# devil's walkingstick (*Aralia spinosa*) The devil's walkingstick is a tall shrub with spiky stems and big, green leaves. It can grow very tall and has small white flowers that turn into dark berries. It's a unique plant that stands out in the forest! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 13 - **Habitat:** Forests ![devil's walkingstick](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Aralia_spinosa%252C_Georgia%252C_USA.jpg&width=800) Photo: User:Richardelainechambers, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aralia_spinosa%252C_Georgia%252C_USA.jpg) ## Appearance The devil's walkingstick has a thick, often unbranched stem covered in numerous sharp, stout spines. Its massive, twice-compound leaves, reaching up to 4 feet long, create a tropical canopy, topped by large umbrella-like clusters of creamy white flowers. Dark purple to black berries follow in fall. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Apiales - **Family:** Araliaceae - **Genus:** Aralia ## Interesting facts - Early settlers used its roots to make remedies for various ailments. - It is a cousin to ginseng, a famous medicinal root! - Its spooky name comes from its spiky stem, resembling a thorny walking stick! - Though it looks like a tree, it's actually one of the largest shrubs in its family! ## Special abilities - **Spine Armor:** The devil's walkingstick has sharp spines all over its stem that help it defend against hungry herbivores. - **Berry Beacon:** It produces clusters of dark berries that attract many birds, helping it spread its seeds far and wide. - **Suckering Squad:** This plant can send up new shoots from its roots, allowing it to quickly form dense thickets and outcompete other plants. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 300-1000 cm - **Spread:** 200-500 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar from its abundant flowers - **Pollinates:** [eastern tiger swallowtail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-tiger-swallowtail) (*Papilio glaucus*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** [American robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — eats the plant's dark berries - **Eaten by:** [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) — disperses seeds by consuming berries ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Thorny Stem](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thorny-stem): Pertaining to plants that have stems covered with sharp, pointed projections for defense. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Stay away from the sharp spines on the stems to avoid getting hurt. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify devil's walkingstick? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is devil's walkingstick? 300-1000 cm ### How wide does devil's walkingstick spread? 200-500 cm ### How big are the flowers on devil's walkingstick? 0.2-0.3 cm ### When does devil's walkingstick bloom? Late summer ### Is devil's walkingstick edible? No ### Is devil's walkingstick toxic? Mild ### What is devil's walkingstick's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alfred-b-maclay-gardens-state-park) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arrowmont-school-of-arts-and-crafts) — Tennessee, US · Campus - [Red River Gorge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/red-river-gorge) — Kentucky, US · Natural Landmark - [Tockwotton-Love Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tockwotton-love-place-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Colbert County Courthouse Square Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/colbert-county-courthouse-square-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Eden Gardens State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/eden-gardens-state-park) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see devil's walkingstick](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/devils-walkingstick) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Devil's Walkingstick: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/devils-walkingstick)