Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas
Types
-
Aralia spinosa
Number of Varieties
31
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Secondary
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Thicket/Colonizing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
White, Green, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Yellow, Green, Purple, Blue Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
bipinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
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
Spring
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Aphids, Leaf spot, Mealybugs
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Asthma
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders, Woodland margins
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Alterative, Analgesic, Diaphoretic, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Bark, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as a potherb
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
ARALIA spinosa
Common Name
River Birch
American Angelica Tree, Devil's Walking Stick, Hercules' Club
In Hindi
River Birch
Devil's Walking Stick
In German
Fluss Birch
Teufelsspazierstock
In French
Birch river
Walking bâton du diable
In Spanish
river Birch
Bastón del Diablo
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Περπάτημα Stick διαβόλου
In Portuguese
river Birch
Vara andando de diabo
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Diabelski laska
In Latin
Betula
Virgam diaboli
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Apiales
Family
Betulaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Betula
Aralia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Aralioideae
Number of Species
330
1
27800
👆🏻