Credit: David Foley
Aralia spinosa
Background and story
The Devil’s Walking Stick (Aralia spinosa) is a striking deciduous shrub or small tree native to eastern North America, known for its bold, almost tropical appearance and heavily armed stems.
Introduced to Ireland and Britain in the 19th century, it attracted attention as an unusual ornamental, combining large, finely divided leaves with a curious architectural habit.
Typically forming upright, sparsely branched stems topped with a canopy of very large, bipinnate leaves, it can resemble a small palm from a distance. Its common name refers to the dense covering of sharp spines on trunk, branches, and even leaf stalks, which give the plant a formidable presence.
Did you know?
Every part of it is armed. The name “Devil’s Walking Stick” is well deserved: trunk, branches, leaf stalks, can all be covered in sharp spines, making it one of the most physically defended garden plants.
Hardiness and conservation
The recorded RHS hardiness rating is H7, which means this plant is extremely hardy and suited to severe continental European winter conditions. The recorded USDA/PFAF hardiness value is 5-9, which is useful as a broad winter-temperature guide, but it should not be read as a direct substitute for the RHS rating. Local hardiness always depends on local shelter, drainage, winter wet, salt-laden wind and the plant’s age and establishment.
The IUCN Red List status recorded here is Least Concern (LC). This means it has been assessed as being at relatively low risk of extinction in the wild. The assessment year recorded in the plant data is 2020.
Additional notes for Ireland and Britain
In Ireland and Britain, Aralia spinosa is fully hardy and adaptable, thriving in moist, well-drained soils in sun or partial shade. It typically grows to 4–8 metres, though it often appears as a colony of upright stems due to its tendency to sucker freely from the roots. Large panicles of creamy-white flowers appear in late summer, followed by black berries that attract wildlife. It is easy to grow and tolerant of a range of conditions, though its spreading habit and spines make it better suited to larger or more naturalistic settings rather than confined gardens. Its bold foliage makes it particularly effective in creating an exotic or architectural effect.
From a conservation and hardiness perspective, Aralia spinosa is not considered threatened and is widespread across its native range, where it plays a role in woodland edges and disturbed habitats. In terms of hardiness, it is very robust, tolerating cold winters (often below −15°C), variable soils, and even drought once established. Its main considerations in Irish gardens are not climate-related but practical, particularly its spiny stems and tendency to spread by suckering. In an Irish context, it is a resilient and characterful plant, best used where its bold form can be appreciated without risk to passing traffic.
Notable features
- It looks like a palm, but isn’t even close botanically. Its tall, unbranched stems topped with huge leaves give it a distinctly palm-like silhouette, yet it belongs to the Araliaceae family, alongside ivy (Hedera) and fatsia.
- It can grow as a “forest colony” rather than a single tree. Instead of staying as one trunk, it often spreads by suckers to form clusters of tall, spiny stems, creating a small grove over time.
- It has some of the largest leaves of any temperate tree. The leaves can reach over 1 metre long, making them among the biggest found on any hardy plant in Ireland and Britain.
- It flowers when many trees have finished. It produces large plumes of cream-white flowers in late summer, followed by dark berries, providing nectar and food later in the season than most trees.
Earlscliffe notes
It is prolific at Earlscliffe and we admire it for both its architectural form in winter as well as its fully leafed form and flowers in the summer.
Where to see it in the garden
Tour Area ❾, Tour Area ⓫Gallery
Credit: Karen Foley
Credit: Karen Foley