Plerandra elegantissima (False Aralia)

🌿 The False Aralia, scientifically known as Plerandra elegantissima (formerly Schefflera elegantissima or Dizygotheca elegantissima), belongs to the Araliaceae family and hails from the South Pacific islands, particularly New Caledonia. In its natural habitat, this plant grows as a small tree in tropical forests with filtered sunlight and high humidity. With its distinctively elegant, finger-like foliage and slender form, the False Aralia is considered an intermediate-level houseplant that rewards attentive care with stunning architectural beauty. Here's a fun fact: despite its common name, it's not actually related to true aralias at all—the resemblance is purely coincidental, which is how it earned its misleading moniker.
FOLIAGE AND GROWTH HABIT
This plant grows with an upright, slender habit that creates a striking vertical accent in any space. The leaves are deeply serrated and narrow, almost thread-like in juvenile plants, with a dark green to nearly black colouration that can appear coppery or bronze under certain lighting conditions. As the plant matures, the leaves become slightly broader but maintain their distinctive saw-toothed edges. The foliage has a delicate, almost lacy texture that gives the plant an airy, sophisticated appearance despite its dramatic dark tones.
FLOWER DETAILS
False Aralia rarely flowers when grown as a houseplant indoors, so don't expect blooms in typical home conditions. In its native outdoor environment, mature specimens may produce small, inconspicuous greenish-white flowers arranged in umbels, but these are not particularly showy or fragrant. The plant's ornamental value lies entirely in its foliage rather than any floral display. Since flowering is extremely uncommon indoors, there's no special technique to encourage it—this is simply a foliage-focused plant that shines through its leaves alone.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS

🌞 Light: Bright, indirect light is essential. Avoid direct sun which scorches the delicate leaves. Needs about 6-8 hours of filtered light daily. Can tolerate medium light but growth slows significantly.
💧 Water: Keep soil consistently moist but never waterlogged during spring and summer. Reduce watering in fall and winter, allowing the top inch to dry between waterings. Water when the soil feels slightly dry to the touch. Bottom watering or gentle top watering works well—avoid getting water on the foliage.
🌡️ Humidity: Prefers 50-60% humidity or higher. Struggles in dry conditions below 40%, which causes leaf drop and browning.
🪴 Soil: Well-draining, peat-based potting mix with perlite or orchid bark for aeration. Slightly acidic pH preferred.
🏺 Potting: Use a pot with drainage holes, slightly snug rather than oversized. Terracotta or ceramic pots work well. Repot every 2-3 years in spring when roots become crowded.
🌱 Growth rate: Slow to moderate grower. Expect 15-30 cm of growth per year under ideal conditions. Can reach 1.5-2 metres tall indoors over several years, though often stays smaller at 90-120 cm.
👩‍🌾 Fertilizing: Feed monthly during spring and summer with diluted liquid houseplant fertilizer at half strength. No fertilizer needed in fall and winter when growth naturally slows.
🐾 Pet friendly: No. Toxic to cats and dogs if ingested, causing vomiting, drooling, and oral irritation due to calcium oxalate crystals.

WHERE TO PUT IT
The False Aralia thrives in bathrooms with good natural light, where steam from showers provides needed humidity. It also does well in bright living rooms, home offices, or bedrooms positioned near east or north-facing windows. A kitchen with indirect light can work if there's adequate moisture in the air. Avoid placing it in drafty hallways, near heating vents, air conditioners, or in rooms with low light like basements. Keep it away from high-traffic areas where it might get bumped, as the delicate foliage is sensitive to physical disturbance. Don't put it on windowsills with direct afternoon sun—the leaves will scorch and drop.
RARITY ASSESSMENT
common