About
Aralia cordata 'Sun King' is a herbaceous perennial that forms clumps and can grow as tall as 1.2 meters. In spring, its sizeable compound leaves unfold in a vibrant golden-yellow hue, which persists with several hours of sunlight each day. Late summer brings slender spikes reaching up to 60 centimeters, adorned with small white flowers that eventually develop into inedible purple berries by autumn.
About the genus
Aralia includes deciduous trees, shrubs, and perennial plants characterized by their sizable, either simple or pinnately compound foliage. The species produce small greenish-white flowers that cluster in large groups at the ends of branches, which eventually give way to small black fruits.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, South-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 1-1.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Architectural
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Ideally plant in full sun or partial shade to maintain the golden-yellow colour of the leaves. If grown in shady conditions, foliage will turn lime-green
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed or by division in spring
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to aphids
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility