Light
Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux
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Araliaceae
Polyscias filicifolia
- Curated selection:
Every plant is hand‑picked for health and visual appeal, so you receive a strong, well‑established plant.
- Representative photos:
Product images show a typical plant of this variety. Natural differences in leaf number, shape or variegation are normal, your plant will still match in type and quality.
- Size details:
Listed sizes refer to pot diameter (cm) and approximate overall height (cm) from the base of the pot to the tallest leaf or stem.
- “Get What You See” items:
If you are buying the exact plant shown in the photos, this is clearly stated in the size section.
- Individual photos:
One‑off photos are only provided when this is explicitly mentioned in the size section. - For special traits or small quirks, please check the full product description.
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Your new plant has just travelled a long way and needs a calm start in its new home. For step-by-step unboxing and first-week care, check our after-delivery care guide. For deeper tips on how your plant settles in over the next weeks, read our houseplant acclimatization guide.
- Care basics , Main hub with links to all houseplant care guides.
- After delivery & first week , Unpacking, first placement, and early recovery.
- Light, How much light houseplants really need indoors.
- Watering , When to water and how to avoid root rot.
- Substrates & roots, Potting mixes and drainage for strong root systems.
- Humidity, When humidity matters and what actually helps.
- Fertilizing, Simple feeding routine without burning roots.
- Problems & pests, Yellow leaves, brown tips, bugs, and fixes that work.
- Semi-hydro, How to run low-maintenance mineral substrates.
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Polyscias filicifolia
Quick Care Guide
Watering
Water when ~30–50% dry
Substrate
Aerated • Moisture-buffered • Balanced organic + mineral • Medium
Temperature
Ideal: 18–27 °C • Avoid below: 15 °C
Humidity
Moist 50–60 %
Growth habit
Upright woody shrub or tree.
Support
not needed
Growth speed
Average
Max size indoors
Max. height: 150 cm • Max. spread: 120 cm
Toxicity & safety
Mildly toxic
Origin & habitat
Horticultural Polyscias cultivar
Outdoor growing
Outside from 15 °C · sheltered spot
How to read these values
These care values are quick reference points for indoor growing. Use them as a guide, then adjust for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.
For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.
- Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
- Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
- Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
- Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
- Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.
- Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
- Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
- Growth speed: expected pace under suitable indoor conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.
- Max size indoors: realistic long-term indoor size under good conditions.
- Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
- Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
- Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.
Polyscias filicifolia
Polyscias filicifolia is a woody Araliaceae plant with finely divided foliage and a shrub or small-tree frame. Its cut-leaf texture sits on branching stems, so the plant develops structure as well as delicate leaf detail.
Stable warmth, bright indirect light and careful watering are especially important after transport or a change in position. The fine leaf divisions show stress quickly when the plant gets cold, dries too far or sits in wet soil.
Polyscias filicifolia profile
- Plant type: Woody tropical Araliaceae with fine compound foliage.
- Leaves: Finely divided, fern-like leaves on branching stems.
- Growth habit: Upright shrub or small-tree structure in a container.
- Texture: Fine leaf division sits on a branching woody frame.
- Conditions: Warm, bright and steady conditions with balanced moisture.
- Background: Cultivated tropical Polyscias from New Guinea to the south-west Pacific.
Woody growth in Polyscias filicifolia
Polyscias filicifolia is a woody member of the Araliaceae. It forms branching woody stems with fine divided leaves, and light pruning helps keep the indoor outline balanced after the plant has settled.
The fine leaf divisions make the plant responsive to stress. Sudden cold, irregular watering or a major position change can trigger leaf drop, especially on recently moved plants.
Polyscias filicifolia care notes
- Light: Bright indirect light keeps the branching structure fuller and reduces weak extension growth.
- Watering: Water when the upper part of the substrate has dried, then drain the pot fully.
- Humidity: Moderate to higher humidity reduces dry tips on fine leaf segments.
- Temperature: Keep consistently warm; cold draughts can trigger sudden leaf drop.
- Substrate: Use a well-drained mix that holds light moisture without staying saturated.
- Pruning: Trim long shoots selectively to shape the woody frame after the plant has acclimated.
- Repotting: Repot gently and avoid disturbing the roots heavily while the plant is stressed.
Troubleshooting Polyscias filicifolia
- Leaf drop: Cold, relocation and watering swings are common triggers.
- Dry tips: Fine leaf segments can brown when air is very dry or the root ball dries too far.
- Yellow leaves: Wet soil around the roots can cause yellowing and weak new growth.
- Pests: Spider mites, scale and mealybugs can hide along stems and leaflet bases.
- Thin growth: Weak light can stretch new stems and reduce the dense outline.
Safety for Polyscias filicifolia
Polyscias plants should be kept away from pets and children that may chew foliage. Ingestion can cause irritation, and plant sap may irritate sensitive skin.
Botanical notes on Polyscias filicifolia
Polyscias filicifolia was published under its current combination by Liberty Hyde Bailey in 1916. The genus name combines Greek roots meaning “many” and “shade” or “umbrella,” while the species epithet refers to fern-like leaves.
Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.
FAQs about Polyscias filicifolia
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