We depend on donations from users of our database of over 8000 edible and useful plants to keep making it available free of charge and to further extend and improve it. In recent months donations are down, and we are spending more than we receive. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Aralia spinosa - L.

Common Name Hercule's Club, Aralia spinosa, American Angelica Tree, Hercules' Club, Devil's Walking Stick
Family Araliaceae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards Handling the roots can cause dermatitis in some people[222]. Large amounts of the berries are poisonous[222].
Habitats Buffs, rich woods and river banks in deep moist soils[43].
Range South-eastern N. America - New York to Florida, east to Texas.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Full shade Semi-shade
Aralia spinosa Hercule


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Richardelainechambers
Aralia spinosa Hercule
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kingsbraegarden/262603569

 

Translate this page:

Summary

Bloom Color: White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Upright or erect.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of lolypop
Aralia spinosa is a deciduous Tree growing to 9 m (29ft 6in) at a slow rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from August to September, and the seeds ripen from October to November. 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 and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. 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 Secondary; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses:

Young leaves - cooked[105, 177]. The leaves usually have a number of slender prickles, they must be gathered before the prickles harden[159] and are then chopped finely and used as a potherb[183].

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  Analgesic  Diaphoretic  Ophthalmic  Sialagogue  Stimulant

Analgesic[46, 61]. The bark, especially of the roots[82] is the part most commonly used medicinally, though other parts of the plant, including the fruit[82], also possess medicinal properties[4]. The fresh bark is strongly emetic, ophthalmic, purgative and sialagogue[4, 46, 61, 222, 257], when dried it is a stimulating alterative and is diaphoretic[82]. A tincture of the berries is used in the treatment of toothache and rheumatism[4, 222, 257]. A poultice of the roots is applied to boils, skin eruptions, varicose veins, old sores and swellings[222, 257]. A cold infusion of the roots is used as drops for sore eyes[257].

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.

Read More

FOOD FOREST PLANTS

Other Uses

Wood

Wood - close-grained, weak, light, soft, brittle[82, 227]. Of little economic value[229].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Landscape Uses:Border, Massing, Specimen, Woodland garden. Prefers a good deep loam and a semi-shady position[1]. Requires a sheltered position[1]. A fast-growing but short-lived tree in its native zone[229], this species is of little value in Britain[1]. It is generally a single-stemmed plant, often spreading freely by means of suckers[182, 229]. Plants make finer foliage when growing in rich soils but are generally healthier and longer-lived in a comparatively poor soil[11]. 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]. Special Features:North American native, Naturalizing, All or parts of this plant are poisonous, Attracts butterflies, Attractive flowers or blooms.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

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.

Shop Now

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

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

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 NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Aralia chinensisChinese Angelica Tree, Pumila Spirea, Chinese AstilbeShrub3.5 4-8 MLMHFSM22 
Aralia continentalisManchurian SpikenardPerennial2.0 7-10  LMHFSM20 
Aralia cordataUdoPerennial1.8 4-9  LMHFSM420
Aralia elataJapanese Angelica Tree, Angelica TreeTree6.0 4-9 MLMHSNM322
Aralia hispidaBristly SarsaparillaShrub1.0 3-7  LMHSNDM212
Aralia mandschuricaManchurian Angelica TreeShrub3.5 4-8  LMHSNM22 
Aralia nudicaulisWild SarsaparillaPerennial0.4 4-8  LMHFSM433
Aralia racemosaAmerican SpikenardPerennial1.8 4-8  LMHFSM332
Aralia schmidtiiSakhalin SpikenardPerennial3.0 4-8  LMHFSM20 
Eleutherococcus chiisanensis Shrub0.0 -  LMHSNM20 
Eleutherococcus divaricatus Shrub3.5 5-9  LMHSNM20 
Eleutherococcus gracylistylusWu Jia PiShrub3.0 5-9  LMHSNM13 
Eleutherococcus innovansTaka-No-TsumeTree6.0 6-9  LMHNM10 
Eleutherococcus japonicus Shrub3.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Eleutherococcus senticosusSiberian GinsengShrub2.0 3-7 SLMHSNM25 
Eleutherococcus seoulensis Shrub0.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus Shrub4.5 4-8  LMHSNM23 
Eleutherococcus sieboldianusUkogi, Five Leafed AraliaShrub3.0 4-8 SLMHSNM302
Eleutherococcus spinosus Shrub3.0 4-8  LMHSNM222
Eleutherococcus trifoliatus Shrub6.0 6-9  LMHSNM11 
Hedera helixIvy, English ivy, Algerian ivy, Baltic Ivy, Common IvyClimber15.0 5-11 MLMHFSNMWe034
Hedera nepalensisNepal IvyClimber15.0 7-10 MLMHFSNMWe02 
Kalopanax sciadophylloides Tree0.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Kalopanax septemlobusTree Aralia, Castor araliaTree25.0 4-8 SLMHSNM212
Kirkophytum lyallii Perennial0.2 -  LMHSNM10 
Oplopanax horridusDevil's ClubShrub2.0 4-8  LMHFSM221
Panax ginsengGinseng, Chinese ginsengPerennial0.8 5-9  LMHFSM25 
Panax japonicusJapanese GinsengPerennial0.6 -  LMHFSM111
Panax pseudoginsengGinseng, Japanese ginsengPerennial1.0 5-9 SLMHFSM13 
12

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.

 

Print Friendly and PDF

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

1143200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Aralia spinosa  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.