Aralia spinosa
Devil's walking stick
Aralia spinosa, commonly known as prickly angelica, is a resilient perennial native to North America. Characterized by its thorny stems and compound leaves, this plant holds significant ethnobotanical value. Traditionally used by various indigenous cultures, it offers diverse medicinal properties, particularly for addressing respiratory issues and inflammatory conditions.
- Scientific name: Aralia spinosa
- Family: Araliaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is placed in the order Apiales and the family Araliaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Aralia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Apiales | WCVP |
| Family | Araliaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Aralia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Aralia spinosa, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In Scottish Gaelic, it is simply called Aralia, while in Russian, it is known as Аралия колючая. In Azerbaijani, the name used is Tikanlı araliya, and in Arabic, it is identified as أراليا شوكية. Additionally, in Bulgarian, it is commonly called бодлива аралия.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| gl | Aralia | Wikidata |
| ru | Аралия колючая | Wikidata |
| az | Tikanlı araliya | Wikidata |
| ar | أراليا شوكية | Wikidata |
| bg | бодлива аралия | Wikidata |
| hr | Vražji štap | Wikidata |
| arz | اراليا شوكيه | Wikidata |
| en | devil's walking stick | Wikidata |
| en | Angelica-tree | Wikidata |
| en | Hercules' club | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution that spans across both Europe and North America. In Southeastern Europe, it can be found growing in Albania. Moving to North America, the species is well-established throughout several states in the North-Central U.S.A. specifically within Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. Additionally, its presence extends further south into the North-Central U.S.A. region of Oklahoma. Consequently, the habitat of Aralia spinosa covers diverse territories across these different continents.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Europe | Albania | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Illinois | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Iowa | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Missouri | WCVP |
| North-Central U.S.A. | Oklahoma | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | Connecticut | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | Indiana | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | Massachusetts | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | Michigan | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | New Jersey | WCVP |
Activities
Aralia spinosa has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiseptic.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antiseptic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Aralia spinosa has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include wound infections.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| wound infections | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |