Aurelia Plants

General Care

• Meet the aurelia's growing requirements, and your reward will be a healthy, beautiful plant. They prefer bright light, so keep them near a sunny window. They can tolerate warmer temperatures than many other houseplants, but need good humidity to keep their leaves green and fresh. Allow the potting soil to dry between watering, or the plant is likely to drop leaves or even die. Keep an eye out for spider mites, mealy bugs or scale insects. If your aurelia becomes infested, you can find houseplant insecticide at any nursery or garden center.

Ming Aurelia

• The Ming aurelia (Polyscias fruticosa) is one of the most popular aurelia houseplants, resembling a small tree. Its medium-green, ferny, feathery leaves droop attractively from narrow, upright-growing branches. The Ming can reach 6 feet high, but you can control height by trimming, or by keeping it in a pot that is slightly small for the plant's size. If subjected to cold or dry air for an extended period of time, the Ming is prone to dropping its leaves.

Balfour or Dinner Plate Aurelia

• The Balfour aurelia (Polyscias balfouriana), also called dinner plate aurelia, grows in an upright, narrow pattern, and can reach a height of 8 feet, though it grows very slowly. It has large, round, glossy leaves, which can be dark green, or in variegated varieties, have white blotches and edges to the leaves. As the Balfour ages, it will develop a thick, woody trunk, with leaves held up above, providing a very attractive, small tree appearance.

Parsley Aurelia

• The parsley aurelia (Polyscias fruticosa `Elegans') has dark green, crinkled leaves that resemble the parsley herb. Like other aurelias, it grows in an upright, narrow fashion. Parsley aurelia is shorter than most other varieties, usually reaching a height of 1 to 2 feet. It will burn or lose leaves if the humidity is too low. To prevent this, keep it on a tray of moist pebbles, or mist daily with water.