Aralia spinosa
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Devil's Walkingstick
Araliaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Shrub | |
| Size: | 8-12 ft tall. | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | White | |
| Fruit Color: | Purple,black | |
| Phenology: | Deciduous. Blooms in spring. Fruit ripe in fall. | |
| Noted for: | Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Thorns |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Specimen plant or background hedge. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | When its huge triply compound leaves are shed in the fall, only the main thorny stem is left standing through the winter months--hence the name devil's walking stick. In the right situation, it can sucker aggressively. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed, division. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | FNPS plant sales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon (major storms). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Acidic to neutral | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
Birds and small mammals consume the fruit. Birds include nuthatches, orioles, chickadees, titmice, and warblers. | |
| Insects: | Attracts butterflies and bees. Documented bee species include Colletes mandibularis, Hylaeus confluens, Augochlora pura, Coelioxys dolichos, C. texana, Megachile mendica, M. xylocopoides, and Epeolus zonatus (Deyrup et al. 2002). | |
| Native Habitats: | The edges of dry hammocks and dry hardwood forests. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 9A 9B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| Ethnobotany: | The aromatic spicy roots and fruit were used by early settlers in home remedies, including a cure for toothaches. | |
| General Comments: |
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