Plant Min Zone: 3a
Plant Max Zone: 8a
Sunlight: Part Sun, Shade
Water / Rainfall: Average
Soil Quality: Average, Rich
Bloom Season: Summer, Late Summer
Flower Color: White
Berry / Fruit Color: Black
Spring Foliage Color: Chartreuse, Yellow
Summer Foliage Color: Chartreuse, Yellow
Fall Foliage Color: Chartreuse, Gold, Yellow
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: No
Scented Flowers: No
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: Medium
Wind Tolerance: Low, Medium
Poor Soil Tolerance: No Extreme Soils
Height: 2' - 3'
Width: 2' - 3'
Growth Rate: Medium, Fast
Service Life: Long: 5-10 years
Maintenance Need: Low
Spreading Potential: Medium
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Perennial to Ground Around First Fall Freeze: No Winter Interest.
Plant Grouping Size: Specimen Planting of 1-3, Small Grouping of 3-5, Medium Grouping of 5-10, Mass Planting of 10 or more
Best Side of House: East Exposure, North Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Base of Retaining Wall Locations, Resistant to Rabbits
Ornamental Features: Multiple Seasons of Interest, Large Tropical Foliage / Flowers, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: Groundcover
Possible Pest Problems: None
Plant Limitations: None
Sun King Aralia (Aralia cordata 'Sun King') is unique golden-leafed variety for the shade. The color will be brighter yellow and gold with pink leaf stalks in part sun, and more chartreuse or lime green in full shade. Tiny white flowers are insignificant and even a distraction to the gorgeous foliage. After blooming, deep purplish black, inedible berries are mildly attractive but not jaw-dropping. This unique perennial grows best in part to light shade tolerating mild drought, though if given consistent moisture it can also grow in mostly full sun. It prefers richly organic, deep loamy soil that is moist but well-drained. It typically dies back to the ground in early fall needing to be cut back then often leaving a late-season void in the garden. It re-emerges in spring to quickly form a beautiful shrub-like clump. Cold tolerance is no problem. It survived -16 degrees F and a week of single digit highs in February, 2021. No disease or pest problems other than late-season foliage decline. In Eastern Kansas, typically our 40 inches of rainfall is sufficient without extra water if planted in good soils. This is a must-have for the shade garden; combine with hostas, solomon's seal, helleborus, or ferns! Also great with shrubs such as boxwood or viburnum.