Aralia spinosa

Aralia spinosa is an American cousin of the Aralia elata, from which it is very difficult to distinguish. It is also known as Spiny Angelica, due to the thorns that are present on almost every part of the plant, especially on the trunk when it is young. It is mainly a sensational, vigorous, erect, and bushy shrub, bearing very high up, on multiple trunks, large umbrellas made of immense deeply cut leaves. In summer, the bush buzzes with bees under large cream-white panicles. As soon as the first cold weather arrives, it takes on sumptuous yellow, bronze, and red hues, mixed with clusters of black fruits on pink petioles. Aralia is a true festival of colours for the late season, bursting open like a grand finale in the garden.  

The Spiny Angelica belongs to the Araliaceae family. It is native to the eastern United States, from New York to Florida and Texas. This forest edge plant prefers deep and moist soils, but adapts quite easily to less favourable conditions such as rocky pastures. It is a spreading and flaring shrub, reaching an average height of 6 m (19 in 8 ft), and up to 9 m (29 in 6 ft) in certain regions; its spread will exceed 5 m (16 in 5 ft) once mature. Its growth is more or less rapid depending on the growing conditions. Young plants grow on a single, greyish trunk covered with thorns resembling those of roses. Mature plants often have several almost thornless trunks, arising from the readily suckering stump of this plant. Each trunk only bears leaves at the top, but with age more and more lateral branches appear. Sharp thorns are found on the branches as well as on the leaf petioles. The deciduous foliage takes on beautiful colours in autumn. The immense leaves, wide, dark green on the top, paler on the underside, are compound with numerous leaflets. They can sometimes reach 1 m (3 in 4 ft) in length. The flowers appear in summer, from June to August depending on the climate, and last for several weeks. Very small, lemon-scented, they are grouped in large erect panicles measuring 30 to 60 cm (11.8 - 23.6 in), arising above the foliage. Small black fruits then appear, highly sought after by birds. Aralia spinosa, decidedly similar to Aralia elata, tends to multiply by suckering and forming clumps, which has earned it the nickname of walking tree.

It is a beautiful and perfectly hardy bush that only fears excessively dry soil and dense shade. Its decorative foliage should be protected from strong winds to preserve its beauty. Once established, it is superb as a standalone plant on a lawn or in a group to form a cluster. It is interesting when combined with trees and shrubs that, like itself, appreciate moist to wet soils, such as alder buckthorn, rosemary-leaved willow, or guelder rose. In a more exotic setting, associate it with beautiful Asian plants such as the caramel tree, Japanese maple, Fatsia, or Arisaema. Maples and sumacs, often magnificent at the end of the season, are also beautiful companions for this tree-like angelica. The only precaution to take is to keep young children away from its sharp thorns.

Aralia spinosa is a pioneer species in nature: this plant often disappears as the forest develops around it. In our gardens, it requires a lot of light to thrive.