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devil's walkingstick
Scientific Name: Aralia spinosa
Family: Araliaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Tree, Shrub
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Devil's Walkingstick (Aralia spinosa)
Aralia spinosa, commonly known as Devil's Walkingstick, is a fascinating woody plant native to eastern North America. Its unique appearance and intriguing name make it a notable species in the plant kingdom.
Considerations for Pets and Children
- The plant features stout, sharp spines on its leaf stalks, stems, and branches.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Aralia spinosa L.
- Common Names: Devil's Walkingstick, Hercules Club (or Hercules' Club/Hercules's-club), Prickly Ash, Angelica Tree, Toothache Tree, Prickly Elder, Pigeon Tree, Shotbush.
- Family: Araliaceae (Ginseng Family)
- Kingdom: Plant
- Phylum: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Order: Apiales
- Genus: Aralia
- Species: spinosa
- Synonyms: (Not explicitly provided, but the text mentions confusion with the Japanese Angelica Tree.)
- Symbol: ARSP2
Distribution and Habitat
Aralia spinosa is native to eastern North America, ranging from Pennsylvania down through Florida. It inhabits a range of environments and is hardy to zone 4.
Specific locations mentioned include Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Columbia/Suwannee counties, Florida, and southeastern Ohio, where its foliage turns red in early October.
Ecological Role
Devil's Walkingstick can be considered invasive in some contexts, as it can choke out other species. However, it's also a preferred deer browse and attracts butterflies.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- A large shrub or small tree, typically 8-30' tall (sometimes to 35'), forming a long narrow shape.
- Deciduous, with ash-gray stems that form a loose colony from a rhizomatous root system.
- Characterized by huge, bipinnately compound leaves, up to 5 feet long and 2-4 feet wide.
- Stout, sharp spines are found on the leaf stalks, stems, and branches.
- New shoots and young leaves can be eaten in the spring before the spines on the leaf stems stiffen.
- Classified as a very spiny shrub that could be used for defensible landscaping.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Moderate to highly preferred deer browse.
- Attracts butterflies.
Resources and Further Information
- Hiker's Notebook Home Page
- Fact Sheet ST-80 (November 1993) by Edward F. Gilman and Dennis G. Watson
- TREASURED Forests www.forestry.alabama.gov (Fall 2012)
- Dave's Garden
- Discover Life: http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20p?see=I_SOP3521&res=640