woodland wildflower

Wild sarsaparilla

Aralia nudicaulis

Native to much of the USA and Canada

Transcontinental Canada, south to Georgia mountains, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota and northwestern Montana

Light Full sun to shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Moist Moisture preference
Zones 2–8 Cold to heat range
Bloom May–Jun Flowering time
Height up to 2 ft to 0.6 m
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

In the garden

A woodland wildflower for sun through shade and evenly moist soil. Its white flowers peak in May. At up to 2 ft, it suits shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 2–8.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Wild sarsaparilla's white flowers bloom May to June, peaking in May. This early-spring ephemeral draws bees and flower flies.

Wild sarsaparilla blooms white, green & brownFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Tricolored Bumble Bee

also Perplexing Bumble Bee, Half-black Bumble Bee, Orange-legged Furrow Bee +8 more
Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee, Yellow-banded Bumble Bee, Bristle Sweat Bee, Bare Dogwood Miner, Cresson's Sweat Bee, W-labrum Miner, Wheeler's Miner Bee, Quebec Sweat Bee
Flower flies Hairy-eyed Bee-mimic Fly also Confusing Wood Fly, Thick-waisted Pufftail, Cheilosia tristis
Beetles Trachysida aspera also Evodinus monticola
Also visited by
- Butterflies: Northern Azure, Juvenal's Duskywing
- Moths: White-striped Black

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: Much of the USA and CanadaUnited States (32): CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV. Canada (12): AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, NT, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: Transcontinental Canada, south to Georgia mountains, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota and northwestern MontanaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Full sun to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 2–8 · Canadian 1–8The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Poorer, relatively dry, soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 5.0–7.2The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Salinity tolerance: NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: MediumHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 2 ft (to 0.6 m)Typical mature height.
Spread: ~1 ft (0.3 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 10+ in (25+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: May–JunWhen it flowers.
Flower color: White, Green, BrownThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Jun–AugThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Required (cold, moist)Whether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: Container, sprigsHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~0.1 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: ModerateWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.