Japanese angelica tree
(Aralia elata)
This species is Introduced in the United States
Appearance
Aralia elata is a deciduous thicket forming tree or shrub, up to 40 ft. tall with an irregular form. It has a spreading habit and can be multi or single stemmed. The bark is covered in sharp thorns.
Foliage
The leaves are alternate and 2 to 3 times pinnately compound with toothed or mostly toothless margins. The leaflets are from 2-4.75 in. long with the entire leaf from 2-4 ft. long. The main leaf veins extend to the leaf edge with spines along the leaf axils.
Flowers
The whitish to cream colored flowers are borne in a large inflorescence from 12-24 in. long. The inflorescence is multi-stemmed and is often wider than tall. It blooms from about late July to August.
Fruit
Fruits are small purple to black berries appearing August to September and ripening from September to October.
Ecological Threat
Aralia elata can be found in a variety of different habitat types such as forest, shrub land, meadow, and landscaping. It is highly threatening to native plant communities.
Resources
- Weed of the Week - USDA Forest Service
- Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service
Selected Images
Maps
EDDMapS Distribution - This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts, herbaria, and literature. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org
State Lists - This map identifies those states that have this species on their invasive species list or law.
Invasive Listing Sources
- Connecticut Invasive Plant List
- Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group
- Jil Swearingen, personal communication, 2009-2017
- Maine Invasive Plants
- Maryland Department of Agriculture's Candidates for Listing of Invasive Plants
- Maryland Invasive Species Council - Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland
- National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team Invasive Plant List
- National Park Service, National Capital Region Exotic Plant Management Team Invasive Plant List
- New Hampshire Invasive Plant Species Watch List
- New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team 2017 Invasive Species List
- New York Regulated and Prohibited Invasive Species - Prohibited
- Non-Native Invasive Plants of Arlington County, Virginia
- Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Invasive Plants
- Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas
- Reichard, Sarah. 1994. Assessing the potential of invasiveness in woody plants introduced in North America. University of Washington Ph.D. dissertation.
- Rhode Island Natural History Survey
- WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States
Taxonomic Rank
| Domain: Eukarya |
| Kingdom: Plantae |
| Phylum: Magnoliophyta |
| Class: Magnoliopsida |
| Superorder: Asteranae |
| Order: Apiales |
| Family: Araliaceae |
| Genus: Aralia |
| Aralia elata |
References
Common Name Reference: USDA, NRCS. 2010. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
Scientific Name Reference: USDA, NRCS. 2010. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.