La Palmeraie gb

Common name:
Tetrapanax payrifera ‘Steroidal Giant’, Tetrapanax payrifera ‘Rex’, rice-paper plant

Origin: China and Taiwan

Foliage: Big deeply palmately lobed leaves which can get up to 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) in diameter

Exposure: Full sun, partial shade

Growth rate: Very fast

Height: 2 – 3 meter / 6 ft 7 in – 9 ft 10 in

Hardiness: -15°C / 5°F

Care:

Due to the large leaves, the Tetrapanax evaporates a lot of moisture on hot days. Therefore, provide sufficient water. In the fall the leaves fall off, leaving only the nude stems. In spring, new leaves will be formed again on the top. The Tetrapanax forms underground runners through rhizomes that can rise a few meters further. However, these can be easily cut off, which means that a root barrier is not necessary. Provide sufficient space for the Tetrapanax which can eventually occupy an area of up to 6m² (64,6 ft²).

Use:

The Tetrapanax was used in China for the production of rice paper. In Europe however it is an ideal plant for the exotic garden. It is hardy and can grow well in almost every place. To show off the big striking leaves, it  is best planted as a solitary. The plant is non-toxic, which makes it save for children to play nearby though, intensive manipulation of the plant may irritate the airways as you breathe the yellowish powder from the petioles.