How to Grow Polyscias (Ming Aralia)? Detailed Guide to Cultivation Methods and Precautions

The name Polyscias (Ming Aralia) instantly sounds very auspicious and endearing. Polyscias not only has a beautiful name, but also has handsome, elegant foliage with glossy green leaves, always attracting countless eyes with its looks. So what precautions should be taken when growing Polyscias? Let's learn about Polyscias cultivation techniques together below!

How to Grow Polyscias

1. Light

It needs bright light. Insufficient light easily causes spindly stems and leaves, dull leaf color, and fading of variegation, but at the same time it dislikes strong direct sunlight, especially in early summer after a long rainy spell followed by sudden clear skies, to prevent leaves from being scorched. For home potted plants, it can usually be placed in a well-ventilated spot near a south-facing window; in summer it can be placed by a north- or east-facing window; in winter it should be placed in a brighter spot indoors.

2. Temperature

The suitable growth temperature is 15-30°C, of which 20-30°C can be maintained from April to October, and 13-20°C from October to April of the following year. In short, in winter the room temperature should also be kept no lower than 10°C. When summer temperatures reach above 32°C, it should not be left unattended either.

3. Water

Potted Polyscias prefers relatively moist soil and air conditions. During the growing season there must be a sufficient water supply; water after the soil surface dries, and slightly dry soil is also fine, but do not water too much, to avoid waterlogging and root rot.

4. Soil

Loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam is best, providing it with a loose, moist, fertile soil environment. Generally, repot with fresh soil once every two years in spring. For fertilizing, home potted plants can be watered with a mixture of 0.2% urea and 0.1% monopotassium phosphate, or a small amount of multi-element slow-release compound fertilizer granules can be spread or buried on the soil surface. When fertilizing, pay attention to the balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. If disease occurs, promptly remove and destroy diseased leaves.

Polyscias Cultivation Methods and Precautions

1. Watering

Potted Polyscias prefers relatively moist soil and air conditions. During the growing season there must be a sufficient water supply, watering once every 1 to 2 days. According to specific conditions, water thoroughly when dry; slightly dry soil is also fine, but do not water too frequently, to avoid waterlogging and root rot.

2. Soil

Polyscias prefers loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam. Generally, repot with fresh soil once every two years in spring; when changing the soil, use peat soil mixed with one-third river sand.

3. Light

Polyscias is suitable for growing in a semi-lit environment with bright indirect light. It needs bright light, but at the same time dislikes strong direct sunlight, especially in early summer after a long rainy spell followed by sudden clear skies, to prevent leaves from being scorched.

4. Fertilizing

Polyscias growth requires sufficient fertilizer. During the vigorous growth period from April to June, fertilize once every one to two months. Home potted plants can be watered with a mixture of 0.2% urea and 0.1% monopotassium phosphate, or a small amount of multi-element slow-release compound fertilizer granules can be spread or buried on the soil surface.

5. Precautions

In midsummer when temperatures are high, besides watering adequately, it is also necessary to spray the leaves with water once a day. In late autumn and early winter, when temperatures drop below 15°C, watering should be controlled. In winter, reduce the amount of water given, or replace watering with misting, keeping the soil slightly moist and a bit dry, but when spraying the leaves, make sure the water temperature is basically the same as room temperature.

During the growing season, combined with fertilizing, loosen the soil of the potted plant once a month, so that the soil remains well-aerated for a long time, avoiding root rot caused by soil compaction.

Key Points for Pruning Polyscias

1. Prune and shape every spring; new branches and leaves will grow even more vigorously; if the plant has aged, severe pruning should be carried out to promote new growth of branches and leaves.

2. Generally after 2 years, when the plant is somewhat taller, appropriate pinching can be done to encourage more branching and control stem height; withered and yellow leaves should also be removed promptly.

Key Points for Propagating Polyscias

1. Cuttings: Can be done in both spring and autumn, but spring cuttings give better results. From March to April, cut 10-15 cm leaf sections, keeping only 2-3 leaves at the tip; the lower cut is best made 0.2 cm below a node, and soak in 500ppm indolebutyric acid or No. 1 ABT rooting solution for 10 seconds, then insert into a sand bed or vermiculite. For small-scale cuttings, a wide-mouthed flower pot filled with vermiculite can serve as the cutting bed; after watering thoroughly, cover with plastic film to retain moisture, maintain the optimal rooting temperature of 25-30°C, shade 40-50%, and roots will form in 20-30 days. After the cuttings sprout new buds, transplant them into pots.

2. Layering: From May to June, choose a robust stem, perform ring-barking at a point 20-25 cm from its top, with the bark removal width about 2-3 times the stem diameter, wrap the ring-barked area well with peat soil or mud, knead into a soil ball, bind tightly on the outside with plastic film, and leave a water inlet at the top. If the stem is relatively thin and cannot support the soil ball, insert a bamboo pole as support, tie the soil ball against the bamboo pole, and always keep the soil ball moist; roots will form after 2 months. Clustered plants grown in the ground can also be propagated by ground layering.

As described above, Polyscias likes a warm, humid, and sunny environment. It is best to grow it on a balcony; if placed in a room, try to choose a spot with bright light for a long time, so that Polyscias can grow more luxuriantly!