Devil’s walking stick | The Morton Arboretum

Family (English) Ginseng
Family (botanic) Araliaceae
Tree or plant type Tree, Shrub
Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
Native locale Illinois, North America
Size range Small tree (15-25 feet), Medium tree (25-40 feet)
Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
Hardiness zones Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9
Soil preference Acid soil, Moist, well-drained soil
Drought tolerance Tolerant
Other tolerances Alkaline soil, clay soil, Dry sites
Season of interest midsummer, late summer
Flower color and fragrance White
Shape or form Multi-stemmed, Thicket-forming, Upright
Growth rate Fast, Moderate

More Information

Size and Form

An upright native that grows 10 to 20 feet high, with potential to grow up to 30 feet, and 10 to 20 feet or more wide. It is thicket forming.

Native Geographic Location and Habitat

Native to the southern United States and up into the Midwest.

Bark Description

This plant is coarse-textured, lightly branched, and has spiny stems.

Leaf Description

The dark green 2 to 4 feet long, double compound leaves have small thorns and numerous leaflets.

Flower Description

The mid to late summer small, white flowers appear in large, flattened clusters that can grow up to 1 1/2 feet wide.

Fruit Description

Broad clusters of small dark purple berry-like fruit (drupes).

Plant Knowledge

Plant Care

Note that this plant can spread indefinitely. It is typically growing as understory or at wood edge in large thickets. Prune out shoots to maintain the spread of the plant within desired size. Tolerant of most sites, best in full sun to light shade under tall trees.

Pests, Diseases and Tolerances

There aren’t any serious disease or insect problems. Sucker growth can get out of control. This plant is pH adaptable as well as urban tolerant. It is tolerant of black walnut toxicity.