WW..What a beautiful Aralia!
How large are its leaves?

It's funny how people perceive a 'good deal at 24.00' opposed to expensive.
I normally buy smaller plants, 'under 10.00.' IMO, a good deal is when our grocery store has 3-4", 1.00 plants. lol.
Some of the 1.00 plants are now over 6' tall.
But, Arailas at the size you have are higher in cost.

Good luck, Toni

Haha it is true Toni, I usually wouldn't think of $24 as a good deal either, but I have been drooling over aralias of the same size at my local nursery which are marked at $80 literally for years (could never imagine spending that!), so when I saw this one at a little over 1/4 of the price I couldn't resist!

It's leaves are about 3-4inches big, and since I have had it is has been producing some even larger ones. I'm thrilled with it, so I guess it was worth the splurge! haha.

That's impressive your $1 are up to six foot! what types does your grocery store sell? mine only ever seems to have the usual cyclamen/poinsettia/hyacinth depending on season lol.

Best,

WW

Howdy WW. Sorry it took so long to respond. Indoor and outdoor gardening takes time. sigh.

Our grocery store, (Jewel's or Albertson's down south) usually sells common plants like Peace Lily, African Violets, Palms, Dracaenas, Coffee, Crotons, and a few others. Every now and then a rare plant is for sale, and yes, for 1.00, since they don't know a rare plant from a weed. lol.

Like your nearby store, depening on the time of year/holidays, Jewel has Cyclamen, Poinesettia, Hyacinth, Bromiliads and Azaleas. The latter plants are NOT 1.00. lol.
Can't forget over-priced dish gardens and terrariums filled w/succulents, mainly cacti..Total waste!
I'd rather they'd sell succulents w/o the terrarium or individually.

Don't give up. There are many small, family-owned shops that sell foliage and flowering plants, not to mention pet stores, Home Depot, Walgreen's and other big box stores.

Still, my favorite is online shopping like Ebay. I've bought plants online, not sold locally.

Since you love Aralias, and have been hunting, it's worth the price. Besides, like I sai before, your Aralia is fairly large, so 24.00 is a deal.
Heck, in 1994/5, I looked everywhere for a Gardenia Tree. After months searching, one store, an hour plus drive away, had 'one' for, ahem, sale.
$75,00! At the time I was working, so home it came. To this day, my Gardenia is doing fine, but doubt I'll ever pay tht much again, no matter what type of plant it is.

Keep us posted on your Aralia's progress, an the best of luck, Toni