Polyscias pinnata ‘Green Lemon’

Trade history and identity of Polyscias pinnata ‘Green Lemon’

‘Green Lemon’ is a well-established name in the European houseplant trade. Its original breeder and selection date are unclear.

It is also sold simply as Polyscias ‘Green Lemon’. Its exact species identity remains uncertain.

Indoor care for Polyscias pinnata ‘Green Lemon’

• Light: place Green Lemon in bright indirect light for a full, compact crown. A little early or late sun is fine once it has settled. At midday, keep the light bright but filtered.
• Watering: wait until the upper mix has dried and the container feels lighter, then water thoroughly and let the excess drain away.
• Potting mix and repotting: use an airy mix with organic material and add bark, perlite or pumice to improve drainage. Repot once roots occupy most of the pot or the mix has become compacted.
• Temperature and air: warm rooms around 18–27 °C suit this woody tropical plant. Moderate humidity is normally adequate, while somewhat higher humidity can help in rooms with very dry heated air. Keep it away from cold draughts and direct heater air.
• Pruning: pinch or shorten a growing tip when you want more side shoots and a fuller crown.
• Feeding: during active growth, use a complete houseplant fertiliser according to the product label. Pause feeding whenever the plant stops making new leaves and shoots, then resume when growth returns.

Troubleshooting Polyscias pinnata ‘Green Lemon’

• Broad leaf edges turn brown or pale scorched patches appear: dry brown edges usually come from repeated drying, direct heater air or fertiliser salts; pale scorched patches after stronger direct sun indicate sun damage. For brown edges, water before the root ball becomes completely dry, move the plant away from hot airflow and flush the mix with plain water if salts may have built up. If patches appeared after stronger sun, return the plant to bright filtered light and increase direct sun gradually.
• The crown thins and new shoots become stretched: low light is causing weak, open growth. Move the plant gradually to a brighter position with filtered light.
• Leaves begin to fall soon after relocation: a sudden change in temperature, light or root moisture can trigger leaf drop. Keep the plant warm in one position and check the mix before watering.
• Yellow foliage appears while the mix stays wet for days: the roots are staying wet for too long. Give the mix more time to dry, check the drainage and inspect the roots if yellowing continues. Remove any soft dark tissue back to firm healthy roots with a clean tool, discard the rotten material and repot in fresh mix.
• Sticky patches, cottony material, fixed bumps or fine pale speckling appear: sticky residue, cottony deposits and fixed bumps can point to mealybugs or scale insects. Fine pale speckling or webbing points to spider mites. Isolate the plant, identify the pest and choose a product whose label covers it. Follow the label interval if another application is needed.

Polyscias pinnata ‘Green Lemon’ is toxic to cats and dogs

• Keep this plant away from cats and dogs that may chew it.
• It contains saponins that can irritate the mouth and digestive tract.
• Chewing may cause drooling, vomiting, stomach pain, reduced appetite or weakness. Contact a veterinarian if symptoms develop.

Why is it called Polyscias pinnata?

Polyscias combines Greek polys, many, with skia, shade, parasol or canopy. Pinnata means feathered and describes the leaflets arranged along a central axis.

Johann Reinhold Forster and Johann Georg Adam Forster established the genus Polyscias in 1776 in Characteres Generum Plantarum, second edition, page 63.

Johann Reinhold Forster and Johann Georg Adam Forster first described Polyscias pinnata in 1776 in Characteres Generum Plantarum, second edition, page 64.