Fatsia japonica (Japanese Fatsia)

Japanese Fatsia is surprisingly cold-hardy for a tropical-looking plant, surviving outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 8 through 10. In areas with severe winters, it must be grown in a container and moved indoors to a cool, bright location before temperatures drop below freezing.

Despite its lush, palm-like foliage, Fatsia japonica actually prefers bright, indirect light or partial shade when grown as a houseplant. Direct, harsh sunlight will easily scorch the edges of its large, deeply lobed leaves, so placing it near an east-facing window is often ideal.

The 'Spider's Web' cultivar is highly sought after because it features striking white variegation that looks like frost splashed across the dark green leaves. This variegation is most prominent when the plant is grown in slightly cooler, shaded conditions rather than deep shade.

Yes, mature outdoor plants produce terminal clusters of small, spherical white flowers in the late autumn. These unique blooms are followed by small black berries, adding another layer of ornamental interest to this evergreen shrub native to southern Japan.