Plant Profile: Kalopanax septemlobus

Taxonomy: Kalopanax septemlobus

Names

Castor Aralia

  • Photo of Kalopanax septemlobus (Kalopanax septemlobuss)

Phonetic Spelling:

Genus:Kalopanax

Species:septemlobus

Family:Araliaceae

Castor Aralia is a sizable flowering tree that thrives in the shade and is indigenous to eastern Asia. It prefers to be planted in well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter and remains moist, ideally in full sun or partial shade. This low-maintenance species features thorns, striking white blossoms, and dark fruits, with leaves that bear a resemblance to those of the castor bean plant.

Regarding pests, diseases, and other issues: while it generally faces no significant challenges, it may struggle during hot and humid summer months.

Kalopanax septemlobus Feature Summary

Kalopanax septemlobus Image Gallery

Tags

#thorns
#showy flowers
#deciduous
#shade tree
#white flowers
#wildlife plant
#large tree
#flowering tree
#showy fruits
#glossy leaves
#deciduous tree
#late summer flowers

Similar Plants

Kalopanax septemlobus is often confused with:

Kalopanax septemlobus Feature Summary

Attributes
Birds enjoy fruits.
Fruit
Flowers
Umbles of white flowers appear in late summer.
Leaves
Dark green glossy toothed palmate leaves up to 14" wide with 5-7 lobes. Dull red fall color.
Palmasect
Lobed
Dentate
> 6 inches
> 6 inches
Bark
Mature bark is ridged, furrowed and dark gray.
Dark Gray
Ridges
Furrowed
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
High Organic Matter
Landscape
Shade Tree
Specimen
Flowering Tree
Spines/Thorns

Kalopanax septemlobus Attributes

Kalopanax septemlobus: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern Asia

Kalopanax septemlobus: Wildlife Value

Birds enjoy fruits.

Kalopanax septemlobus: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Kalopanax septemlobus Fruit

Kalopanax septemlobus: Fruit Description

Black fruits

Kalopanax septemlobus: Fruit Color

grass
Black

Kalopanax septemlobus Flowers

Kalopanax septemlobus: Flower Description

Umbles of white flowers appear in late summer.

Kalopanax septemlobus: Flower Color

filter_vintage
White

Kalopanax septemlobus: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Kalopanax septemlobus: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Kalopanax septemlobus: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Kalopanax septemlobus Leaves

Kalopanax septemlobus: Leaf Description

Dark green glossy toothed palmate leaves up to 14" wide with 5-7 lobes. Dull red fall color.

Kalopanax septemlobus: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Kalopanax septemlobus: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Kalopanax septemlobus: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Red/Burgundy

Kalopanax septemlobus: Leaf Type

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

Kalopanax septemlobus: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Kalopanax septemlobus: 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

Kalopanax septemlobus: Leaf Margin

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

Kalopanax septemlobus: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Kalopanax septemlobus: Leaf Length

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

Kalopanax septemlobus: Leaf Feel

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

Kalopanax septemlobus: Leaf Width

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

Kalopanax septemlobus Bark

Kalopanax septemlobus: Bark Description

Mature bark is ridged, furrowed and dark gray.

Kalopanax septemlobus: Bark Color

grass
Dark Gray

Kalopanax septemlobus: Surface/Attachment

Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy

Kalopanax septemlobus Whole Plant Traits

Kalopanax septemlobus: 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

Kalopanax septemlobus: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Kalopanax septemlobus: 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

Kalopanax septemlobus: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Kalopanax septemlobus: Appendage

Prickles
Spines
Tendrils
Thorns

Kalopanax septemlobus Cultural Conditions

Kalopanax septemlobus: 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)

Kalopanax septemlobus: Soil Drainage

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

Kalopanax septemlobus: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b

Kalopanax septemlobus: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Kalopanax septemlobus Stem

Kalopanax septemlobus: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Kalopanax septemlobus Landscape

Kalopanax septemlobus: 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

Kalopanax septemlobus: 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