Sun King Aralia

Move over Impatiens! Make room for the exceptionally colorful foliage of Sun King Aralia (Aralia cordata 'Sun King'). This clump-forming, rounded perennial brightens shady corners, and takes Canadian-style cold and Houston-level heat.

This improved cultivar of Golden Japanese Spikenard is native to shady forested areas. The large leaves of this rugged filler plant add a lot of pizzazz to "ho-hum" areas.

The bright gold leaves are finely toothed, and brilliantly colored. Use in multiples to cheer up an otherwise dim and gloomy garden bed. Create a memorable massed display under mature trees.

Sun King featured arched, highly textured, pointed leaves and sharply contrasting reddish-brown stems. With its sculptural, freeform habit, it enlivens your woodland plantings of Fern and Hosta!

The serrated leaves are pointed at the end, with a decidedly tropical appearance. In late summer, they produce tiny white flowers on spikes, which develop into decorative deep purple berries.

Humans can't eat the berries, but birds do! They also add an amazing designer touch in your fall landscape.

Rely on the Sun King Aralia to boost the appeal of any areas in part shade or full shade. It works hard to accent either residential or commercial settings.

No wonder this tough, easy-care plant won the 2020 Perennial Plant of the Year award! Order Sun King Aralia today!

How to Use Sun King Aralia in the Landscape

This is an outstanding deciduous perennial to fill your woodland garden with bold color. Use them as a large focal point on the east side of your house, or in a naturalized area for a stunning effect.

These plants complement both the rounded leaves of Hosta and the airy leaves of Ferns. A single plant makes an exceptional specimen, and looks gorgeous as a drift, long row, or mass planting.

For a solid fill of color, plant them two feet apart on center. You’ll measure from the center of one to the center of the next.

To fill bare ground, create a mass planting. Add additional rows in a zigzagging planting pattern, then add mulch between plants until they grow together. Keep new mass plantings weeded.

You'll love the soft fullness these gorgeous plants give to your planting beds. They are absolutely delightful in the landscape.

#ProPlantTips for Care

Sun King Aralia loves a spot in the shade. Only in Zones 4 or 5 should you attempt a full-sun placement—and then only if you give regular water.

They develop a more chartreuse color in shade, and brighten to showy yellow with at least four hours of direct sunlight. Morning sun and afternoon shade are the ticket to success with these award-winning plants.

It appreciates humus-rich soil that is well-drained and uniformly moist. In dry soils, be sure to mulch heavily and provide supplemental water if you don't receive enough rain.

Sun King dies back to the ground each winter. For a clean look, cut last year's foliage back to a few inches above the ground early, before it emerges in spring. In some countries, the new shoots are blanched and enjoyed, much like Asparagus. Wildcraft to your heart's content, or let them fill into their allotted space as a low mound of bright color.

Brilliant color, outstanding plant award-winning, and easy-care… what more could you ask for? Spark up your low-light areas with the high-impact, personality-plus of Sun King Aralia. Order yours today!