Aralia elata/NJ

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Magnoliophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida
Superorder	Asteranae
Order	Apiales
Family	Araliaceae
Genus	Aralia

Scientific Name

Aralia elata

Common Name

Japanese angelica tree

Common Name: Japanese angelica tree, Japanese aralia
Family Name: Araliaceae - Aralia family
Native Range: Asia
NJ Status: Emerging Stage 3 – Common (may be regionally abundant). It is highly threatening native plant communities.

General Description

• Deciduous tree or shrub, to 40’ tall
• Colonial, thicket forming
• Irregular form, spreading, multi or single stemmed
• Bark covered in sharp prickles

Leaves

• Alternate, 2 or 3 times pinnately compound
• Toothed or nearly toothless with downy hairs below
• Leaflets variable, 2” - 4.75” long
• Large, entire leaf 2’ - 4’ feet long
• Leaves turn yellow to reddish purple in fall
• Spines at leaf axils
• Main leaf veins extend to leaf edge
• Leaflet typically with sessile or with very short petiole (stem)

Flowers

• Whitish to cream colored
• Borne in large, inflorescence 12” - 24” long
• Clusters multi-stemmed, lacking a central axis
• Often wider than tall, with flower base surrounded or over topped by foliage
• Blooms late July - August

Fruit

• Small purple to black berries in circular formations
• Appearing August - September; ripening from September - October

Habitat

• Forest, shrub land, meadow, and landscaping

Commercially Available

Yes

Look-alikes

devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa)

• Small native tree or shrub
• Inflorescence longer, 3’ - 3.5’ with a distinct central stalk
• Typically taller than wide, usually above foliage
• Main leaf veins branch and diminish at leaf margin
• Leaflets variable, 2” - 2.75” long
• Typically with short, but distinct petiole
• Typically southern, extends into PA, DE

toothache tree, common prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

• Small native tree or shrub
• Prickles paired along stem
• Compound leaves
• Blooms in spring, before leaf out

Control Recommendations

Foliar Spray: FS-1

• Glyphosate 3.75%, Triclopyr Amine 2.50%
• Please see our Herbicide Use Suggestions and Mixing Guide for more information
• This species resprouts strongly, so cutting is not recommended

Basal Bark: BB-1

• Triclopyr Ester 25% OR Pathfinder II ready-to-use mixture
• Please see our Herbicide Use Suggestions and Mixing Guide for more information
• Apply from July through September to enhance effectiveness