Aralia Plants

Aralia Plants Care

Aralia

What is the plant

Aralia is a multi-stemmed, eye-catching member of the Araliaceae family, which includes over 70 species. They can look like medium to tall trees or stubby shrubs. Any option is suitable for gardening.

As a rule, Aralia appears as a medium-sized 10-13 ft (3-4 m) tree. It can grow up to 40 ft (12 m) in the wild. Sometimes Aralias happen to look like 5-6 ft (1.5 m) shrubs. An average Aralia has a spreading, decorative crown and a thin trunk covered with thorny wrinkled bark.
In July, the plant blooms with small white or yellowish-white flowers. They have a strong spicy aroma and a very attractive appearance.
After pollination, the plant produces fruits. But be careful: those dry bluish berries are not edible.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

10°C - 12°C

Hardiness zone

3 - 8

Difficulty

Easy

How to Care for the Plant

Water
The plant prefers plenty of moisture. In the spring-summer season, water your Aralia when the top layer of soil dries for an inch (2.5 cm). Reduce the amount of water gradually as autumn approaches. Do not allow the soil to dry out totally.
Pruning
Aralia reluctantly branches on itself. If left untouched, it grows in the form of a stem with long petioles and large leaves. Over time, the lower leaves inevitably get old and die, and the trunk becomes bare. The plant forms a crown on top and looks like a palm tree. If you regularly prune the tops of the shoots, you'll see fresh side buds. They will give new branches, and your Aralia will become a fluffy bush.
Fertilizer
During the active growing phase (early spring until October), feed Aralia with nitrogen-rich fertilizers. Liquid fertilizers are the most convenient. Every 10-12 days, apply one dose of top dressing during or after the next watering. Stop feeding the plant as soon as the cold season starts.

Disease diagnosis

Check your plant’s health

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Sunlight
Aralia can adapt to any lighting: medium, bright, or even artificial – it doesn't matter. However, your plant will grow faster and give a more abundant bloom in a brighter lit room. Just don't forget to keep the lighting more or less stable throughout the year.
Soil
The plant thrives in nutrient-rich soil with an airy, breathable texture. A ready-made universal substrate for decorative leafy plants would suffice. You can also prepare substrate with your own hands. Take soddy soil, leaf humus, peat, and sand (2:1:1:1). The soil should be neutral or slightly acidic with a pH of about 5.0 to 7.0.
Propagation
The most convenient method of propagation is using stem cuttings in the spring. Cut the top 10 in (25 cm) of the branch and put it in moist sandy soil. You only have to wait for a couple of days for nice fresh roots to appear.

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Temperature
Even during the growth period, keeping your Aralia cool at a temperature of 60-65°F (15-18°C) is preferable. Temperature about 50-54°F (10-12°C) is allowable in winter.
Container
Choose a clay or ceramic pot with drainage holes in the bottom. The pot for a young plant should be deep but not too wide, no more than an inch (2-3 cm) wider than the root system. The older the plant, the bigger the container should be.
Fun fact
The plant's Latin name, "Aralia," has Native American roots and translates as "tree with thorns." This feature of Aralia formed the basis of its popular name, "devil's tree." According to the legend, the devil himself gave the tree sharp thorns so that it would torture and maim careless travelers.