• Photo of Aralia elata (Aralia elatas)

Plant Profile: Aralia elata

Taxonomy: Aralia elata

Names

Angelica Tree, Japanese Angelica Tree

  • Photo of Aralia elata (Aralia elatas)

Phonetic Spelling:ah-RAY-lee-ah el-AH-tuh

Genus:Aralia

Species:elata

Family:Araliaceae

The Japanese Angelia Tree is a large shrub or small tree with multiple stems, belonging to the Araliaceae family. In its natural habitat across eastern Asia, this plant can reach impressive heights of up to 40 feet and widths of 30 feet. However, in cultivated gardens, it typically grows to about 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide. While it is resilient to drought and adaptable to various soil types, it thrives best in moist, well-drained conditions.

This species can propagate through suckers and self-seeding, often leading to the formation of dense thickets.

In terms of pests and diseases, the Japanese Angelia Tree is known for its rapid growth, which can enable it to overshadow and outcompete native flora.

Aralia elata Feature Summary

Aralia elata Image Gallery

Tags

#purple
#red
#thorns
#white
#deciduous
#fall color
#yellow
#full sun tolerant
#drought tolerant
#white flowers
#purple leaves
#weedy
#tree
#red leaves
#yellow leaves
#moist soil
#fast growing
#multistemmed
#thickets
#self-seeding
#purple fruits
#spiny
#fall color red
#fall color purple
#partial shade tolerant

Similar Plants

Aralia elata is often confused with:

Aralia elata Feature Summary

Fruit
Purple to black fruits appear in summer and ripen into fall.
Purple/Lavender
Black
Flowers
This plant has 12 to 18 in. white to cream panicles of flowers that are not as tall as they are wide. Blooms from late July to August.
White
Cream/Tan
< 1 inch
Leaves
This plant has 2-4 foot long tripinnately compound leaves with up to 80 leaflets. 3" to 5.5" in. leaflets with toothed to smooth margins and prominent center veins that go all the way to the tip of the left. There are spines in the leaf axis. Leaves turn yellow to reddish-purple for their fall color.
Purple/Lavender
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Alternate
Other/more complex
Pinnatisect
3-6 inches
Bark
The bark has sharp thorns.
Stem
There are large spines on stems.
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Tree
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Spreading
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
12-24 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Border
Small Tree
Drought
Pollution
Dry Soil
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Weedy
Spines/Thorns

Aralia elata Attributes

Aralia elata: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern Asia

Aralia elata: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

moist soil; a range of soil types

Aralia elata: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Aralia elata: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Aralia elata Fruit

Aralia elata: Fruit Description

Purple to black fruits appear in summer and ripen into fall.

Aralia elata: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Aralia elata: Fruit Color

grass
Black
grass
Purple/Lavender

Aralia elata: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Aralia elata Flowers

Aralia elata: Flower Description

This plant has 12 to 18 in. white to cream panicles of flowers that are not as tall as they are wide. Blooms from late July to August.

Aralia elata: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Cream/Tan
filter_vintage
White

Aralia elata: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Aralia elata: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Aralia elata: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Aralia elata Leaves

Aralia elata: Leaf Description

This plant has 2-4 foot long tripinnately compound leaves with up to 80 leaflets. 3" to 5.5" in. leaflets with toothed to smooth margins and prominent center veins that go all the way to the tip of the left. There are spines in the leaf axis. Leaves turn yellow to reddish-purple for their fall color.

Aralia elata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Aralia elata: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Aralia elata: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Gold/Yellow
spa
Purple/Lavender
spa
Red/Burgundy

Aralia elata: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Aralia elata: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Aralia elata: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Aralia elata: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Aralia elata: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Aralia elata: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Aralia elata: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Aralia elata Bark

Aralia elata: Bark Description

The bark has sharp thorns.

Aralia elata Stem

Aralia elata: Stem Description

There are large spines on stems.

Aralia elata: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Aralia elata Whole Plant Traits

Aralia elata: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Aralia elata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Aralia elata: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Aralia elata: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Aralia elata: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Aralia elata: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Aralia elata: Appendage

Prickles
Spines
Tendrils
Thorns

Aralia elata Cultural Conditions

Aralia elata: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Aralia elata: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Aralia elata: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Aralia elata: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Aralia elata: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Aralia elata: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Aralia elata Landscape

Aralia elata: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Aralia elata: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Aralia elata: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Aralia elata: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Aralia elata: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Aralia elata: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy