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Aralia echinocaulis

A hardy, deciduous shrub or small tree which may reach a height of up to 10m in its natural habitat, less within UK gardens, with very large, bipinnate green foliage which turns to yellows, browns and purples in the autumn, and a sharply spiny single dark brown stem. Umbels of fragrant, purplish-white flowers appear from June to August, followed by clusters of small, dark purple to black berries from September to November

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Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–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)

Botanical details

Family: Araliaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy, Columnar upright
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
Plant range: China

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in humus-rich, moist but well drained soil in partial shade. Direct sunlight may scorch the leaves. Protect from very cold winters

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring or hardwood cuttings in autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds

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

Get involved

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