whats a fair price for these?

I am thinking about buying either a False Aralia or a Dinner Plate Aralia.

The False Aralia is about 4 ft tall and very healthy.......$70
The Dinner Plate Aralia is about 3.5' - 4' tall and has a 4-5" trunk - also $70

I don't want to waste my $$, but if these are fair prices I don't mind paying them as both of these plants are awesome looking

OUCH!!! Sorry, I really have no idea...just the thought of coughing up $70 for one plant...man, oh man! I don't think I'll ever collect aralias!!

Those are very touchy plants for indoors to pay that much (what happens if they die in their first winter? Is there a one year guarantee?). I think they require lots of humidity to survive.

gotcha.....I figured as much.

Do you have a Lowe's or Home Depot nearby?

They have these once in a while, for a lot less than that.

If they don't have any in-stock at the moment, maybe you could talk them into ordering you one?

we do have several lowes and HDs in the metro area.....

I frequent one of the lowes in particular, as they get stuff that the others don't and it is usually very healthy. I have never seen either of these plants there, though. But like you said, I could always talk to them about ordering them in

I couldn't begin to tell you how many of those I've lost over the years so I don't even bother looking at them anymore. If you have a greenhouse, then you will have a lot better luck keeping them.

If you really want those plants, I would recommend looking for smaller ones, maybe in a 4" pot or so and see how it does rather than spending $70 for a big one. I have a small Aralia of some sort (lost the tag a long time ago), got it in a 4" pot from Lowe's for maybe $5 or so and it's doing fine so far.

I did the same thing - bought 2 variegated ones, 2 green ones, some polyscias (Ming aralia, Balfour aralia) at Home Depot or Lowe's and put them all in a bowl and they did good for a couple of years (when I had a greenhouse) and probably spent less than $20 on 6 or so plants. I had bought some tall ones years ago but they usually always fail when winter time came along with dry heat and drafts. If you live in a tropical place then you can grow them outdoors year round and produce some pretty big plants (along with blooms and seed).

Some of the Polyscias are persnickety...it's true....(especially the one they're calling 'Fabian Aralia') but Polyscias fruticosa is much easier to grow than the others.
I grow mine indoors (no greenhouse and no special treatment or special location).

My P. fruticosa is about 3.5' - 4' high, (it's at home - I'm not!) and has bloomed indoors.
I've had it about 4? years. I'll try to get a photo of it.

I have a few smaller ones, as well, and recently bought 3 others....but they are in 4" pots.

I do agree, that with the other Polyscias, it's best to buy a small plant and allow it to become accustomed to your growing conditions as a young plant.

The Dizygotheca (False Aralia) .......another plant I absolutely love, but have failed miserably with....more than once....I don't think I'll *ever* try that one indoors again.

alright......I had to go to the Lowes across town (where I never go because I have one on my side of town) to p/u something they were holding for me. As I waited, the nursery company came and started unloading their indoor plants.....and one of the first off the truck was a ming aralia. It had to be a sign......so I bought it -

And it's a fruticosa!

I'll bet it was *a lot* less than 70 bucks, right?!

Just don't over-water....it's worse, by far, than underwatering.
Mine goes almost dry (sometimes too dry) before I water again.

This one also seems to have a few periods when it sheds leaves and sometimes even entire branches.....I've had mine 4 years or so, and my plant continues to be healthy despite this, and my research has shown me it's perfectly normal.
It's a semi-deciduos thing that many trees do in their native habitat.

If it should do this for you, but you still notice new growth, don't worry.....just treat it normally and the 'shedding' will subside.

Hey Nan! I was going to post this in the other thread also.....but since you are here I won't ;)

Yes, much cheaper - $17.99 and it in all honesty, looks better than the $70 plants at the other places.

Here is a pic of it in the corner:

Oh, it looks *good* there!!

You've got some great lighting in that area....I'm betting that it'll be happy there.

Just watch the urge to water when not necessary, and don't panic if it loses a few leaves (even a branch or two) as long as you continue to see new growth.

Whew....aren't you glad you didn't buy the others before checking that store!?

capt which lowes did you get it from, and did they have more?

I bought it from the one on Ridge Road - I don't know if they had anymore as this was in the first group of plants they were unloading from a truck

Will it is a very very nice looking plant. Much better then paying $70. Next time I go to Lowes I will have to look for one. I go to either Derby or Kellogg east or Ponca for a Lowes.

...and.....just look out for Mealy bugs! Aralias seem to attract them, especially on the Aralia that looks like Marhuana (False Aralia?).

Saying this from my experience working in the Greenhouse at my HD.
Oh the battles I fought with this bug!

Gita