Fatsia japonica ‘Spider’s Web’

Fatsia 'Spider's Web' (Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web') solves the hardest problem in most gardens: a shaded corner that needs to look like something. It grows to about 2m tall and 1.8m wide, with large hand shaped leaves speckled and dusted in white, as though someone had flicked paint across them. In deep shade that variegation does the work a flowering plant cannot.

Why you'll love it

• It lights up shade. The white speckling reads from a distance in positions where plain green foliage disappears.
• Large, architectural leaves. Glossy lobed leaves up to 30cm across give a courtyard the tropical look without needing tropical conditions.
• Coastal and wind tolerant. Unusual for a broad leafed shade plant, it handles salt air and exposed positions that shred other large leaves.
• Evergreen screening at a useful height. A 2m evergreen that thrives in shade is genuinely hard to find, which is why this one keeps turning up along side boundaries.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy in shade. Plant 1m apart for a leafy screen down a shaded side boundary. That spacing lets the wide leaves overlap into a solid green and white wall without the plants competing for the little light available.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A 500mm pot suits it, and container growing naturally holds it closer to 1.2m to 1.5m. Shaded courtyards and south facing balconies are ideal.

Growing Fatsia 'Spider's Web' in Australia

Position and climate. Part to full shade. Direct afternoon sun bleaches the leaves and scorches the white markings, so morning light or dappled shade all day is the target. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, and it is frost hardy once established, which makes it a strong option in Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra.

Soil. Moist, well drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Dig compost through the bed before planting and mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stems. It will not accept waterlogging.

Water and feed. This is not a drought tolerant plant. Water twice a week through the first two summers and keep it evenly moist afterwards, especially in pots. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer.

Pruning. Very little is needed. Cut old stems back to a low bud in early spring if the plant goes bare at the base. It reshoots readily, so a leggy plant can be rejuvenated hard.

What to expect when it arrives

Spider's Web is grown in four sizes: tube stock, currently on backorder, plus 140mm plants in packs of ten, 200mm in packs of six and 250mm in packs of three. The 140mm and 200mm packs are the value choice for a run down a side boundary. The 250mm plants already carry several full sized leaves, for effect in the first season.

Large leaves make this one of the more delicate plants to freight, so expect some leaf edge damage in transit. New leaves replace them within a season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect full height in about four years. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Why variegated plants behave differently
• Browse the variegated plant range
• More plants for part shade positions
• Compare shrubs used for privacy screening

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Fatsia is listed as toxic to cats and dogs, and chewing the leaves can cause drooling, vomiting and mouth irritation. It is a poor choice for a pot at floor level in a home with a chewer.

How far apart for a screen?

One metre apart in a single row. The leaves are wide enough that the plants knit together at that spacing, and going closer only makes them compete for light they already have very little of.

Will it grow in full sun?

Not well. Direct sun, especially afternoon sun, bleaches the variegation and burns the leaf edges. Morning sun with shade for the rest of the day is the most it should get.