Aralia spinosa

Common Name
Devil's walking-stick
Scientific Name
Aralia spinosa
Ground Cover
No
Evergreen
No
Plant Form
Medium Trees
Shrubs & Small Trees
Max Height (ft)
35.0
Growth Rate
Slow
Region
Coastal
Piedmont
Mountain
Additional Info

Habitat: moist woods, stream banks, roadsides, disturbed and successional forests, maritime forests, clearings, and fencerows. Common in the coastal Plain; frequent in the piedmont; infrequent in the mountains.

Low maintenance. Suckers quickly to form a thicket - suckers can travel a distance but easily removed. Spines - can use as a living fence. Showy white summer flower. Large leaves. Seeds are poisonous if chewed

Note: Devil's Walkingstick has heavy, showy white summer flower & fruit sets, producing clusters of round, fleshy black drupes. It is colonial and prickly, thus best for natural areas. Suckers quickly to form a thicket - suckers can travel a distance but easily removed. Can use as a living fence.

Wildlife value: Butterflies and other pollinators nectar at the blooms of this plant. Its fruit is eaten by songbirds, small mammals, foxes, racoons and opossums.

Light Requirements
Full sun
Partial sun
Shade
Moisture Requirements
Moist
Dry
Soil Texture
Clay
Loamy
Sandy
Grassland Species
No
Riparian Buffer Species?
No
Flower Color
Cream/White
Flower Prominence
Prominent
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Summer
Late Summer
Fall
Fall Color
Brown/Copper
Burgandy/Red
Gold/Yellow
Orange
Purple
Deer Resitant
Yes
Low Maintenance
Yes
Good Choice for Public Spaces
No
Seed or Fruit eaten by wildlife?
Yes
Supports Pollinators
Yes
Pollinators
Bees
Butterfiles