Plant Care Chinese Rice-Paper Plant

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant

About Chinese Rice-Paper Plant

Rice Paper Plant is a sub-tropical, evergreen large shrub or small tree native to Taiwan used as an ornamental shrub in Asia. It is frost sensitive above USDA plant zone 8b, but will re-emerge in spring. The smaller cultivar 'Rex' works well in containers.

Taxonomy

Tetrapanax papyrifer
Tetrapanax
Araliaceae
Apiales

Also known as

Rice-paper plant, Rice paper plant and Tetrapanax

How to care for Chinese Rice-Paper Plant

💦 Water

How often to water your Chinese Rice-Paper Plant

Water needs for Chinese Rice-Paper Plant
0.5 cups
every 9

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Chinese Rice-Paper Plant

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Chinese Rice-Paper Plant in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Chinese Rice-Paper Plant: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Chinese Rice-Paper Plant in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Chinese Rice-Paper Plant

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Chinese Rice-Paper Plant: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Chinese Rice-Paper Plant after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!


💦 Water Needs

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.


🪴 Soil

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!


💩 Fertilizer

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant is a fast growing plant and may deplete the nutrients in its soil over time. Replenish them with a gentle organic fertilizer or compost every 1-2 months depending on your location and season. Fertilize more often during the growing season and in warmer and brighter climates.


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.


🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Chinese Rice-Paper Plant can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 7a-10b. Find your local hardiness zone here.


🌱 Propagation

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

  • Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
  • If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
  • Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
  • Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Chinese Rice-Paper Plant, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Chinese Rice-Paper Plant

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant

Chinese Rice-Paper Plant


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

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