Aralia racemosa

RHS Plant Profile
American spikenard

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American spikenard John Fielding
American spikenard visionspictures.com
American spikenard visionspictures.com

Other common names

American nard, life-of-man, petty morel, wild spikenard

Herbaceous Perennial
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A large spiny herbaceous perennial growing 1.5m+ each year. Small white flowers which reveal their relationship to Ivy, become spherical clusters of red-purple-black berries.

Position

Full shade, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
1-1.5 metres
Max Height
1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Neutral or Alkaline or Acid

Position

Full shade Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H4

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Araliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus
Aralia can be deciduous trees, shrubs or perennials, with large, simple or pinnately compound leaves and tiny greenish-white flowers in large terminal clusters, followed by small black fruits
Name Status
Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

A woodland plant with traditional medicinal uses, related to Common Ivy. Grow in low light/shade

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring, or seed. For more advice see our information on how to propagate from seed (tree/shrub

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Architectural

Pruning

Tidy up in Spring

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility