Which window for a Ming Aralia?

I just purchased a small Ming Aralia (Polyscias fruticosa) in a 4-inch pot. I have room in a bright north window, and in a sunny west window. The lighting in the west window can be manipulated, if necessary, by adjusting the blinds, or by placing the plant so it is shaded somewhat by a taller plant.

Does anyone know which spot my new ming would prefer?

I would go with the bright north window. These are medium light plants and I would be afraid of leaf burn from the western exposure, particularly on a young plant. It also may be more of a hassle than it's worth to constantly adjust the lighting. It should be very happy with a north exposure.

Good luck!

I'm with the Sansman! I have this same plant - mine is about 3' high and in a 12" pot....it sits up high on a banister/railing of our raised living room and is about 6 ft. from a south window, where it also gets a bit of morning light from an east window....it's very happy in this position, which I'd think would be an equivalent to your bright north window....mine is blooming! The blooms are truly not much to look at - just a cluster of little green 'balls' atop a stem....but blooming, nonetheless!!

Nan,

WHAT? A blooming Polycias Ming? Never heard of such. Any chance you can post a photo anywhere? Congrats & how fascinating! I have been collecting these polycias for yrs. never saw or heard of this before. Keep up the good work!

Okay, the north window it is! The ming looks right at home there, with a hedera ivy, a pothos on a totem, and a small aspidistra for company.

Karen

Pirate Girl.....that was exactly my first thought! But it is! I thought, at first that it was leaves that hadn't unfurled....but I've watched them do so before, and this time it's not! It's definitely a 'homely', yet interesting bloom! I don't have a working camera, of any sort at this time, but I'll try to see what I can do!

Congrats Nan! You really are good with your plants. I have only seen this plant bloom in one nursery I visited. It was a very old plant. I just love the blooming process, regardless of looks. In fact, I think the oddity of those blooms made it even more interesting. And I admire anyone that can get blooms indoors. My alocasia amazonica has bloomed twice now in the last 12 months. Not much to look at (kind of like peace lily blooms) but what a great process! Now if I can just talk my old corn plant into blooming!

Refresh me pls. I only have all west windows. Do I remember correctly north exposure is lower light (relatively speaking)? All my Aralias (Ming, Balfour, Felicifolia or Guilfoleyi) are all about 10' in from the west window. I keep 'em underpotted (am sort of Bonsai pruning one of them), w/ a wick which I allow to dry out abt 2 days/week & topdressed w/ long sphag to help hold moisture.

Anyone growing them very differently?

Anyone have success/suggestions for propping? I have a hard time (roots well in water) but doesn't make the transition to soil very well. Only success I've had is rooting them in perlite/vermiculite/sphag mix, survival after potting up still seems a crapshoot to me. Any tips/suggestions pls.? TIA

In general from most to least light: South, west, east, north. If the windows aren't obstructed, the first three exposures get direct sun in varying degrees, north gets none.

When I referred to my north window as "bright" I meant that it is relatively unobstructed, plus it gets reflected light bouncing off nearby windows and walls. Also it is not precisely due north, so it gets the barest flicker of direct sun during spring and summer afternoons.

Karen

By the way, in case anyone who is here from any of the others sites is wondering, I am kljones715 AKA smartnstunning.

Sansman: Thanks for your comments...this particular plant just seems to like me and it's location! I don't know?! I had never realized that they bloom either, but did some research after mine 'appeared to bloom', and read that they do, indeed, but "rarely under cultivation"! Woo hoo! Guess I'm part of 'rarely' at this moment! It is rewarding to watch these beauties bloom in your home a 'bijillion' miles from their native homes, isn't it?!
Pirate Girl, the only thing I do differently is that I don't keep anything on top (sphagnum or moss) but I try to mist the leaves undersides at least once a day, and if it's an especially warm dry day (whether by the furnace running or naturally) I mist the top of the soil. I read this as a tip once in a book, and have been doing it with these and with calatheas and ferns. I've found that most of them like to be drier at the rootball then we're led to believe, and by misting the top of the soil enough to saturate just that top 1/4" or so, it provides extra humidity for an extended period, rather than a short period as misting the leaves does. And although I haven't tried to propagate myself as of yet, I did receive a Balfouriana cutting (was in the pot of a purchased plant) that began to droop almost immediately. I discovered it wasn't fully rooted. I left it in the pot with the 'fully rooted' cuttings, and again, just lightly misted the soil around it and the leaves each day. in a few weeks it perked right up and is now fully rooted. Mine are in a real peaty/barky soil, (if that makes sense?) - very freely draining.

Hi Karen!!! I can't keep up with all of our new names :).

How's the new zz plant doing?

Brooks

Further on Aralias (Ming & others) for all those interested, pls. check out this site:

http://www.rhapisgardens.com/ming-aralias/

(sorry, I don't know how to link it up myself.)

Excellent info. on variety of Aralias & their resurgence as favored Houseplants, written by the late George Elbert, whose wife is a local society member here in NYC & propagation mentor & friend of mine. When I thanked her for making the effort to make sure this info. stays public (the Elberts' books, are now out of print) she graciously answered that sharing the knowledge was what it's all about! Enjoy & am sure this will help.

PG (aka Karen, there's another Karen on this thread (or site), so if responding to me, pls. address me as Pirate Girl or Pirate Karen, thx)

Mings are very adaptable plants as long as they are not overpotted and overwatered. I have grown some very large mings in an unobstructed south window. Some home rearranging caused me to move them to a north window where they are equally healthy, but have a softer, more delicate look. One is off to the side of the north window and it has developed very sculptural, U-shaped curves along horizontal stems. This happens because in this low light the stems are not rigid enough to stand straight up against the pull of gravity. The stems dip down until a surge of new growth pulls them up again toward the light. The result is a very curvacious plant! Bottom line: You can grow your ming near any window in the house.

I have also found mings to be quite adaptable to water irregularities, as long as they are not kept constantly wet. They will shed leaves quickly as a kind of warning, but they recover quickly when you provide the right conditions.

I have grown all of mine from cuttings. I think the key is to put the cuttings into small pots with a porous potting mix. This will help keep the roots from staying wet for too long.

Regards to all,
Will Creed
http://HortHelp.homestead.com

Hey WillC,

Welcome, so nice to see you, missed you, your kind ways & your expertise. So glad you're here.

PG

Thanks, PG and JO.

Thanks everyone, for your responses. Thank you, especially Will--so nice to "see" you again.

As for the ming, I'll keep it in the north window for a while and let it acclimate to my home. I'll decide later if I want to move it to a sunnier spot.