James H. Miller & Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org, Aralia spinosa 1120463, CC BY 3.0

What are Aralias?

Also known as Spikenard, Aralias belong to the Araliaceae family. It comprises of about 70 plant species. They come in the form of evergreen and deciduous plants, trees and even shrubs. Some varieties are also herbaceous perennials with rhizomatous rooting systems.

The plants are native to the Americas, Asia and regions with mountain woodlands. Varied in sizes, some Aralia cultivars grow up to 20 meters high while others barely hit half a meter in height.

Aralia Description

Aralias feature doubly-compound, bipinnate leaves. They also have clustering at branch and stem edges. Bristles cover leaves in certain cultivars. Some plant species such as Aralia spinosa feature prickly, woody stems.

Flowers bud on the terminal panicles and birds enjoy the plant's round, dark-purple berries. Aralia flowers come in various colors, ranging from greenish to whitish hues. Certain varieties such as Aralia cordata are edible. Therefore, they're grown for human consumption.

Aralia Species

Some popular Aralia cultivars include the following:

• Aralia californica
• Aralia fabian
• Aralia cordata
• Aralia chinensis
• Aralia debilis
• Aralia elata
• Aralia dasyphylla
• Aralia racemosa
• Aralia stipulata

Grow Aralia Plants at Home

Looking to grow Aralia plants indoors? Browse through our collection of grow bags in varied sizes for an ideal pick.