Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson' 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Cyril Watson Pseudopanax

Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson'

£24.99
Protect from hard frostSun-lovingShade-tolerantEvergreen
Pot size
17cm / 2L £24.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson' is a compact New Zealand hybrid with some of the most fabulous foliage of any small evergreen shrub: broad, leathery, tri-lobed leaves with a deep gloss that reads as instantly exotic. Where its wild cousin the lancewood grows as a strange vertical pole, 'Cyril Watson' forms a dense, rounded dome to around 2 m, so it brings the same otherworldly character at a garden-friendly scale.

It is a slow, steady grower that keeps its structure year round, making it a superb evergreen anchor for an exotic border or a shady courtyard corner. The bold foliage holds its colour through winter and pairs beautifully with ferns, fatsias and our wider range of hardy exotics.

How and where to grow

  • Position: open sun or semi-shade, sheltered from cold, drying winds.
  • Soil: fertile, free-draining soil; avoid winter-wet ground.
  • Size: slowly to around 2 m tall and wide, easily kept smaller.
  • Hardiness: H3, to around -5C. Reliable in mild and coastal gardens; give wall shelter or winter protection in colder areas.

Its manageable size and tolerance of light shade make it one of the most flexible exotics we grow: use it among plants for shade, or grow it long-term in a generous container with our other plants for pots so it can shelter under cover in the hardest weeks of winter.

Every plant is nursery-grown and selected for dense, healthy foliage. Read our seasonal expectations guide for honest advice on exotics through a British winter.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Cyril Watson Pseudopanax

Plant me in full sun and protect me when hard frost threatens.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Cyril Watson Pseudopanax

Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson' needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is half-hardy to around −5°C and needs protection from hard frost.

Good for

Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Shade

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Semi-Hardy (H3): down to around −5°C. Half-hardy; reliable in mild or coastal gardens, protect in colder areas.

Rated H3. Reliable outside in mild, coastal and sheltered urban gardens; in colder areas give it a warm wall, evergreen shelter or grow it in a container moved under cover for hard frosts. Read moreShow less

Rated H3. Reliable outside in mild, coastal and sheltered urban gardens; in colder areas give it a warm wall, evergreen shelter or grow it in a container moved under cover for hard frosts.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered
Open sun or semi-shade. It keeps its exotic gloss best out of scorching midday sun and cold winds. Read moreShow less

Open sun or semi-shade. It keeps its exotic gloss best out of scorching midday sun and cold winds.

Soil

LoamSandClayMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHNeutral pH
Fertile, free-draining soil of any type. Avoid winter-wet ground. Read moreShow less

Fertile, free-draining soil of any type. Avoid winter-wet ground.

Watering

Water regularly for the first two summers, then only in prolonged dry spells. Container plants need watering when the surface dries and a light spring feed. Read moreShow less

Water regularly for the first two summers, then only in prolonged dry spells. Container plants need watering when the surface dries and a light spring feed.

Mature size

Height1.5-2 m
Spread1.5-2 m

Reaches full size in 10-20 years

Growth habit

Bushy

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

No routine pruning needed. Lightly shape in late spring if wanted, cutting back to just above a leaf.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets.

Native range

Garden origin (New Zealand)

Family

Araliaceae

Also known as

Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson'

Genus

Pseudopanax
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

How hardy is Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson'?

It is rated H3, happy to around -5C. In mild and coastal gardens it thrives outdoors year round; in colder inland spots plant it against a warm wall or among sheltering evergreens, and fleece it in severe frost. Our seasonal expectations guide explains how we rate hardiness honestly.

How big does Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson' get?

It forms a dense, rounded evergreen shrub to roughly 2 m tall and wide, growing slowly. That compact scale makes it one of the most manageable hardy exotics for smaller gardens and courtyards.

What is the difference between 'Cyril Watson' and lancewood?

Both are New Zealand Pseudopanax, but they could hardly look more different. Lancewood grows as a narrow vertical pole of stiff, downward-pointing leaves, while 'Cyril Watson' is a broad, rounded shrub with wide, leathery tri-lobed foliage. Planted together they make a superb contrasting pair.

How do I care for a Pseudopanax plant?

Give it free-draining soil, sun or semi-shade, and shelter from cold winds. Water well for its first two summers, mulch in spring, and it will largely look after itself. It pairs beautifully with other exotic border plants.

Can 'Cyril Watson' grow in a pot?

Yes. Its slow growth and rounded habit suit a large container very well, and growing in a pot means you can move it under cover in a cold snap. Use loam-based compost with grit, like our other plants for pots and containers.

Will Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson' grow in shade?

It is genuinely happy in semi-shade, where the big glossy leaves stay lush and dark. Deep, dry shade is a step too far, but a bright spot out of direct sun suits it perfectly, alongside our other plants for shade.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

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Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson'
£24.99