Aralia racemosa
Common name: Spikenard
One of the larger shade loving perennials all over Illinois. We have found this plant in moist woods all over the state where soils are in good health. While it will grow on fairly wet soils it seems to prefer better drained, rich soils in part day sun. The flowers are showy collections of umbels that can get very large and are often hidden under its leafy canopy. Woodland bees and beetles are regularly seen (at least in my experience) all over the flowers. Make no mistake, it is a very large plant, getting larger every year it is in the ground. We would recommend that people looking to use it Japanese knotweed or hosta use this species as a replacement.
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Plant Details
Plant type
Forbs
Soil type
Mesic (Not too Wet Not too Dry), Moist Mesic, Wet
Light exposure
Eastern Exposure / Morning Sun, High Canopy Shade (Usually from oaks), Partial Sun / Part Shade, Shade
Bloom period
Summer
Urban environment
Durable Near High Traffic Areas, Maple Shade Tolerant, Uncompacted Urban Soils, Harsh Exposure Tolerant
Habitat
Floodplain, Moist Woods, Savannas, Woodlands
Growth form
Dence Growth Form, Shrubby/Clump, Low branched, Colonizing / Spreading
Growth rate
Moderate
Flower color
White
Fall color
Yellow
Size
- Mature height
- 2 Feet
- Mature width
- 2 Feet
- Max height
- 5 Feet
- Max width
- 6 Feet
Additional information
Great for Screening/Border Plantings Loved by birds Pollinator hot spot