Aralia nudicaulis

Description

What I like the most about the wild sarsaparilla it is the spring emergence in a very nice coppery/reddish colour, about the same time the shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) starts leafing out in matching colours; later they will  turn green and in the fall a beautiful golden color.
The greenish/white flowers in clusters appear below the leaves on a leafless shoot and are later followed by black fruits.  Wild sarsaparilla grows from a rhizome and forms colonies.

The First Nations People have used the wild sarsaparilla in various ways: the aromatic rhizome as food, for root beer, tea and in herbal medicine.

A very interesting native species for the shade garden. Grow it together with its usual companions: Uvularia grandiflora, Polygala paucifolia, Trillium grandiflorum, Aralia racemosa, Viola labradorica….

Germination: it needs a slightly warm/moist stratification first, followed by a cold one (winter). So if sown right away in early fall (August-early September) will germinate in the spring.  If sown in late fall/winter it will germinate only in the second spring after sowing (warm-cold cycles required).