Why the Ming Aralia ever fell out of favor as a houseplant is beyond me. This plant is one of the easiest and loveliest houseplants available. With a little care and know how Ming Aralia can bring a little green to your indoors.
Like most houseplants, Ming Aralia is a tropical plant, meaning it can not survive temps below 50F. In areas that do not have temps that go below this, Ming Aralia makes an excellent outdoor shrub as well.
One important thing to keep in mind when growing this plant is that it must be kept constantly moist. Even in the winter, when most houseplants need a reduction in the amount of water they receive, for Ming Aralia, you should still keep the soil consistently moist (but not wet). Other than that one small detail, your Ming Aralia should require little upkeep.
Ming Aralia can grow to be 6 to 7 feet tall if properly cared for in an indoor environment and is prone to grow up rather than out. For this reason, you may want to occasionally prune this plant. If possible, prune you Ming Aralia in the cooler months as this is when the plants growth is reduced and the pruning will cause less damage to the plant. Controlled pruning of this plant can actually produce some pretty stunning results. Due to the natural “crooked” growth of this plant, the lower stems can be trained into some interesting showpieces.
These plants also make nice bonsai but even when not used in this fashion they can add a certain Asian flair to a room.
Ming Aralia needs medium indirect light in an indoor environment. Make sure that the plant gets enough sunlight from a north or east facing window or a plant lamp.
If you wish to propagate this plant, all you need to do is take a cutting and place it in some damp soil. Keep the soil damp and the cutting should root in just a few weeks. For added chance of rooting success, place the pot and cutting in a plastic bag.
Ming Aralia is certainly a plant that will make splash in your house. The fine cut leaves and the interesting trunks make this a great addition to any indoor garden.