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Aralia racemosa is one of the more unusual wildflowers in appearance, but offers copious benefits to wildlife. Although it is an herbaceous perennial, Aralia racemosa or “American Spikenard” appears like a leafy woodland shrub, reach up to 4’ in height and spreading 3-4’ in width with large compound leaves. It tolerates significant shade and even wet soils, but will grow best in part-sun with protection from heat and regular loamy soils. This species produces a huge inflorescence of small green-yellow flowers in mid-summer that are an otherwise subtle in color. But in late summer-early fall, the flowers turn into berries which turn from green to bright red to a dark wine-red, adding to their seasonal interest.
This is definitely a wildflower for true bug lovers. Aralia racemosa attracts some of the smaller and rarer insect pollinators, such as solitary bees, moths, and beneficial wasps which feed on a range of common garden pests. The shade tolerance means that it can offer nectar and pollen in conditions where few other summer flowers grow. The berries are also sought after by birds, including thrushes. This species is mildly toxic to mammals, so it is not typically browsed by deer, especially after it has established.
Pollinators: bumblebees, cellophane bees, leafcutter bees, sweat bees, yellow-faced bees, moths, butterflies, flower flies, soldier beetles, carrot wasps, grass-carrying wasps, leafhopper-hunting wasps, mason wasps, mole cricket-hunting wasps, potter wasps, spider wasps, thread-waisted wasps
Host Plant for Butterflies/Moths: 5+ species of butterflies and moths in our region
Wildlife Value: Songbirds, Thrushes, shelter
Deer Resistance: Very Good
Native Region: Appalachian Mountains, Piedmont
Seed Origin: USA nursery collected seed
Light Recommendation: Part Sun, Dappled Shade, Shade
Soil Moisture Recommendation: Medium-wet, Moist, Medium-dry
USDA Zones: 3-7
States found in our region: AL, DE, GA, KY, MD, NC, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV
Other states found: AR, AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, KS, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, RI, SD, TX, UT, VT, WI
