Aralia plants have been utilized since ancient times to treat a plethora of physical conditions and as a design statement to bring forth aesthetics to your garden and your home. It’s relatively low-maintenance in nature and can be easily cared for. Let’s have a look at the basic nurturing techniques for your aralia:
Lighting
Aralia plants require a decent amount of light exposure. It can work in both partial and low-light conditions but grows more compactly in bright light. Just make sure it gets as much light as possible.
If potted inside, aralia must be put on a northern windowsill or a porch with minimal shade. If placed outside, mid-day sun and direct sun exposures should be avoided. However, aralia loves morning light, so provide it with enough morning sun.
Watering
The watering cycle of an aralia plant depends upon its soil’s dryness, so keep a close eye on it. Once it’s nearly dry, provide a thorough and deep watering to the plant, but make sure the soil is slightly moist- allowing only 50% of the topsoil to dry before watering again.
Temperature
Being a tropical plant, aralia enjoys warm conditions. It prefers high temperatures for normal, healthy, and active growth. It shouldn’t be exposed to air temperature that is more or less than 60°-85° F (15.6°-29.4°C).
Humidity
Aralia is fond of high humidity because low humidity causes aralia to wither and shed its leaves. So if you live in an arid environment, allow daily misting to be a part of your routine to keep the ambient moisture levels high.
Plant Nutrition
Aralia ought to be fertilized every two months or so in the summer and spring seasons. The feeding requirement is even low in winter, where you should only fertilize it when it appears unhealthy. A peat-based, well-aerated, light, loamy soil consisting of organic material, mixed with a bit of perlite or vermiculite, and a slightly acidic pH value of 6.0 to 6.5 is an ideal fertilizer for the plant.
Toxicity
Ming aralia is slightly toxic. It contains a cell sap that can cause redness, itching, or blisters when in contact with living tissue. Washing the skin’s affected area with soap and water immediately after contact can help prevent severe rashes.
Furthermore, ingestion of this plant can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and drowsiness. For this purpose, it is advised to keep the plant away from children and animal reach.
Air-Purifying
Aralia is a great air-purifying plant. It filters out toluene, formaldehyde, and carbon dioxide from the air. It releases anions and moisture in return, which aids in cleansing and purifying the surrounding air, whether placed indoors or outdoors.
Repotting
Although aralia doesn’t mind being pot-bound, it can be repotted once or twice a year to keep its health and nutrition steady. Transplant it to a new container enriched with fresh, well-drained, moisture-retentive, and organic soil.
Additional Care
Aralia is quite compromising in this regard and doesn’t ask for any extra care or attention. Just make sure to provide high humidity by daily spraying water and keeping up with the watering schedule to ensure happiness and vitality in your aralia.
Common Issues
If provided with proper environmental conditions, common problems faced by aralia keepers are rare. Some of the usual pests like aphids and spider mites can bug your plant, but they can be easily controlled with consistent spraying of water mixed with Neem oil.
Another common issue is the yellowing of the leaves in Ming aralia. This is caused by a lack of nutrients and can be easily solved by frequently repotting or fertilizing the plant.
Diseases
Common diseases caused by aralia plants are root rot, leaf spot, botrytis, powdery mildew, and southern blight caused by maltreatment of the plant. While keeping an aralia, keep an eye out for mealybugs, spider mites, and whiteflies from residing in the leaves’ cubbyholes and undersides.
Final Thoughts
Taking care of a plant can be pretty frantic for all the plant lovers out there. Aralia is not only ‘mellow’ and undemanding in this aspect but also pays you for this little effort by giving your eyes the pleasure of its beauty and treating your physical body with the natural remedies it can bestow. So, make sure to nurture it well and perpetuate its happiness.
