Plants › ivy family
wild sarsaparilla
Aralia nudicaulis
29 photos
Study shows up to four per card, from different observers, so you learn the species rather than one picture. Heart the good ones and swap any you do not like.
Photos you add are credited to you, and you keep the copyright.
Easily confused with
eastern poison ivyToxicodendron radicans
bristly sarsaparillaAralia hispida
American spikenardAralia racemosa
western poison ivyToxicodendron rydbergii
American ginsengPanax quinquefolius
wide leekAllium tricoccum
white ashFraxinus americana
red-berried elderSambucus racemosa
Study checks a spoken answer against these, and tells you which one you named.
Where it is recorded
| United States | 34,163 |
|---|---|
| Canada | 24,974 |
| Ontario | 10,703 |
| Massachusetts | 4,812 |
| New Hampshire | 3,962 |
| Maine | 3,624 |
| New York | 3,504 |
| British Columbia | 3,077 |
| Nova Scotia | 3,074 |
| Alaska | 3,039 |
Counts show where people looked, not only where it lives.
Traits
Group and habits
- Human edibleListed as edible by a harvested source. This is a research trait, not foraging advice.Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species
- Medicinal useListed as having medicinal use by a harvested source. This is not medical advice.Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species
- Restoration or landscaping useListed as being used for restoration, landscaping, ornamental planting, erosion control, soil improvement, shade, windbreaks, pollution indicators, or wastewater purification.Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species
- Subshrub growth formListed by a harvested source as having a subshrub growth form.USDA PLANTS Characteristics
- Forb or herb growth formListed by a harvested source as having a forb or herbaceous growth form.USDA PLANTS Characteristics
- Perennial plantListed by a harvested source as having a perennial life duration.USDA PLANTS Characteristics
Edibility, toxicity and medicinal traits are records from datasets, not advice. Never eat, handle or use a wild species on the strength of an app.
Classification
| Kingdom | Plants · Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Vascular Plants · Tracheophyta |
| Class | Dicots · Magnoliopsida |
| Order | carrots, ivies, and allies · Apiales |
| Family | ivy family · Araliaceae |
| Genus | spikenards · Aralia |
Study it in a deck
- Edible in Baltimore County
- Edible plants of Glacier National Park, Montana, Bulgaria
- Medicinal Plants of Baltimore County
- Native Plants of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Survival in Maryland
- Trees of Maryland
Or build your own from the species near you.
Sources
- Names, taxonomy and observation counts: www.inaturalist.org
- Photos and recordings: the creator and source are on each one.
- Traits: Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species (CC BY 4.0)
- Traits: USDA PLANTS Characteristics (U.S. Government work / public domain)
- How much to rely on each source
Remember the name next time.
Practise wild sarsaparilla with real photos from different observers. Say the name out loud, and it comes back just before you would forget it.