Aralia nudicaulis (Fr: aralie à tige nue| En: wild sarsaparilla)

Wild Sarsaparilla

Aralia nudicaulis
Alternative names: False Sarsaparilla, Wild Root Beer
French: Aralie à tige nue, Salsepareille

Aralia nudicaulis, or Wild Sarsaparilla, is a native woodland groundcover that forms large colonies across the forest floor of hardwood forests and floodplains. In early spring, it emerges with striking red-tinged leaves, offering one of the season’s first colourful bursts in shady understories.

Its umbrella-like foliage, typically made up of three leaflets, sometimes causes confusion with poison ivy among the untrained eye—but this plant is completely harmless. In June and July, small, ball-shaped clusters of white flowers emerge on separate stalks, providing an important early nectar source for bees and other native pollinators. By late summer, these are replaced with deep blue to purple berries that are eagerly eaten by birds and small mammals.

The plant spreads by underground rhizomes, making it excellent for shady, moist gardens or understory restoration projects. While the aboveground parts die back by midsummer, its presence remains vital to forest ecology.

Height: 20–40 cm
Bloom time: June to July
Light: Shade to part-shade
Moisture: Moderate to moist
Soil: Adaptable; prefers organically rich forest soils
Habitat: Hardwood forests, floodplains
Ecological benefits: Early nectar for pollinators, berries for birds and mammals, stabilizing groundcover
Edible: Aromatic rhizomes historically used as flavouring, similar to sarsaparilla (not recommended for use)