Flower Arranging – Fatsia Japonica
Bold and glossy Fatsia Japonica is easy to grow and incorporate into your flower arrangements.
Using Fatsia Japonica for Flower Arrangements
- Fatsia Japonica or Aralia Japonica is also known as ‘Fig Leaf Palm’.
- It is a useful evergreen shrub growing up to 15 feet tall.
- It tolerates maritime conditions and temperatures down to minus 10 C.
- Panicles of milky white, globular flowers are produced in Autumn followed by black berries.
- Can be underplanted with Hostas to provide two sources of flower arranging material.
Church Flowers: The Essential Guide to Arranging Flowers in Church by Judith Blacklock
Special Tips for Flower Arranging with Fatsia
- Fatsia has hand shaped, leathery leaves are apple-green in colour.
- The bold shiny leaves work well in traditional flower arrangements.
- The different sized leaves which the plant produces are useful for different types of arrangement.
- The leaves should be cut a day before arranging and given a long deep drink.
- The edge of the leaves or fingers can be clipped to a shape that suits your arrangment.
- The leaves can be laid flat to form a green base of splayed finger shapes.
A full array of books on Flower Arranging and related subjects is available from Amazon. You will find more advice and artistic inspiration amongst this selection.
I would also recommend the Harrogate spring flower show where I am always stunned by the floral arrangement amongst the plants on display.
To grow a generic mix of flowers for arrangements and bouquets check out Thompson & Morgan
Other plants discussed in this series
Dahlia
Euphorbia
Pittosporum
Alstroemeria
Corkscrew hazel
Phormium
Credits
ARALIACEAE äº”åŠ ç§‘ – Japan Fatsia (Fatsia japonica) 八角金盤 by kaiyanwong223 CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Fatsia japonica Flowers by the justified sinner CC BY-NC-SA 2.0