Q: I never knew fatsia would bloom in December! The plant is in a fairly protected area and gets high shade most of the day in the summer. I guess it likes it there.

A: Yes, I know of another fatsia, Fatsia japonica, that was blooming last year this time. It seems out of step with its English ivy cousin that typically blooms in early fall. I have become a fan of fatsia for its tremendous shade tolerance. The large, coarse, evergreen leaves are a great background for finer-textured plants like Autumn fern and variegated Solomon’s seal.

Fatsia japonica

fatsia flowers