About

Aralia racemosa is a robust, spiny herbaceous perennial that can exceed 1.5 meters in height annually. It produces small white flowers that reflect its connection to the Ivy family, which later develop into round clusters of berries in shades of red, purple, and black.

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 shade, Partial shade
Soil type
Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline, Acid
Soil moisture
Moist but well-drained
Aspect
East-facing, North-facing, West-facing
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness
H4

Plant details

Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial
Habit
Clump forming
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
1.5-2.5 metres
Spread
1-1.5 metres
Time to full height
2-5 years
Suggested uses
Architectural

Care notes

Cultivation
A woodland plant with traditional medicinal uses, related to Common Ivy. Grow in low light/shade
Pruning
Tidy up in Spring
Propagation
Propagate by division in spring, or seed. For more advice see our information on how to propagate from seed (tree/shrub
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