Aralia
Aralia spp.
Special Features
Known for its large, compound leaves and tiny white or greenish flowers, adds a tropical look to the garden. A native plant excellent for adding architectural interest to shaded areas.
Plant Specifications
Our team will help you integrate this plant into your landscape design
Growing Aralia on Martha's Vineyard
Aralia racemosa, the spikenard, is a bold, shrub-like native perennial that brings a distinctive woodland character to the large-scale shade gardens of Martha's Vineyard, producing massive compound leaves on arching purplish stems that create a tropical impression in the sheltered borders of up-island properties. It thrives in the deep, moist, humus-rich soils of woodland gardens in West Tisbury and Chilmark, where consistent moisture and shade support its generous growth habit. Clusters of tiny white flowers in midsummer give way to dark berries that are highly attractive to migrating songbirds in fall, adding ecological value to its substantial ornamental contribution.
Deer generally avoid it due to its aromatic foliage. Estate Care professionals specify it in large-scale shade garden compositions where bold architectural presence, native authenticity, and wildlife habitat value are all design priorities.
