Surprising Survivors Part 7 – The Indestructible Rice Paper Plant

The Rice Paper Plant (Tetrapanax Papyrifer Rex) is one of the best looking plants in my garden, with its massive pinnate leaves. I first saw it at Crug Farm, near Anglesea and bought one immediately. I was warned that it was tender, so I planted it in a sheltered corner below the house, where it has thrived ever since and has grown into a small tree. Encouraged by this success I planted several more, risking them in more exposed positions, but this was a mistake as the winters of the the last two years have seen them off. 

Well, almost seen them off, because what has happened is that I have lost the main plant, but lots of suckers have emerged in their place, creating a small forest where the original plant had been. Strangely, the suckers do not seem to appear until the main plant has perished. The new plants do not seem to be as vulnerable to cold as the parent, so the Rice Paper Plant is turning out to be pretty well indestructible.​