Aralia Prickly

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Aralia prickly (lat. Aralia spinosa) - healing and decorative culture; a representative of the Aralia clan of the Araliev family. It grows wild in river valleys, lowlands, deciduous forests and in areas with moist and deep soils in eastern North America. In culture, the species is not found so often, although it is considered promising. It is used both for landscaping and for obtaining medicinal raw materials.

Characteristics of culture

Aralia prickly is a deciduous tree up to 15 m high, in culture it is more often found in the form of a bush. The trunk is thin, covered with dark brown fissured bark, at a young age it is studded with numerous spines. Shoots are prickly, green in color, have a thick white core. The leaves are petiolar, up to 80 cm long. The apical leaves are pinnate, with a solid end leaf; middle leaves are double-pinnate; the lower leaves are trifold. Leaflets are ovate, dense, pointed at the tips, with a wedge-shaped or rounded base, serrate along the edge, slightly spinous, green on the outside, and gray on the back.

The flowers are small, numerous, collected in large paniculate inflorescences up to 50 cm long. The central axis of the inflorescence is elongated. Fruits up to 7 mm in diameter, are black in color. The species in question blooms in late July - early August for 2 weeks, the fruits ripen in late September. The growth rate of prickly aralia for the first 3-4 years is average, subsequently the growth slows down significantly. Flowering begins 4 years after planting, begins fruiting in 5-6 years. The culture bears fruit annually and abundantly. The species is winter-hardy; in severe winters, weak and immature shoots can freeze.

The subtleties of growing, planting and reproduction

Aralia prickly is photophilous, but it develops better and grows more actively in semi-shaded areas with diffused light. The culture is undemanding to soil conditions, although moist, drained, fertile, loose and permeable soils are recommended for successful cultivation. Plants should not be planted in places where melt water accumulates in spring. Also, Aralia does not accept heavy, highly acidic and waterlogged soils. Culture is neutral to winds.

The species in question, like other representatives of the Aralia genus, respond well to fertilizing with mineral fertilizers and watering. Despite the fact that the plants are drought-resistant, during a long absence of rain, abundant watering is required. It is advisable to apply fertilizers in liquid form in the spring, you can scatter them directly over the melting snow. It is recommended to exclude digging of the near-trunk zone, since the main part of plant roots is located closer to the soil surface. Fertilizers should also be applied when planting seedlings.

Aralia prickly reproduces by seeds, root suckers and cuttings. The seed method is used extremely rarely, since they have a low germination rate, and if they sprout, then only in the third year after sowing. Moreover, it is important to provide the crops with the most thorough care. Particular attention must be paid to watering, otherwise the seeds will not germinate. What is the reason for such a long germination? The thing is that the embryo of the aralia seed is underdeveloped for 1 and 2 years, by the third year it matures and starts to grow.

The most reliable way of the species under consideration is reproduction by root suckers. As mentioned, the roots of plants are located at the surface of the soil, they form a large number of offspring, which are suitable as planting material. Planting of prickly aralia seedlings should be carried out in the spring before the leaves open or in the fall after the foliage is shed.

At the bottom of the planting pit, they make good drainage, and also form a small hill of soil mixture (top layer of soil, humus and mineral fertilizers). It is important to remember: the prepared dough must be prepared at least 2 weeks in advance. After planting the seedling, abundant watering and mulching of the near-trunk zone with peat with a layer of 2-4 cm are performed.