Devil's Walking Stick is a formidable deciduous shrub native to Missouri that commands attention with its ferocious armature of sharp spines covering stems, branches, and leaf stalks. Growing 10 to 15 feet tall in most gardens, though occasionally reaching 35 feet as a small tree, this suckering native thrives in hardiness zones 4 through 9 and produces showy white flowers in July and August followed by equally striking dark fruit that birds devour eagerly. Its common name, shared with the alternate moniker Hercules club, speaks to the respect these formidable spines deserve, yet the plant rewards gardeners who give it space with a bold architectural presence and remarkable toughness.
Partial Sun
Moderate
4-9
240in H x 120in W
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Low
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Devil's Walking Stick bristles with personality from every angle. Those fierce spines on every stem and leaf stalk make this shrub impossible to ignore, while its compound foliage creates a tropical-looking canopy unusual in temperate climates. The showy flower display in midsummer attracts no attention from humans but everything from the flower clusters themselves, which mature into striking fruit that birds flock to in late summer and fall. Best of all, once established it laughs at drought, poor soil, and urban grime, spreading by self-seeding and suckers into thickets that seem almost unstoppable.
Devil's Walking Stick serves primarily as a landscape shrub in gardens where its architectural spiny stems and bold foliage make dramatic statements, especially in naturalized settings or as a thicket-forming screen. Its dense growth habit and wildlife value have earned it a place in native plant gardens and restoration projects across eastern North America, particularly where its aggressive spreading tendency can be accommodated rather than contained.
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Transplant rooted plants or divisions into their permanent location in spring or fall. Space plants 6 to 10 feet apart to allow room for their ultimate spread.
Seeds can be sown directly in prepared seedbed in fall or spring; the plant spreads readily by self-seeding in appropriate conditions.
Pruning is generally unnecessary, though removing dead wood or stems damaged by winter keeps the plant tidy. The aggressive suckering habit means new stems arise readily from roots, so cutting back does not harm the plant. Prune selectively to control spread if the suckering and self-seeding become overwhelming, though many gardeners appreciate the natural thicket formation.
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“Native to the low upland woods, thickets, wooded slopes, bluffs and ravines of southeastern Missouri, Aralia spinosa has grown wild across eastern North America for millennia. Its presence in the native plant palette of the region speaks to its adaptation to both disturbed and undisturbed woodland edges, where its aggressive suckering habit allows it to colonize space rapidly. The plant's journey from forest understory to cultivation reflects broader recognition of native shrubs as valuable landscape plants, particularly those that require minimal intervention once established.”