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Bloodworth, Stefan
Aralia spinosa L.
Devil's walkingstick, Devil’s walking-stick, Prickly Ash, Hercules club, Angelica tree
Araliaceae (Ginseng Family)
USDA Symbol: ARSP2
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.
A large, few-stemmed shrub,12-15 ft., can reach 20 ft. Each spring it shoots up a tall stem covered with orange prickles. Enormous, divided, spiny leaves at the top of the stem can be 3-4 ft. long and just as wide. Topping the umbrella of leaves are 1-4 ft. tall clusters of whitish flowers. Black fruits on bright pink fruiting stalks crown the plant in fall.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Tree
Root Type: Tap
Leaf Complexity: Bipinnate
Leaf: Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Flower:
Fruit: Black 1/2 inch
Size Class: 12-36 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: WhiteBloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , WVNative Distribution: FL to e. TX, n. to NY & Ohio R. valley; naturalized northward
Native Habitat: Open woods; thickets; flood plains; rocky pastures
USDA Native Status: L48(N)
Growing Conditions
Water Use: HighLight Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Moist, well-drained, fertile to poor soils. pH tolerant. Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam.
Conditions Comments: Colonizes freely by rhizomes and suckers. These can be dug out, but A. spinosa is still far too aggressive for small spaces. A pioneering species in the wild, this plant often disappears as the forest develops around it.
Benefit
Use Ornamental: Showy, Attractive, Fall conspicuous, Fast growing, Accent tree or shrub. Occasionally planted in the Victorian era as a grotesque ornamental.Use Wildlife: Seeds are favored by birds; leaves are browsed by deer. Nectar-insects, Nectar-butterflies, Nectar-bees, Browse, Fruit-birds
Use Medicinal: The aromatic spicy roots and fruit were used by early settlers in home remedies, including a cure for toothaches.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds
Propagation
Description: Use one of the following methods for propagation: fresh seed sown in fall or stratified seed sown in spring; dormant root cuttings stored in cool, damp sand until spring; and/or transplanting of suckers.Seed Collection: Seed is mature when outer covering of nutlet is hard and brittle. This may be before the fruit pulp has darkened. Clean seeds immediately to avoid fermentation. Plant or stratify immediately.
Seed Treatment: Stratification is for 30-60 days at 41 degrees.
Commercially Avail: yes
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:Pineywoods Native Plant Center - Nacogdoches, TX
Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS
Natural Biodiversity - Johnstown, PA
Bibliography
Bibref 996 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (1994) Wasowski, Sally and Andy WasowskiBibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender
Search More Titles in Bibliography
Recommended Species Lists
Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.
View Recommended Species pageAdditional resources
USDA: Find Aralia spinosa in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Aralia spinosa in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Aralia spinosa
Metadata
Record Modified: 2012-10-20Research By: TWC Staff
