Heteropanax fragransNepal Aralia

Heteropanax fragrans, the Nepal Aralia, carries enormous compound leaves divided three to five times over, so a tree with a solid trunk and a rounded crown reads from a distance as a soft, finely textured cloud. Large terminal panicles of small cream flowers open in the cooler months and are strongly fragrant.

It grows quickly into a useful shade and screening tree, and the contrast between its heavy frame and its fine foliage is the reason it is chosen over more conventional canopy species.

Specifications

• Height6 to 12 metres
• Width4 to 8 metres
• Native toThe eastern Himalaya, north-east India, southern China and Indochina
• FoliageVery large, three to five times pinnately compound leaves, glossy dark green, giving a fine ferny texture; evergreen
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilPrefers moist, well-drained soils rich in organic matter
• LightFull sun to partial shade
• WaterModerate; needs reliable moisture
• ClimateThrives in tropical and subtropical regions

Additional Features

• FlowersLarge terminal panicles of small fragrant cream flowers in the cooler months
• FruitSmall dark berries following the flowers
• FormRounded crown of finely divided foliage on a straight trunk
• UsesIdeal for shade and screening, courtyard and park planting, and as a textural feature tree
• SpacingPlant 5 to 7 metres apart for canopy cover or a screen
• Low MaintenanceMinimal pruning; lift the crown for clearance where it overhangs a path
• Pest ResistanceGenerally resilient
• Wildlife AttractionBerries are readily taken by birds

Nepal Aralia gives a humid-climate scheme fine foliage texture at canopy scale, which is a rare combination.