Product description
Native to Taiwan, Tetrapanax Rex is an excellent foliage plant for any area of the garden. It grows well in beds and borders, makes an excellent architectural addition to a gravel garden, and is ideal for filling pots and containers. It is better known as a Chinese Rice Paper shrub and its main attraction is its massive deeply lobed leaves in a fresh shade of mid-green. These leaves are semi-evergreen in milder areas, while in colder parts of the country they are deciduous and die back in winter before re-emerging the following spring.
In September the shrub is decorated with large sprays of creamy coloured flowers. These are a valuable source of nectar and pollen for late pollinators and are a popular choice for cutting and using in indoor floral vase displays. The blooms are followed by ornamental black berries in winter, providing further colour and texture interest in the colder months of the year.
Tetrapanax Rex is an easy, low maintenance shrub to grow. It thrives in full sun and prefers a sheltered spot in well-draining soil. Mulch in late autumn to protect the roots against frost damage and lightly trim in spring to remove any dead or damaged leaves and stems.
Please Note: When purchasing plants, please consider that each live item is unique and may therefore differ from the images shown, which are for illustration purposes only. The plant will be supplied in a growers pot. Depending on season, some plants may be pruned back to encourage growth and deciduous plants may arrive without leaves.
Rice Paper Plant
Tetrapanax 'Rex'
Tetrapanax 'Rex'
Product description
Native to Taiwan, Tetrapanax Rex is an excellent foliage plant for any area of the garden. It grows well in beds and borders, makes an excellent architectural addition to a gravel garden, and is ideal for filling pots and containers. It is better known as a Chinese Rice Paper shrub and its main attraction is its massive deeply lobed leaves in a fresh shade of mid-green. These leaves are semi-evergreen in milder areas, while in colder parts of the country they are deciduous and die back in winter before re-emerging the following spring.
In September the shrub is decorated with large sprays of creamy coloured flowers. These are a valuable source of nectar and pollen for late pollinators and are a popular choice for cutting and using in indoor floral vase displays. The blooms are followed by ornamental black berries in winter, providing further colour and texture interest in the colder months of the year.
Tetrapanax Rex is an easy, low maintenance shrub to grow. It thrives in full sun and prefers a sheltered spot in well-draining soil. Mulch in late autumn to protect the roots against frost damage and lightly trim in spring to remove any dead or damaged leaves and stems.
Please Note: When purchasing plants, please consider that each live item is unique and may therefore differ from the images shown, which are for illustration purposes only. The plant will be supplied in a growers pot. Depending on season, some plants may be pruned back to encourage growth and deciduous plants may arrive without leaves.
Give your plants the best start
Garden Plant Size Guide
Plants in larger pots can be multiple years older than their smaller counterparts with more mature root systems and foliage. This makes them able to thrive as a full size plant in your garden quicker than smaller alternatives.
The most common size of pot that garden plants come in are 9cm/1L/3L/5L this is in reference to the diameter at the top of the pot.
9cm potted plants still remain the most popular cost effective option though, they just may take a little patience to allow them to grow into full maturity once planted in your garden.
Plant specs, care guide & tips
Key features
Specifications
When to plant
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Planting and period of interest times are general guidelines and may vary based on your location and conditions. For best results, consult local gardening resources.
Instructions
Top Tip
Tetrapanax is a vigorous grower and can spread quite far. If you’d prefer to keep it contained in a particular space, consider growing it in pots or use a root barrier to limit spread in the ground.
How to Water
Water Tetrapanax deeply and regularly during the growing season, ensuring excess moisture drains away freely. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings and be careful not to let the soil get waterlogged. Reduce watering during the plant’s dormant period in autumn and winter.
How to Plant
Choose a sheltered, sunny spot with well-draining soil and dig a hole around twice as large as the root ball. Position the plant in the hole and backfill with soil to the same level as it was in the growers’ pot. Gently firm the soil down to remove air pockets and water in well.
