Pseudopanax crassifolium

Pseudopanax crassifolius or crassifolium is a small evergreen tree from New Zealand, similar to the Pseudopanax ferox, but with less abundant foliage. It is appreciated for its partially open umbrella habit, with its long, slender, trailing, slightly dentate juvenile leaves resembling the ribs of an umbrella. This strange species goes through three successive stages to achieve its final foliage. The mature leaves, forming a crown on a slender trunk, are shorter, wider, rounded, and have smooth edges. It forms a striking bush with an elegant, graphic, and unusual appearance in both garden and pot. Plant this unusual plant in full sun, in well-drained but moist soil. It particularly thrives in mild oceanic climates. Gardeners in colder regions should give it a prominent place on the patio during the summer and protect it from severe frost in winter.

Pseudopanax crassifolium belongs to the Araliaceae family, just like the Angelica tree. It is native to New Zealand, specifically low-altitude forests that cover a few valleys along the coast. It is quite rare in cultivation. It is a bush that prefers humus-rich, fertile, and slightly acidic soil, and a mild and humid oceanic climate. It can reach a height of 5 to 6 metres, but takes up little space on the ground: at maturity, its crown will not exceed 1.5 metres (5 feet) in width. Its growth is quite fast. Young plants grow on a single trunk, bearing spectacular juvenile leaves that hang towards the ground, measuring 45 cm (18in) in length and inserted at an angle of less than 45 degrees (113°F). They are thin, thick, rigid, grey-brown to purplish in colour, with a reddish central area and small rounded teeth along the edges. Over time, this bush becomes bare at the base and develops a spreading crown of mature leaves at the top of its trunk. These leaves are 15 cm (6in) long, lanceolate in shape, and dark green. When mature, the plant produces green umbels of flowers.

Most often cultivated for the strange beauty of its juvenile leaves, Pseudopanax crassifolius leaves no one indifferent: you either love it or hate it. It is a fascinating plant, a survivor of ancient forests. It is admired for its extraordinary graphic design, which, let's admit, is quite difficult to associate with a traditional garden. This bush has its place in a large exotic group, alongside tree ferns (Dicksonia), Cycas, Araucaria (in a large garden), or horsetails, for example. Hardy to -10°C (14°F), it requires neutral to acidic, humus-rich, well-drained soil, and a sheltered position from cold, dry winds in mild climates. It is also a collector's plant, to be grown in a large pot that can be stored in a conservatory or greenhouse during winter.