Aralia Manchuriana: popular plant for growing in gardens
Aralia Manchuriana is a tree of medium size. It boasts many cream flowers. This plant is easy to grow. It is often planted alone. Aralia looks great next to a lawn. Ginseng is a relative of aralia.
Ginseng was once quite popular for gardens. Aralia has similar medicinal value. It also serves as a pretty plant.
In nature, it can grow to 5-6 m tall. It looks like a palm tree. The trunks are thin and do not branch out. They stand out in open spaces. Aralia in gardens keeps its thin trunk. It also has wrinkled bark. A seven-year-old tree can reach 2.5-3 m. At a meter high, the trunk can be 6-7 cm thick.
Aralia is known for its thorns. It has many hard, sharp thorns. The thorns cover the branches and trunk. Young trees have the most thorns. People call aralia "thorn tree." Some call it "devil’s tree." Walking through aralia thickets can tear clothes.
The roots grow near the surface. They are 10-25 cm deep. The roots spread 2.5-3 m from the trunk. Sometimes, roots are in the forest litter.
Aralia roots are brown outside. Inside, they are white and fibrous. The tree grows fast. At 5-6 years, the root system is strong. By 15 years, the roots start to die. This matters less for gardens. But it is key if growing for medicine.
The trunk is slim and graceful. It has a full crown with long leaves. Each leaf is 70-80 cm long. They sway on long stems. The leaves are big and lovely. They have a complex shape. This leaf is a palmately compound leaf.
