False Aralia (Plerandra elegantissima)


False Aralia Plant Features

Add elegance to your home or office with stately false aralia. This medium- to slow-growing houseplant is one of the best for high-light situations. The plant's appeal comes from its finely divided leaves, which gives it a feathery appearance. False aralias are good houseplants for adding airiness to your decor.

Use young false aralias grown in small pots on a tabletop, desk, or other surface. The plants mix delightfully with other houseplants; the overall airiness makes for a great complement against houseplants that have larger leaves. Older false aralias, which have developed woody trunks, are perfect trees for decorating empty walls, softening furniture, and creating a living privacy screen or room divider. 

Note: These plants have had their botanical names changed a fair amount. You may see them sold as Schefflera elegantissima, Dizygotheca elegantissima, or Plerandra elegantissima.

Questions about False Aralia?
If you have questions about growing this plant, just drop us an email! Our houseplant experts are happy to help.

False Aralia Growing Instructions

False aralias grow best in medium to bright light. Like many houseplants, they grow just fine in medium-light conditions, but grow faster, fuller, and lusher in brighter spots. Water false aralias when the soil starts to dry. They'd rather be too dry than too wet, so check the potting mix with a moisture meter or probe it with your finger before watering. 

As they grow, false aralias benefit from being repotted every couple of years. Spring and summer are ideal times to do this, but autumn and winter are just fine, as well. 

False aralias don't require regular fertilization to keep them healthy. Just a couple of times a year should be enough to keep them going. But if you want the plants to grow faster, you can fertilize more regularly. Just be sure to use a fertilizer formulated for houseplants and follow the directions on the packaging carefully. 

Please note: False aralia is beautiful to look at, and not intended for human or animal consumption.
  • Water

    Medium water needs

  • Light

    Indoors: High light

    Indoors: Medium light

  • Colors

    Green

    Variegated

  • Special Features

    Purifies the air


Complement your False Aralia

Pothos
Grow pothos as a colorful carpet to cover the soil of false aralia.

Devil's Backbone
Devil's backbone has a lovely, contrasting shape and texture that accents false aralia beautifully.


Our favorite varieties

Galaxy False Aralia

Galaxy False Aralia

Plerandra elegantissima 'Galaxy'

Galaxy false aralia shows off shiny, dark green leaves which aren't quite as finely divided as other varieties.

Variegated Galaxy False Aralia

Variegated Galaxy False Aralia

Plerandra elegantissima Variegated Galaxy

Variegated Galaxy aralia bears rich, dark green leaflets delicately edged in creamy gold.

Gold Crest False Aralia

Gold Crest False Aralia

Plerandra elegantissima 'Gold Crest'

One of the more beautiful varieties, Gold Crest false aralias offers feathery green leaves edged in gold.

Olympia False Aralia

Olympia False Aralia

Plerandra elegantissima 'Olympia'

Offering dark green leaves, Olympia's leaves are also flushed with shades of red and violet.