrubs, 12-25 feet in the wild but much smaller when grown indoors as potted plants. Leaves shiny dark green, 3-5 lobed or 1-3 pinnate, from 2-3 inches and larger.
• While their yellow-green flowers can be many and impressive in the wild, they are not a main attribute when grown indoors.

Chill sensitive, hold at 55F or higher.

• From the Greek “polys” meaning many, and “skias” for shade or canopy, referring to the sometimes large, many branched and spreading flower heads.