Aralia spinosa, commonly called devil’s walking stick or Hercules
club, gets its common name from the stout, sharp spines found on its leaf
stalks, stems and branches. This is a large, upright, suckering, deciduous
shrub that typically grows to 10-15’ tall, but infrequently grows as a small
flat topped tree to as much as 35’ tall. In its native range in the eastern
U.S., it is commonly found in wood margins, fields and pastures. Interesting
compound foliage, late summer flowers, juicy black fruit and spiny stems give
this shrub distinctive and unique ornamental interest. Sparse, upright, mostly
unbranched, club-like branches, ringed with conspicuous leaf scars and spines,
are typically naked at the bottom but crowned at the top by umbrella-like
canopies of huge compound leaves. Alternate, bipinnate to tripinnate, medium to
dark green leaves grow 2-5 feet long and 2-4 feet wide, with individual
leaflets (2-4” long) having toothed margins. Foliage turns pale yellow to dull
purple brown in fall. Small, 5-petaled, white flowers (to 1/8” across) bloom in
huge, terminal, umbellose panicles (to 24” long) in July–August. Flowers are
quite showy and very attractive to bees. Flowers are followed by clusters of
fleshy, spherical, black drupes that ripen in late August-October. Drupes are
quite attractive to birds.
Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full
sun to part shade. Prefers moist, fertile, humusy loams, but tolerates a wide
range of soils including rocky and clayey ones. Tolerates drought. Generally
tolerates many urban pollutants. Best sited in areas sheltered from strong
winds to help protect the large compound leaves. Easily grown from seed. The
compound foliage, flowers, fruit and general plant habit lend diversity and
interest during the growing season. Good for shrub borders, woodland margins
and remote areas of the landscape where it can be allowed to spread. Native
plant areas.
Growing Instructions
The seeds have a period of dormancy. They can be planted outdoors in the
fall or winter for spring germination or they can be cold stratified to
simulate winter conditions and to break their dormancy at any time of the year.
1. Place the seeds in a plastic bag and seal it. Store the bag in a
refrigerator for 1-2 months.
2. Fill a pot with potting soil.
3. Sow the seeds on the soil and cover them with a thin layer of soil.
4. Water the container and leave it to drain.
5. Put the pot in a warm, sunny area.
6. Water the pot regularly so that the soil is moist but not wet.
7. The seedlings can be transplanted when they are a few inches tall.
Angel (verified owner) –
Great seeds, I now have squash everywhere from this one pack of seeds
Zane (verified owner) –
Good quality.
Nicholas (verified owner) –
Great germination.
Matthew (verified owner) –
WOW!! Not one dud in the bunch!! Shortly after planting they started growing ! These are really great packet of seeds!!!
Owen (verified owner) –
I would absolutely recommend this seed to anyone looking to grow veggies this year. I decided to do starts this year and just three days after planting