A mixed genus of stove, greenhouse, and hardy ornamental-leaved plants of a more or less shrubby habit when fully grown. The best-known stove kinds are A. elegantissima, A. Guilfoylei, A. Veitchi and its slender variety gracillima, A. Chabrieri, A, Kerchoveana, and A. leptophylla. These are all natives of New Caledonia and the South Sea Islands, and flourish in sandy loam, peat, and leaf mould, in a warm, moist atmosphere. The leaves being deeply divided and graceful form the chief attraction of these plants, which are usually raised from cuttings in cases, and by means of grafting.

The plant known as Aralia Sieboldi or Fatsia japonica is a Japanese plant, quite hardy in the milder parts of the United Kingdom, where it becomes a large and ornamental shrub. As a pot plant it is raised in thousands every year under glass from seeds, and is sold in 2½-in. to 5-in. pots, fetching from 6s. to 9s. per dozen in the latter size. The seeds are usually sown in shallow boxes or in beds in sandy loam and leaf Foil in a temperature of 65° to 75° F., the seedlings beings afterwards potted up singly and grown on in various sizes according to the object in view. There are several attractive forms, variegated or blotched with gold or silver, but the green-leaved type and one called Moseri are the most popular for market work, and the trade is continuous. Tall plants may have the heads taken off as cuttings if necessary.