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Summary
Physical Characteristics
Aralia racemosa is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.8 m (6ft) by 1.2 m (4ft in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Habitats
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; not Deep Shade;
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Fruit Leaves Root Shoots
Edible Uses: Condiment
Young shoot tips - cooked[161]. Used as a potherb[207] or as a flavouring in soups[257]. Root - cooked. Large and spicy, it is used in soups[43, 105, 161, 177]. Pleasantly aromatic, imparting a liquorice-like flavour[183]. A substitute for sarsaparilla (Smilax spp.)[200], it is also used in making 'root beer'[183]. Fruit - raw or cooked[207]. Pleasant and wholesome to eat[207]. They can be made into a jelly[183, 207]. The fruit is about 4mm in diameter[200]. The roots have an aroma. The fruit are purple-brown [1-4].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Alterative Antirheumatic Diaphoretic Eczema Expectorant Poultice Skin Stimulant
American spikenard is a sweet pungent tonic herb that is often used in modern herbalism where it acts as an alterative[238]. It had a wide range of traditional uses amongst the North American Indians and was at one time widely used as a substitute for the tropical medicinal herb sarsaparilla[222, 257]. The root is alterative, diaphoretic, diuretic, pectoral and stimulant[4, 21, 46, 222]. The herb encourages sweating, is stimulating and detoxifying and so is used internally in the treatment of pulmonary diseases, asthma, rheumatism etc[4, 213, 238, 254]. Externally it is used as a poultice in treating rheumatism and skin problems such as eczema[4, 213, 238, 254]. The root is collected in late summer and the autumn and dried for later use[4, 213]. A drink made from the pulverised roots is used as a cough treatment[213]. A poultice made from the roots and/or the fruit is applied to sores, burns, itchy skin, ulcers, swellings etc[213, 222].
References More on Medicinal Uses
Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens.
An important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth.
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Other Uses
A specialist nectary plant [1-2].
Special Uses
Food Forest
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
An easily grown plant, succeeding in sun or part shade in any fertile soil[233]. Prefers a good deep loam and a semi-shady position[1, 111, 134]. Requires a sheltered position[1]. Plants are hardier when grown in poorer soils[200]. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[K]. Grows well by water[111]. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 9 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures.
Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat.
The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C).
At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days).
For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is multistemmed with multiple stems from the crown [1-2]. The root pattern is suckering with new plants from underground runners away from the plant [1-2].
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
Fahrenheit:
The PFAF Bookshop
Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.
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Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 - 5 months of cold stratification. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 4 months at 20°c[134]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Once the plants are 25cm or more tall, they can be planted out into their permanent positions, late spring or early summer being the best time to do this. Root cuttings 8cm long, December in a cold frame[11, 78]. Store the roots upside down in sand and pot up in March/April. High percentage[78]. Division of suckers in late winter[11]. Very easy, the suckers can be planted out direct into their permanent positions if required.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
American spikenard, Chimchawk, Pettymorrel [1-4].
Native Plant Search
Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search
Found In
Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available
Asia, Canada, Central America, Europe, India, Mexico, North America* native, Northeastern India, Turkey, UK, USA [1-4]. Native to Canada and US.
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :
| Related Plants
|
| Latin Name | Common Name | Habit | Height | Hardiness | Growth | Soil | Shade | Moisture | Edible | Medicinal | Other |
| Aralia chinensis | Chinese Angelica Tree, Pumila Spirea, Chinese Astilbe | Shrub | 3.5 |
4-8
| M | LMH | FS | M | 2 | 2 | |
| Aralia continentalis | Manchurian Spikenard | Perennial | 2.0 |
7-10
| | LMH | FS | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Aralia cordata | Udo | Perennial | 1.8 |
4-9
| | LMH | FS | M | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Aralia elata | Japanese Angelica Tree, Angelica Tree | Tree | 6.0 |
4-9
| M | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Aralia hispida | Bristly Sarsaparilla | Shrub | 1.0 |
3-7
| | LMH | SN | DM | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Aralia mandschurica | Manchurian Angelica Tree | Shrub | 3.5 |
4-8
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 2 | |
| Aralia nudicaulis | Wild Sarsaparilla | Perennial | 0.4 |
4-8
| | LMH | FS | M | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Aralia schmidtii | Sakhalin Spikenard | Perennial | 3.0 |
4-8
| | LMH | FS | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Aralia spinosa | Hercule's Club, Aralia spinosa, American Angelica Tree, Hercules' Club, Devil's Walking Stick | Tree | 9.0 |
5-9
| S | LMH | FS | M | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Eleutherococcus chiisanensis | | Shrub | 0.0 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Eleutherococcus divaricatus | | Shrub | 3.5 |
5-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Eleutherococcus gracylistylus | Wu Jia Pi | Shrub | 3.0 |
5-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 1 | 3 | |
| Eleutherococcus innovans | Taka-No-Tsume | Tree | 6.0 |
6-9
| | LMH | N | M | 1 | 0 | |
| Eleutherococcus japonicus | | Shrub | 3.0 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 1 | 0 | |
| Eleutherococcus senticosus | Siberian Ginseng | Shrub | 2.0 |
3-7
| S | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 5 | |
| Eleutherococcus seoulensis | | Shrub | 0.0 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 1 | 0 | |
| Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus | | Shrub | 4.5 |
4-8
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 3 | |
| Eleutherococcus sieboldianus | Ukogi, Five Leafed Aralia | Shrub | 3.0 |
4-8
| S | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Eleutherococcus spinosus | | Shrub | 3.0 |
4-8
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Eleutherococcus trifoliatus | | Shrub | 6.0 |
6-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 1 | 1 | |
| Hedera helix | Ivy, English ivy, Algerian ivy, Baltic Ivy, Common Ivy | Climber | 15.0 |
5-11
| M | LMH | FSN | MWe | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Hedera nepalensis | Nepal Ivy | Climber | 15.0 |
7-10
| M | LMH | FSN | MWe | 0 | 2 | |
| Kalopanax sciadophylloides | | Tree | 0.0 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 1 | 0 | |
| Kalopanax septemlobus | Tree Aralia, Castor aralia | Tree | 25.0 |
4-8
| S | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Kirkophytum lyallii | | Perennial | 0.2 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 1 | 0 | |
| Oplopanax horridus | Devil's Club | Shrub | 2.0 |
4-8
| | LMH | FS | M | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Panax ginseng | Ginseng, Chinese ginseng | Perennial | 0.8 |
5-9
| | LMH | FS | M | 2 | 5 | |
| Panax japonicus | Japanese Ginseng | Perennial | 0.6 |
-
| | LMH | FS | M | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Panax pseudoginseng | Ginseng, Japanese ginseng | Perennial | 1.0 |
5-9
| S | LMH | FS | M | 1 | 3 | |
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Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
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