FNPS Plant Database

Aralia spinosa

devil's walkingstick

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

devil's walkingstick

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Aralia spinosa

Family:

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.

Availability:

FNPS Plant Sales

Propagation:

Seed, division.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Somewhat moist, no flooding ---to--- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

acidic to neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Birds, Mammals

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).

Birds and small mammals consume the fruit. Birds include nuthatches, orioles, chickadees, titmice, and warblers.

Native Habitats:

The edges of dry hammocks and dry hardwood forests.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

The aromatic spicy roots and fruit were used by early settlers in home remedies, including a cure for toothaches.

General Comments:

Citations:

Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native plants.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



University of Tennessee Extension Service.  Desired Ph Range and salt tolerance of common nursery plants.    https://extension.tennessee.edu/mtnpi/Documents/handouts/Fertility/Desired-pH-Range-List.pdf   accessed 2021.



underlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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