Tetrapanax Help Please

Hi all, I just joined the forum - looking for some help! Apologies in advance for the long post! I am trying to turn my tiny weeny garden into a jungle oasis (pic included below) and at Easter I bought what I want to be the crowing glory of the garden - a Tetrapanax Papyrifer Rex

Anyway, I have planted it in a large raised bed, all on its own, in a spot that received sun for most but not all of the day. The plant I bought was sold in a 10 litre pot and stands about 20 inches high at present. I did notice when I bought it that one leaf had some slightly faded patches, but daringly I bought it as otherwise it was the nicest one in stock.

I was horrified when two days after planting I noticed that these faded, thin patches had got bigger, and then another two days later they were turning a light brown from the inside out, like antique paper. Then the day after that I find faded patches on another leaf!

I then found some holes in a leaf one morning, but soon found a hungry caterpillar who I removed. I am now in a position where I have a plant with several leaves with varying states of these thinning, browning patches, and I am so distraught because I really wanted this plant to be the star of the show, and apart from needing some winter care I had read that they were quite tough/hardy.

On advice found online I have given him a dose of Epsom salts in case of a magnesium deficiency. He has been watered three times since a bought him, and the soil at the roots feels neither too wet or too dry.

Apologies again for the long post, but I am at a loss now what to do. It's really gutting to watch a new plant you were excited to see grow and grow perish like this. I've googled and nobody seems to have had a similar experience.

Any advice at all is really appreciated. Pics attached of the leaf as it has developed. Thank you

 

Hi @Jurassic Gardener and welcome! As @JWK says they lose foliage over winter. I had one in rural and cold Nottinghamshire for many years without protection. If there were very late frosts they might nip new foliage, but otherwise it was very happy. Maybe yours is reacting to the very sunny easter weekend - it may be scorched because not used to the levels of light. Mine was next to a fence and so not too bright (north facing garden). Here is a picture of what you can expect after a few years (viewed from upstairs - leaves over a metre across!).

 

I think I go along with the scorch idea along with the not having been hardened off idea.
It will come back with a vengeance.

 

Thanks for the replies. So you think if it is either frost or sun damage, the plant will be okay? Is there anything I need to do? Thank you.

 

Wait .
Best to make sure that it doesn't dry out but don't over water.
I'd resist feeding.