Quercus

Devil's-walkingstick

Aralia spinosa

Native to South Carolina (estimated)

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

12CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including SC

Genus host records with ranges including SC · Aralia

  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
  • Celastrina ladonSpring Azure
  • Celastrina neglectaSummer Azure
  • Coelostathma discopunctanaThe Batman Moth
  • Dichomeris juncidellaOrange-Dotted Dichomeris
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
  • Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
  • Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
Show all 12
  • Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
13BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Aralia

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
6BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Aralia

  • Hylocichla mustelinaWood Thrush
  • Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
  • Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
  • Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
  • Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
  • Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Araliaceae
Hardiness
Zones 4a–9b
Flower color
Cream or white
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Several stems
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
Summer
Fruit ends
Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Devil's walkingstick; Devils Walking Stick; Hercules Club

Conservation status

South Carolina rankNot available
Global rankG5
SC statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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Sources