| Description | False Aralia (Plerandra elegantissima) is a small tropical shrub or small tree that can be kept as an indoor plant. Thrives in bright light, warm, high-humidity conditions.
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| Pronunciation | (pl-RAN-druh)(el-ee-gan-TISS-ee-muh) |
| Plant Type | Indoor Foliage, Shrubs Broadleaf Evergreen, Site author's observations, Trees Tropical |
| Hardiness Zone | 10-12 |
| Sunlight | Grow best in bright light but will tolerate medium light. |
| Moisture | Keep evenly moist and prefers higher humidity. |
| Growing Media | average house |
| Temperature | Prefers warm temperature such as 60-70 degrees; below 60 degrees may be too cold |
| Flowers | It will bloom when grown in its native habitat or in warmer outdoor zones as a landscape plant. Rarely blooms indoors. |
| Fruit | It will bloom when grown in its native habitat or in warmer outdoor zones as a landscape plant, and it will form black berries. |
| Leaves | The leaves are palmately compound, with very narrow leaflets that are regularly serrately lobed. Young leaves are bronze, turning to greenish brown, and the petioles are mottled with white. Leaves on older plants are broader and more leathery. |
| Stems | Will form a woody stem. They are dark green, mottled white, and maculate. |
| Dimensions | In its native habitat, it can reach over 20 feet; much smaller in the interiors of buildings. |
| Maintenance | Outdoor plants can be brought in during the winter months. Periodic pruning will help to control its size. |
| Propagation | seeds, cuttings, air layering |
| Native Site | Native to New Caledonia. |
| Misc Facts | Genus name honors J.C. Scheffler, 19th-century botanist of Danzig (Gdansk, Poland). Specific epithet means very elegant. |
| Author's Notes | When we grow this plant in the greenhouse, it is rather easy, but when we move it into the house, it becomes a bit more difficult. Put the pot on a pebbled-lined tray to maintain humidity, and place it in a warm, sunny spot, or else it will have a major plant tantrum. |
| Notes & Reference | #17-The World of House Plants (Elvin McDonald), #18-House Plant Encyclopedia (Nico Vermeulen), #158-Plantepedia (Maggie Stuckey), #274-Site Authors' observations and growing this plant |
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