Fatsia Japonica Varieties: Spider’s Web, Variegated & More

Fatsia japonica has several distinct varieties, including the plain green species, the white speckled Spider’s Web, the gold marked Murakumo Nishiki, and the compact Moseri.

Each variety differs in variegation, mature size, and light needs.

Spider’s Web needs brighter light than the standard species to keep its white patterning, or the new leaves will grow back green.

You bought a fatsia labelled Spider’s Web and it arrived looking almost entirely white.

Six months later, half the new leaves are plain green. That is not a dying plant.

It is the single most misunderstood thing about this variety, and almost no plant tag mentions it.

This guide covers every named Fatsia japonica variety sold in garden centres and online nurseries, what actually separates them, and which one suits the space you have.

It also clears up the variegation confusion that catches out most first time buyers.

What Fatsia Japonica Actually Is

Fatsia japonica is an evergreen shrub from the coastal woodlands of Japan and South Korea.

Gardeners often call it Japanese aralia or the paper plant.

It grows large, deeply lobed leaves that can reach 30cm across.

The straight species has plain glossy green leaves and a tough, forgiving nature.

Every other named variety is a selected form, bred or discovered for a different leaf pattern, size, or growth habit.

This matters more than it sounds. The variety you pick changes the light it needs, how fast it grows, and how forgiving it is of the wrong spot.

Fatsia Japonica Varieties at a Glance

Here is how the main varieties compare before you read the detail on each one.

Spider’s Web: The Variety Everyone Searches For

Fatsia japonica ‘Spider’s Web’ was named by the Japanese plant expert Dr Yokoi and grower Mr Hirose.

It came from an old Japanese seed strain called Tsumugi Shibori, which means tie dyed cloth.

The leaves are heavily speckled with white, often concentrated at the edges but sometimes covering almost the whole leaf.

It is smaller and slower growing than the standard species, usually settling at 4 to 6 feet.

How the Variegation Changes as the Plant Matures

This is the part most plant tags and guides skip, and it explains almost every confused review you will read online.

New leaves on a healthy Spider’s Web often emerge almost pure white.

As each leaf ages over the following weeks, green fills back in from the base.

A mature plant ends up with a mix of leaf ages on show at once.

Some are freshly white, some are speckled, and older ones look mostly green with white edging.

That mix is the tri tone look this variety is prized for.

It is completely normal and not a sign of stress, disease, or poor care.

True reversion is different, and it is worth being able to tell the two apart before you reach for the secateurs.

A reverting shoot produces leaves that are solid green from the moment they open, with no white flecking at any stage.

If you see that pattern on one stem, prune it out low down as soon as you notice it.

A fully green shoot grows faster than a variegated one and will eventually take over the whole plant if left.

Light Requirements for Keeping the Variegation Strong

A lot of repeated advice tells buyers to grow Spider’s Web the same way as standard green fatsia, in full or deep shade.

That advice does not hold up in practice.

Variegated leaf tissue has less chlorophyll than plain green tissue. In low light, the plant responds by favouring greener growth, because green tissue photosynthesises more efficiently.

The practical result is a plant that slowly looks plainer and less white the deeper the shade it sits in, even without any true reversion happening.

Bright, indirect light, or a couple of hours of gentle morning sun, keeps the patterning strongest. For a full breakdown of sun and shade positioning, see our guide on fatsia japonica light requirements.

Avoid harsh midday or afternoon sun, which scorches the pale sections of the leaf first.

Tip: Reading a Spider’s Web Leaf Correctly

Fresh white new growth that is filling in with green over several weeks is normal maturation, not decline.

Solid green leaves from the moment they open, on one specific stem, is reversion and should be pruned out.

More consistent white patterning across new growth usually means the plant needs slightly brighter light, not more water or feed.

Other Notable Fatsia Japonica Varieties

Variegata

Cream white patches sit mainly at the lobe tips rather than covering the leaf, giving a lighter, less dramatic look than Spider’s Web.

It is also more stable. You get some brightness in a shady corner without needing to watch for reversion as closely.

Murakumo Nishiki, Also Sold as Camouflage

The name translates roughly as gathering clouds brocade, and the leaves show a gold and green mottled pattern that earns it.

It grows larger and more vigorously than Spider’s Web, and tolerates a little more direct sun, which suits tropical style planting schemes.

Annelise

Annelise has thicker, more erect stems and leaves smudged with gold and lime green, giving a bold jungle effect.

It is more sun tolerant than most fatsia varieties, making it a good option for a border that gets some direct light through the day.

Moseri

Moseri stays denser and more compact than the standard species, with leaves cut into narrower, more numerous lobes.

It also has slightly better cold tolerance, and its smaller final size makes it a sensible choice for a small garden or a large pot.

The Standard Species

Plain glossy green and the toughest of the group, the standard species is what most municipal landscaping uses in deep, dry shade.

If you want the architectural leaf shape with the least fuss and no variegation to manage, this is the one to choose.

Choosing the Right Variety for Your Space

Match the variety to the light and space you actually have, rather than the one that looks best in a photo.

• Deep, dry shade with little attention wanted: choose the standard species or Moseri.
• Bright shade with something eye catching wanted: choose Spider’s Web.
• A spot with some direct sun during the day: choose Annelise or Murakumo Nishiki.
• Small garden, patio, or large container: choose Moseri or Spider’s Web, both naturally more compact.
• Houseplant in a cold climate garden: Spider’s Web is the variety most commonly grown indoors.

If your fatsia is already struggling rather than being newly chosen, our Fatsia japonica problems guide covers the full range of issues across every variety.

Planning what to grow underneath or around any fatsia variety also matters. Good companion plants for a creeping jenny is a useful read if you want low, spreading ground cover under the canopy.

If space near a wall or path is tight, check small trees with non invasive roots before you plant, since fatsia works well alongside these where root space is limited.

Care Differences Between the Varieties

The core care routine is similar across all fatsia varieties, but light and feeding needs shift once variegation is involved.

The reasoning behind the feeding difference is simple. Variegated tissue does less photosynthetic work, so the plant has a smaller energy budget overall.

A light, balanced feed in spring gives it a boost without pushing soft, scorch prone growth the way heavy nitrogen feeding does.

Common Mistakes When Growing Variegated Fatsia

A few mistakes come up again and again with variegated varieties, and most trace back to treating them exactly like the standard species.

Planting Spider’s Web in Deep Shade and Expecting the Tag Photo

This is the single most common disappointment. The plant is not unhealthy, it is simply responding to low light by producing greener growth.

The fix is straightforward: move it, or the container it is in, to a brighter but still shaded spot, and watch the next flush of new leaves.

Assuming All Yellowing Means the Same Problem

Every fatsia variety sheds a leaf or two from the base occasionally, and that single yellow, ageing leaf is normal.

Yellowing across the whole plant, or on multiple younger leaves at once, is a different situation and worth checking against our full guide to why Fatsia japonica leaves turn yellow.

Overfeeding a Variegated Plant to Fix Pale Leaves

Pale or white patches on a variegated leaf are the pattern working correctly, not a nutrient deficiency.

True nutrient deficiency produces a more uniform, washed out yellow that includes the leaf veins, and it appears on every leaf rather than following the variety’s natural pattern.

Feeding a variegated plant heavily to chase a fuller green colour usually pushes soft growth and can push the plant to revert to more solid green shoots over time.

Variegation instability is not unique to fatsia. If you want to see the same principle at work in a completely different plant, why a spider plant loses its variegation walks through the same light driven mechanism.

Warning: Handle Fatsia Japonica With Care

Fatsia japonica is generally considered non toxic to cats, dogs, and horses — a rating confirmed by the NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — but the sap can cause mild skin irritation in some people.

Wear gloves when pruning or handling cut stems, and keep the ornamental black berries away from children and pets, since they are not meant to be eaten.

UK Reader Note: Hardiness and Sourcing

The RHS rates the standard species and most named varieties as fully hardy in sheltered UK gardens, broadly equivalent to USDA zone 8.

Spider’s Web and Variegata establish more slowly than the standard species and can be less hardy while young, so extra winter protection in the first two years is worth the effort.

Named varieties are still uncommon in general garden centres. Specialist nurseries and RHS Plant Finder listings are usually the most reliable places to source true, correctly labelled stock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the rarest Fatsia japonica variety?

Fatsia japonica Annelise and true Murakumo Nishiki are among the hardest named varieties to find in general cultivation.

Both are usually propagated by specialist nurseries in smaller numbers than Spider’s Web, which has become widely available in the last decade.

Availability also shifts by region, so a variety that is common in one country can be genuinely scarce in another.

Does Fatsia japonica Spider’s Web stay white forever?

No single leaf stays pure white. New leaves open almost white and gradually fill in with green as they age over several weeks.

The overall plant keeps a speckled, variegated look for its whole life as long as it gets enough light and no shoots have reverted to solid green.

Deep shade will gradually make new growth look plainer and greener, even without true reversion taking place.

Can Spider’s Web fatsia be grown as a houseplant?

Yes, and it is one of the most popular ways to grow this variety in colder climates where it cannot survive outdoors year round.

Give it bright, indirect light near an east or north facing window, water when the top inch of compost is dry, and keep it away from direct hot midday sun through glass.

Indoors it grows more slowly and stays smaller than a plant grown outside in the ground.

How big does Fatsia japonica Spider’s Web get?

Outdoors in the ground, Spider’s Web typically reaches 4 to 6 feet tall and wide over several years.

It is slower to establish and noticeably smaller at maturity than the standard green species, which can reach 8 to 10 feet.

Container grown and indoor plants stay considerably smaller again, often under 3 feet.

What is the difference between Variegata and Spider’s Web?

Variegata carries cream white patches mainly at the tips of the leaf lobes, giving a lighter, more subtle variegated look.

Spider’s Web has heavier white speckling that can cover most of the leaf and shows a more dramatic tri tone effect as leaves age.

Variegata is generally the more stable and forgiving of the two if you want colour without close monitoring for reversion.

Is Fatsia japonica toxic to cats and dogs?

Fatsia japonica is generally listed as non toxic to cats, dogs, and horses by most plant safety references, including the NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.

The sap can still cause mild skin irritation in sensitive people and pets, so it is worth keeping curious chewers away from new growth.

The ornamental black berries are not intended to be eaten and should be treated with the same caution as any decorative fruit.

Which Fatsia japonica variety is best for a small garden?

Moseri is usually the best choice for a small garden, since it stays denser and more compact than the standard species while keeping the same tough, low maintenance nature.

Spider’s Web is the next best option if you want variegation, since it also settles at a smaller mature size than most other named varieties.

Both do well in large containers if in ground space is limited.

Why is my variegated fatsia turning green?

The most common cause is simply not enough light. Variegated tissue photosynthesises less efficiently, so low light pushes the plant toward greener growth.

Check whether the new growth is solid green from the moment it opens, which points to true reversion on that specific stem and needs pruning out.

If instead the leaves start pale and gradually green up with age, that is normal maturation rather than a problem. See our wider Fatsia japonica problems guide if other symptoms are present at the same time.

Key Takeaways

• Spider’s Web leaves open almost white and green up naturally with age. That is normal, not decline.
• True reversion shows as solid green leaves from the moment they open on one stem. Prune that stem out low down.
• Variegated varieties need brighter, indirect light than the standard species to keep their patterning strong.
• The standard species and Moseri are the most shade tolerant and the lowest maintenance choices.
• Annelise and Murakumo Nishiki tolerate more direct sun than most other fatsia varieties.
• Moseri and Spider’s Web are the most compact varieties, best suited to small gardens and containers.
• Pale patches on a variegated leaf are the pattern, not a nutrient deficiency. Do not overfeed to fix them.
• Fatsia japonica is generally non toxic to pets, but the sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves when pruning.
• Named varieties establish more slowly and can be less cold hardy while young than the standard species.

Final Thoughts

Every fatsia variety shares the same bold, architectural leaf and easy going nature that made the species popular in the first place.

What changes between them is how much light they need to look their best, and how much space they will eventually fill.

Get the variety matched to your light and space, and a fatsia is one of the most reliably good looking shrubs you can plant in shade.

What’s Next

If your fatsia already looks unwell rather than just plainer than expected, work through our full Fatsia japonica problems guide to rule out watering, pests, and disease before assuming it is a light issue.

It’s also worth checking our guides on fatsia japonica light requirements, best soil for fatsia japonica, how to water a fatsia japonica, how to propagate fatsia japonica, and fatsia japonica pests and diseases.