Japanese asparagus
Aralia cordata

Family: Araliaceae

What it is like

A stout herb. It grows 2.4 m high and spreads 2.4 m wide. The leaves are large and compound. The leaflets are round and 1 cm long. They have fine teeth. Each year it produces edible shoots from its roots. The flowers are in large panicles. The fruit are black. They are 3 mm across.

There are about 40-55 Aralia species. Chemical composition - Protein = 1.1%. Fat = 0.42%. Carbohydrate (soluble) = 0.8%. Ash = 0.55%.

Where it is found

It is a warm temperate plant. It suits hardiness zones 8-10.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Canada, China, Japan (country/location of origin), Korea, Russia, Taiwan, Tasmania, USA

How it is used for food

The shoots are briefly boiled then added to salads or cooked more and used in other dishes. The roots are eaten like parsnips.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is an important vegetable in Japan.

Edible parts

Leaves, stalks, vegetable, shoots, root

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or by division. The young shoots are kept covered with soil to blanch them.

Its other names

Local names

Cimakina, Japanese Spikenard, Mountain asparagus, Oudo, Tu dang gui, Udo

Synonyms

Aralia edulis Siebold & Zucc.;