Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Tree
Origin
United States, Canada
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas
Types
-
Aralia spinosa
Number of Varieties
101
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds, Dappled Shade, Woodland Garden Canopy, Woodlands
Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Secondary
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
-
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Thicket/Colonizing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green, Light Pink
White, Green, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Dark Purple
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Burgundy
Yellow, Green, Purple, Blue Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Obtuse
bipinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Needs high amount of water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Cadmium fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Mosaic viruses, Yellow Leaves
Aphids, Leaf spot, Mealybugs
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Small mammals
Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Abdominal pain, allergic reaction, cramps, Diarrhea, Nausea, Spasms, Toxic, Toxic if not prepared properly, Vomiting
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Borders, Woodland margins
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anodyne, anti-inflammatory, Antirheumatic, Arthritis, Curing mumps and measles, Homeopathy
Alterative, Analgesic, Diaphoretic, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Bark, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Used as an insecticide, Used for its medicinal properties, Used for making soaps, Used in making blue ink
Used as a potherb
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Wildflower
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
PHYTOLACCA americana
ARALIA spinosa
Common Name
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Pokeberry
American Angelica Tree, Devil's Walking Stick, Hercules' Club
In Hindi
POKEBERRY
Devil's Walking Stick
In German
Kermesbeere
Teufelsspazierstock
In French
POKEBERRY
Walking bâton du diable
In Spanish
Pokeberry
Bastón del Diablo
In Greek
POKEBERRY
Περπάτημα Stick διαβόλου
In Portuguese
POKEBERRY
Vara andando de diabo
In Polish
alkiermes
Diabelski laska
In Latin
pokeberry
Virgam diaboli
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Apiales
Family
Phytolaccaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Phytolacca
Aralia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Aralioideae
Number of Species
3530
1
27800
👆🏻