Aralia spinosa, devil's walkingstick
Sullivan, Janet. 1992. Aralia spinosa, devil’s walkingstick. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/araspi
| Abbreviation | Common Name | Scientific Name | Classification | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plants | ||||
| ARASPI | devil's walkingstick | Aralia spinosa | Life Form: Plants/Shrub, Plants/Tree Kingdom: Plantae Class: Dicot Order: Apiales Family: Araliaceae Genus: Aralia | Fed. Protected: No Nativity: Native Invasiveness: Noninvasive |
Taxonomy
The scientific name of devil's walkingstick is Aralia spinosa L. (Araliaceae) [7,8,24].
Synonyms
- Nonone
Other Common Names
prickly ash, Hercules club, angelica tree, prickly elder, pick tree, toothache tree, shotbush
General Distribution
Distribution of devil's walkingstick.
Devil's walkingstick is found naturally occurring in eastern North America from New York and Pennsylvania south to Florida and west to southwestern Iowa and western Texas. It has escaped from cultivation in New England to southern Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, and western Europe [4,19,33].
States and Provinces
- United States: AL AR CT DE FL GA IL IN KY LA MD MA MI MO MS NC NJ NY OH OK ON OR PA RI SC TN TX VA WA WV WI
- Canada
- Mexico
Site Characteristics
Devil's walkingstick is found in upland and low woods, pocosins, and savannahs [24]. It prefers rich moist soils and is found at edges of streams, and in thickets and shrub bays [13,33]. Some of the plant species associated with devil's walkingstick include black cherry (Prunus serotina), eastern hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), tree sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum), red maple (Acer rubrum var trilobum), American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), sassafras (Sassafras albidum), Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), Bignonia capreolata, St. Andrew's cross (Ascyrum hypericoides), common sweetleaf (Symplocos tinctoria), Vaccinium spp., and passionflower (Passiflora lutea) [23]. Associates on a Texas shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata)/white oak (Quercus alba) community include Meliz azedarach, hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli), and flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) [36].
Devil's walkingstick is found in Louisiana in openings in upland hardwoods, with plant associates including sassafras, American holly (Ilex opaca), flowering dogwood, sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.), common persimmon, Vaccinium spp., grape (Vitis spp.), eastern hophornbeam, Viburnum spp., and Carolina buckthorn (Rhamnus caroliniana). It is also found on gullied land and on moist bottomlands with plant associates including American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) [28].
Devil's walkingstick is found in southern Appalachian forests in openings from 8,042 square feet to 10,763 square feet (750-1,000 sq m), with the frequency of occurrence dropping off with larger gaps; it is not found in undisturbed understory [26].
Devil's walkingstick in bloom, Georgia.
Plant Communities
No entry.
Botanical Description
Devil's walkingstick stem.
Devil's walkingstick is a spiny, few-branched, flat-topped tree or shrub 25 to 35 feet (7-10 m) tall. It grows from extensive rhizomes [4,24,33,36,37]. The stems tend to remain unbranched until the first terminal inflorescences are produced at an average age of 3.5 years. There are abundant prickles on the stems and leaves of first-year ramets [13,36,37].
Raunkiaer Life Form (Raunkiaer 1934)
- Phanerophyte
Seasonal Development
Devil's walkingstick flowers in July and August, setting fruit that ripens from September to October [33].
Regeneration Processes
Devil's walkingstick perennates by rhizomes, producing ramets. Leaves may be killed by frost in winter; severe frost can kill stems back to ground level [13]. Flowers are pollinated by insects, mostly bees. Seeds are dispersed by frugivores, and germination is in the spring following stratification [8,32,33]. Artificial propagation can be achieved through root cuttings [32].
Successional Status
Devil's walkingstick is shade intolerant [31]. In a study of succession in Illinois oak (Quercus velutina) woodlands , Shotola [27] reported that a population of devil's walkingstick (documented in 1967) decreased as a population of sugar maple (Acer saccarum) increased; by 1983, no individuals were found. The assumption is that the increased canopy coverage was unfavorable to devil's walkingstick. Devil's walkingstick is also found in abundance in clearcuts, but not in adjacent intact pine plantations in Ohio. The population on this site increased in the third and fourth years after the clearcut. There is concern that the presence of devil's walkingstick on these sites may delay subsequent establishment of hardwood species [1].
Immediate Fire Effects
No entry.
Postfire Regeneration Strategy (Stickney 1989)
- Tree with adventitious-bud root crown/root sucker
- Ground residual colonizer (on-site, initial community)
- Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)
- Secondary colonizer - off-site seed
Fire Adaptations
No entry.
Plant Response to Fire
Removal of aboveground portions of stems by means other than fire is reported to result in vigorous resprouting of new ramets. It is reasonable to assume, although not documented, that fire death of aboveground stems would have the same result [36]. Periodic fires create openings in forest canopies that allow devil's walkingstick to establish and maintain populations [16].
Fire Regimes
For fire regime information, search FEIS for this species by entering the species name or acronym on the home page and selecting “Fire Regime” as the publication type.
Fire Management Considerations
Since populations of devil's walkingstick are maintained only on disturbed areas, periodic fires that create disturbed areas and forest openings would result in seral sites that could include devil's walkingstick [15,16].
Federal Status
None
Other Status
No entry.
Importance to Wildlife and Livestock
Insects harvest pollen and nectar from the flowers of devil's walkingstick [8]. The fruits are used as food by many birds and other frugivores, including black bear [7,8,14,15]. Van Dersal reported that deer use devil's walkingstick as browse [32]. White [37] did not observe any deer browsing of young ramets but did observe stem damage due to antler rubbing.
Palatability and Nutritional Value
No entry.
Cover Value
No entry.
Value for Rehabilitation or Restoration of Disturbed Sites
No entry.
Other Uses
Devil's walkingstick bark, roots, and berries have been used for medicinal purposes, both by Native Americans and European settlers. It is planted as an ornamental in North America and Europe [33].
Other Management Considerations
Control: Devil's walkingstick is killed by aerosol applications of glyphosate at rates of 1.50 to 2.25 pounds per acre (0.56-2.52 kg/ha) applied three times at 2-week intervals from mid-August to mid-September [35]. Korostoff [17] reported that devil's walkingstick is controlled by cutting and application of herbicide to the stump. The most effective treatment reported by Loftis [20] is injection of stems larger than 2 inches in diameter with herbicide; basal sprays were ineffective on his study sites.
Establishment: Devil's walkingstick populations are maintained only on disturbed sites. When the overstory cover becomes thick enough, devil's walkingstick declines. Defoliation by gypsy moth infestation in Pennsylvania and Maryland resulted in an increase in stems per acre of devil's walkingstick, due both to injury of devil's walkingstick ramets and to release by removal of overstory [12]. Mowing or cutting of stems results in vigorous sprouting of new ramets from underground rhizomes and is recommended for maintenance of vigorous stands [14,15]. Fire also produces appropriate disturbances and stem damage, and could be used to maintain devil's walkingstick stands [36].
Table A1— Forest and range ecosystems, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) physiographic regions, Kuchler plant associations, Society for American Foresters (SAF) forest cover types, and Society for Rangeland Management (SRM) rangeland cover types in which this species occurs.
Forest and Range Ecosystems (Garrison et al. 1977)
- FRES12 Longleaf - slash pine
- FRES13 Loblolly - shortleaf pine
- FRES14 Oak - pine
- FRES15 Oak - hickory
- FRES16 Oak - gum - cypress
- FRES17 Elm - ash - cottonwood
- FRES18 Maple - beech - birch
BLM Physiographic Regions (Bernard and Brown 1977)
- 1 Northern Pacific Border
- 2 Cascade Mountains
- 5 Columbia Plateau
Kuchler Plant Associations (Kuchler 1964)
- K089 Black Belt
- K100 Oak - hickory forest
- K101 Elm - ash forest
- K102 Beech - maple forest
- K103 Mixed mesophytic forest
- K104 Appalachian oak forest
- K106 Northern hardwoods
- K107 Northern hardwoods - fir forest
- K108 Northern hardwoods - spruce forest
- K109 Transition between K104 and K106
- K110 Northeastern oak - pine forest
- K111 Oak - hickory - pine forest
- K112 Southern mixed forest
- K113 Southern floodplain forest
- K114 Pocosin
SAF Cover Types (Eyre 1980)
- 16 Aspen
- 17 Pin cherry
- 18 Paper birch
- 19 Gray birch - red maple
- 24 Hemlock - yellow birch
- 25 Sugar maple - beech - yellow birch
- 26 Sugar maple - basswood
- 27 Sugar maple
- 28 Black cherry - maple
- 40 Post oak - blackjack oak
- 44 Chestnut oak
- 52 White oak - black oak - northern red oak
- 57 Yellow-poplar
- 59 Yellow-poplar - white oak - northern red oak
- 60 Beech - sugar maple
- 63 Cottonwood
- 65 Pin oak - sweetgum
- 75 Shortleaf pine
- 76 Shortleaf pine - oak
- 80 Loblolly pine - shortleaf pine
- 81 Loblolly pine
- 82 Loblolly pine - hardwood
- 83 Longleaf pine - slash pine
- 87 Sweet gum - yellow-poplar
- 108 Red maple
- 109 Hawthorn
SRM Rangeland Cover Types (Shiflet 1994)
- No entry.
1. Artigas, Francisco J.; Boerner, Ralph E. J. 1989. Advance regeneration and seed banking of woody plants in Ohio pine plantations: implications for landscape change. Landscape Ecology. 2(3): 139-150. [13633]
2. Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p. [434]
3. Blair, Robert M.; Brunett, Louis E. 1976. Phytosociological changes after timber harvest in a southern pine ecosystem. Ecology. 57: 18-32. [9646]
4. Blum, Barton M. 1974. Aralia L. aralia. In: Schopmeyer, C. S., technical coordinator. Seeds of woody plants in the United States. Agric. Handb. 450. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: 220-222. [7459]
5. Dale, J. L. 1979. Mycoplasmalike organism observed in Aralia spinosa trees. Plant Disease Reporter. 63(6): 472-474. [20744]
6. Davidar, Priya; Morton, Eugene S. 1986. The relationship between fruit crop sizes and fruit removal rates by birds. Ecology. 67(1): 262-265. [20743]
7. Duncan, Wilbur H.; Duncan, Marion B. 1987. The Smithsonian guide to seaside plants of the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts from Louisiana to Massachusetts, exclusive of lower peninsular Florida. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press. 409 p. [12906]
8. Duncan, Wilbur H.; Duncan, Marion B. 1988. Trees of the southeastern United States. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia Press. 322 p. [12764]
9. Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p. [905]
10. Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others]. 1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998]
11. Gibson, David J.; Collins, Scott L.; Good, Ralph E. 1988. Ecosystem fragmentation of oak-pine forest in the New Jersey pinelands. Forest Ecology and Management. 25: 105-122. [8635]
12. Hix, David M.; Fosbroke, David E.; Hicks, Ray R., Jr.; Gottschalk, Kurt W. 1991. Development of regeneration following gypsy moth defoliation of Appalachian Plateau and Ridge & Valley hardwood stands. In: McCormick, Larry H.; Gottschalk, Kurt W., eds. Proceedings, 8th central hardwood forest conference; 1991 March 4-6; University Park, PA. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-148. Radnor, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station: 347-359. [15323]
13. Godfrey, Robert K. 1988. Trees, shrubs, and woody vines of northern Florida and adjacent Georgia and Alabama. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia Press. 734 p. [10239]
14. Hellgren, Eric C.; Vaughan, Michael R.; Stauffer, Dean F. 1991. Macrohabitat use by black bears in a southeastern wetland. Journal of Wildlife Management. 55(3): 442-448. [15420]
15. Hellgren, Eric C.; Vaughan, Michael R. 1988. Seasonal food habits of black bears in Great Dismal Swamp, Virginia - North Carolina. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. 42: 295-305. [19221]
16. Johnson, A. Sydney; Hillestad, Hilburn O.; Shanholtzer, Sheryl Fanning; Shanholtzer, G. Frederick. 1974. An ecological survey of the coastal region of Georgia. Scientific Monograph Series No 3, NPS 116. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 233 p. [16102]
17. Korostoff, Neil P. 1990. Urban ecosystem restoration: the case of the forested urban stream valley park. In: Hughes, H. Glenn; Bonnicksen, Thomas M., eds. Restoration '89: the new management challenge: Proceedings, 1st annual meeting of the Society for Ecological Restoration; 1989 January 16-20; Oakland, CA. Madison, WI: The University of Wisconsin Arboretum, Society for Ecological Restoration: 110-124. [14692]
18. Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York: American Geographical Society. 77 p. [1384]
19. Little, Elbert L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and naturalized). Agric. Handb. 541. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 375 p. [2952]
20. Loftis, David L. 1978. Preharvest herbicide control of undesirable vegetation in southern Appalachian hardwoods. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry. 2(2): 51-54. [10632]
21. Lyon, L. Jack; Stickney, Peter F. 1976. Early vegetal succession following large northern Rocky Mountain wildfires. In: Proceedings, Tall Timbers fire ecology conference and Intermountain Fire Research Council fire and land management symposium; 1974 October 8-10; Missoula, MT. No. 14. Tallahassee, FL: Tall Timbers Research Station: 355-373. [1496]
22. Platt, William J.; Schwartz, Mark W. 1990. Temperate hardwood forests. In: Myers, Ronald L.; Ewel, John J., eds. Ecosystems of Florida. Orlando, FL: University of Central Florida Press: 194-229. [17390]
23. Quarterman, Elsie; Keever, Catherine. 1962. Southern mixed hardwood forest: climax in the southeastern coastal plain, U.S.A. Ecological Monographs. 32: 167-185. [10801]
24. Radford, Albert E.; Ahles, Harry E.; Bell, C. Ritchie. 1968. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press. 1183 p. [7606]
25. Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p. [2843]
26. Runkle, James Reade. 1982. Patterns of disturbance in some old-growth mesic forests of eastern North American. Ecology. 63(5): 1533-1546. [9261]
27. Shotola, Steven J.; Weaver, G. T.; Robertson, P. A.; Ashby, W. C. 1992. Sugar maple invasion of an old-growth oak-hickory forest in southwestern Illinois. The American Midland Naturalist. 127(1): 125-138. [17581]
28. Smalley, Glendon W. 1991. Classification and evaluation of forest sites on the Natchez Trace State Forest, State Resort Park, & Wildlife Management Area in w. Tennessee. SO-85. New Orleans, LA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station. 73 p. [17981]
29. Smith, Edwin B. 1982. Juvenile and adult leaflet phases in Aralia spinosa (Araliaceae). SIDA. 9(4): 330-332. [19223]
30. Steinbeck, Klaus; Dougherty, Phillip M.; Fitzgerald, Judith A. 1991. Growth of pine-hardwood mixtures on two upland sites in the Georgia piedmont: initial crown area relationships. In: Coleman, Sandra S.; Neary, Daniel G., compilers. Proceedings, 6th biennial southern silvicultural research conference: Volume 2; 1990 October 30 - November 1; Memphis, TN. Gen. Tech. Rep. SE-70. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station: 607-615. [17504]
31. Stevens, George C.; Perkins, Anjeanette L. 1992. The branching habits and life history of woody plants. The American Naturalist. 139(2): 267-275. [17983]
32. Van Dersal, William R. 1938. Native woody plants of the United States, their erosion-control and wildlife values. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture. 362 p. [4240]
33. Vines, Robert A. 1960. Trees, shrubs, and woody vines of the Southwest. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. 1104 p. [7707]
34. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. 1982. National list of scientific plant names. Vol. 1. List of plant names. SCS-TP-159. Washington, DC. 416 p. [11573]
35. Wendel, G. W.; Kochenderfer, J. N. 1982. Glyphosate controls hardwoods in West Virginia. Res. Pap. NE-497. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 7 p. [9869]
36. White, Peter S. 1984. The architecture of devil's walking stick, Aralia spinosa (Araliaceae). Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. 65: 403-418. [19224]
37. White, Peter S. 1988. Prickle distribution in Aralia spinosa (Araliaceae). American Journal of Botany. 75(2): 282-285. [19222]
38. Wilson, Robert E. 1989. The vegetation of a pine-oak forest in Franklin County, Texas, and its comparison with a similar forest in Lamar County, Texas. Texas Journal of Science. 41(2): 167-176. [8771]
39. Thompson, Robert S.; Anderson, Katherine H.; Bartlein, Patrick J. 1999. Digital representations of tree species range maps from "Atlas of United States trees" by Elbert L. Little, Jr. (and other publications). In: Atlas of relations between climatic parameters and distributions of important trees and shrubs in North America. Denver, CO: U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services (Producer). On file at: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT; FEIS files. [92575]