Trevesia palmata Seeds | Snowflake Aralia
LATIN NAME: Trevesia palmata
COMMON NAME: Snowflake Aralia
Plant Profile
Snowflake aralia is a small evergreen tree of the ginseng family from the warm forests of Yunnan and mainland Southeast Asia, grown for leaves that look like no other. It reaches three to six metres, with an unbranched or sparsely branched trunk that is armed with short, broad spines, and a crown of enormous, deeply lobed, almost circular leaves up to sixty centimetres across, held on long stalks attached near the centre of the blade. From below, a single leaf looks like a green snowflake. In late summer the tree produces a great panicle of small white umbels above the foliage, followed by clusters of black fruit. It grows in the understorey of wet forest, where the air is still and humid.
Science & Biotechnology
Trevesia belongs to the Araliaceae, the family of ivy and ginseng, and its peltate leaves, with the stalk joined to the middle of the blade rather than the edge, are an extreme version of a trait found across the family. The spines on the trunk are unusual in a group that mostly relies on chemical defences, and they are thought to deter climbing mammals in the forest understorey. The genus is Indo-Malayan, with about ten species, and Trevesia palmata is the one most often cultivated. Its flowers are borne in umbels arranged in a large compound panicle, a structure shared with Schefflera and Plerandra, and the fruit is a fleshy drupe taken by birds. Leaf shape varies greatly between populations, which has led to a long list of synonyms.
Uses & Benefits
The tree is grown as an ornamental for tropical and subtropical gardens, where its foliage is the main attraction and the flowers are a bonus for insects. It is also a good conservatory plant for cooler climates, since it stays compact in a large pot and tolerates lower light than most foliage plants. In parts of Southeast Asia the young leaves are cooked as a vegetable, and the root and bark appear in local medicine for fever and for skin complaints. Its timber is soft, light and worth nothing at the sawmill. The fruit is not edible. Its dense crown gives cover for birds, and the umbels attract a wide range of small wasps and flies when they open.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed in a rich, free-draining mix of leaf mould, sand and compost, one centimetre deep. Keep at twenty-five to thirty degrees with high humidity, and do not let the compost dry out at any stage; germination takes three to six weeks. The seedling is slow for its first year and needs filtered light rather than sun. Pot on into a large container as the root develops, and water generously in summer, less in winter. Plant out only in a frost-free, sheltered spot with deep, humus-rich soil and dappled shade. Mulch thickly with leaf litter, protect from wind, which tears the big leaves, and remove dead leaves to keep the crown tidy.
Our Take
A tree of enormous snowflake leaves and a spiny trunk. It wants heat, humidity and shelter from wind, and it earns the space.
Related Reading
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