Chinese Paper Plant vs. Japanese Aralia

Growth Habits

• Rice paper plant is valued for its bold presence in a garden. With tall, thick stalks, it is a fast grower that reaches 4 to 15 or 16 feet tall. Its multiple stems form a clump 3 to 8 feet wide, and it spreads by underground runners, producing suckers up to 20 feet away. Japanese aralia is more bushy than rice paper plant and reaches 5 to 8 feet tall. It has multiple, leafy stems that make it look more like a shrub than a tree, and it does not produce runners.

Leaves and Flowers

• The leaves of the rice paper plant are a grayish green and reach 10 to 18 inches across. Each leaf's underside is covered with a soft, brownish fuzz. Japanese aralia leaves are glossy, deep green and leathery, and they grow up to 1 foot across. Both plants need to reach maturity before blooming. Rice paper plant flowers in late fall. In its lowest USDA zones, frost may occur before its flowers appear. Japanese aralia blooms in fall or late winter and is more frost-tolerant than rice paper plant. Both kinds of plants produce clusters of small, white flowers that are followed by small, black fruits.

Cultivation

• Rice paper plant and Japanese aralia thrive in rich, moist soil that is neutral to acidic. Rice paper plant grows best in soil that is watered regularly while Japanese aralia is drought-tolerant after it is established in its location. Although both kinds of plants tolerate full-sun exposure, they grow best in partial shade or where they receive only morning sunlight, and both do well in a protected position, such as against a north-facing wall or in the corner of a fence. They also grow in full shade, making them suitable foundation plants for shady sites.

Considerations

• Because the fuzz on the stems and leaf undersides of rice paper plant can irritate skin and lungs, wear a dust mask and gloves when working with the plant. Rice paper plant is likely to spread beyond its desired place due to its suckers. The young suckers easily can be pulled out of the ground, but the plant sends out an army of them.