'Sun King' Japanese spikenard (Aralia cordata)

I continue to be a huge fan of the ‘Sun King’ golden Japanese spikenard (Aralia cordata) that is seen prominently in this blog. I planted my first specimen in 2011 and it continues to thrive in a location with ample moisture and dappled shade. I have observed the green form (“straight species”) in a couple locations at Rotary Botanical Gardens (Janesville, WI) and it gets enormous! I’ve seen it 8′ tall. This species is native to Japan, Korea and east central and southern China. This golden selection was found by plant hunter, Barry Yinger and continues to show hardiness well in to zone 3. The ultimate size of ‘Sun King’ is still in question but I’ve now seen it over 5′ tall and think it will get bigger. Some excellent specimens can also be found at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison , WI. With some dappled sunlight, the compound leaves will continue to be bright gold over the summer. The most vivid coloration is in early spring and in fall. In deep shade, the plant visually reads as a chartreuse which is still quite showy. Specimens in full sun may get a bit “washed out” with whitish leaves and are prone to leaf burn without adequate water. Many of the photos below show ‘Sun King’ in some degree of direct sunshine where it still thrives and gets the best golden coloration. The reddish stems are nice and the racemes of tiny white flowers in late summer are showy and attract bees. Younger specimens wont flower for a couple of years. The flowers later become small dark maroon berries in early fall. This plant is also considered deer resistant which is always a benefit in the Midwest. Oddly enough, the young stems and root shoots are edible (hence the other name of “mountain asparagus”) and have a long history of consumption in Asia. Research proper preparation though as it is not insignificant prior to consumption if desired! The photo at the top was taken in Minoqua, WI and I continue to see it thriving in many locations. I think this is one of the best perennials introduced in the last decade. I love this plant for adding bold “illumination” in the partly shaded garden. Seek out the ‘Sun King’! Some of this text is original to my 2016 blog on this plant but has been updated!