Aralia Racemosa

Aralia is a rare plant that is native to the high mountains of Chile and Argentina. This plant produces leaves that are common in Appalachia. It is the only plant that produces a leaf that looks like a four leaf clover. This leaf is used for good luck charms, a big symbol for many people in these countries.In New England, American spikenard is usually found in moist deciduous forests. It is an attractive plant that bears showy clusters of purple-red fruits in autumn. Native Americans used an infusion of the roots to treat a wide variety of ailments, including tuberculosis, coughs, colds, sore throats, menstrual problems, kidney problems, and lung diseases. They also applied a poultice of the root to burns, swelling, wounds, boils, sprained muscles, and broken bones.

Plant

Aralia racemosa matures to 4' in height and has green flowers and attractive reddish purple berries thereafter. Spikenard is a large plant for a shaded area, so broad that it could be confused for a woodland shrub, but it is a true herbaceous perennial in that it dies back each fall and emerges from the ground up each spring. It prefers wet to medium soil and blooms approximately from July to August when many woodland plants have finished flowering. Spikenard can be difficult to move once the plant is established, so put it in its permanent site if you can. Since it is a taller, wider plant, be cautious if planting next to smaller plants; it may soon overwhelm them. Also called American Spikenard, it is a close relative of Wild Sarsaparilla.Each species is different, so be sure to check the GERMINATION CODE listed on the website, in the catalog, or on your seed packet. Then, follow the GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS prior to planting.

Some species don't need any pre-treatment to germinate, but some species have dormancy mechanisms that must be broken before the seed will germinate. Some dormancy can be broken in a few minutes, but some species take months or even years.We dig plants when they are dormant from our outdoor beds and ship them April-May and October. Some species go dormant in the summer and we can ship them July/August. We are among the few still employing this production method, which is labor intensive but plant-friendly. They arrive to you dormant, with little to no top-growth (bare-root), packed in peat moss. They should be planted as soon as possible. Unlike greenhouse-grown plants, bare-root plants can be planted during cold weather or anytime the soil is not frozen. A root photo is included with each species to illustrate the optimal depth and orientation. Planting instructions/care are also included with each order. (Source: www.prairiemoon.com)