Japanese Angelica Tree (Aralia elata)

Key Identification Features

• Sharp thorns on the trunk

• bi- or tri- pinnately compound leaves

• Cream or white-colored flowers in late summer

Description

Japanese angelica tree is a deciduous shrub or tree capable of growing to 40ft. The leaves are bi- or tri-pinnately compound and occasionally variegated. Japanese angelica tree is multi-stemmed and the bark covered in sharp thorns. They produce cream or white-colored flowers in late summer that mature into purple/black fruits in the fall.

Japanese angelica tree can easily be confused with its native cousin, the devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa). Both species are similar and hard to determine in the field, however, A. elata can be differentiated from A. spinosa by its leaves and flowers. The lateral veins in A. spinosa leaves run all the way to the tooth tips of the serrated leaf margin and its inflorescence is approximately 30-60cm shorter without a distinct central axis.

Native Range

Japanese angelica tree is thought to have been brought to North America from Japan and East Asia as an ornamental in the 1830s. Its tendencies as an invasive species went unnoticed until the early 2000s in part due to a native cousin, the devil’s walking stick, and its success in outcompeting it and hybridizing.

Habitat and Dispersion

Japanese angelica tree is a generalist and thrives in disturbed areas such as fields, urban areas, wooded edges, etc. They can also tolerate full sun to part shade and can grow in dry or semi-wet soils. Japanese angelica trees send up suckers from their roots to form dense thickets, blocking sunlight and reducing habitat for native plants. Birds aid in their spread by consuming the berries in fall and spreading seeds far from the parent population.

Best Management Practices

This species can be manually removed by pulling or digging when the infestation is small and the plants are young. For larger infestations and mature plants, herbicide is recommended to prevent resprouting as physical damage spurs regeneration. Glyphosate-based herbicides are effective in a foliar or cut stump application. Trees should be treated in spring/ early summer to avoid seed spread by birds.

Additional Resources

WNY PRISM

ADK PRISM

Brandywine Conservancy

Go Botany

Invasive Plant Atlas