Five-fingered aralia (Eleutherococcus sieboldianus)
Common names: Five-fingered aralia, fiveleaf aralia, ginseng
Family: Araliaceae
Form: Perennial shrub
History & Introduction
Five-fingered aralia (Eleutherococcus sieboldianus) is a shrub native to southeast China, where it grows in woodland understories and forest edges. It gets its name from its palmate leaves, which contain five leaflets and resemble hands. It is also referred to as ginseng, but is not a member of the genus Panax, which contains true ginsengs.
Five-fingered aralia is culturally significant in East Asia, and is an important edible and medicinal plant. Although ecological and medical research on this species remains limited, some studies have investigated its potential anti-diabetic properties (Nishina et al. 2017; Tabuchi et al. 2003).
Five-fingered aralia was introduced to North America via the horticultural industry and is known for its hardiness. It is often used in natural barriers and hedges, and its variegated form is sought after for its distinctive leaf pattern. This species is now naturalized in the American northeast and midwest, as well as Canada, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.
Biology & Identification
Five-fingered aralia is a deciduous perennial shrub in the ginseng or ivy family, Araliaceae. As an understory plant, it thrives in forests, woodland edges, and other shady habitats. Due to its resilience, it also tolerates urban conditions.
Five-fingered aralia may be confused for the native Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), whose leaves are also palmate with five leaflets. It can be distinguished from Virginia creeper by its form, growing as a shrub rather than a vine.
FORM: A shrub reaching a maximum height of 10 feet. The branches of younger individuals form arches, whereas the branches of mature plants grow more upright. The bark is light brown or gray-brown, and the internodes are lined with small thorns.
LEAVES: Palmate, compound, alternate leaves, typically with 5 leaflets. The leaflets are obovate and have toothed margins. Thorns are present at the leaf nodes, in addition to the internodes.
FLOWERS: Small (<1 inch in diameter), with five greenish-white petals. They are arranged in umbels and are somewhat inconspicuous. They bloom in May and June.
FRUITS: Fleshy drupes that are black when ripe. They are small, about 1/4 inch in diameter. Fruit may be absent since five-fingered aralia is dioecious, and naturalized populations often contain only one sex.
Damage and Concerns
Five-fingered aralia outcompetes native understory plants, reduces the quality of wildlife habitat, and heavily shades the forest floor in its invaded range. Once established, it spreads by suckers and may form large, dense thickets. Thickets may also expand by tip-layering, whereby arching stems take root after touching the ground. In addition to this species’ ecological threats, its thorns are hazardous and impede management.
These impacts have been documented in a number of US states. In the LIISMA region, five-fingered aralia has mostly been reported in New York City, however a recent report has been confirmed in Suffolk County. Continued sale of this plant may lead to introductions on Long Island and beyond.
Management
Manual removal may be sufficient for small individuals if the root suckers are effectively removed. This can be done by digging them up or removing them with a weed wrench. For larger infestations, chemical control is recommended, as glyphosate or triclopyr are effective at targeting underground structures. Cut stump treatments may be useful, and successful management following foliar applications of 2% glyphosate have also been documented (Conover 2017). Follow all label instructions when utilizing chemical control.
Care should be taken when discarding fragments of five-fingered aralia, as they readily take root. It is recommended to dispose of fragments after solarization (exposing removed plants to high heat in a trash bag or under a tarp).
Monitoring and Reporting
Five-fingered aralia is a Tier 3 species in the LIISMA region and a priority for containment. If you find this species, we invite you to upload your observation to iMapinvasives or iNaturalist. Your photos help us detect emerging invasive species and stop the spread! You can also upload your observation to our website here.
Sources
Conover, D. G. (2017). Foliar spraying with Glyphosate kills invasive five-leaf aralia in a wooded natural area (Ohio). Ecological Restoration, 35(2), 85-86.
Michigan State University. (n.d.). Five leaf aralia (Eleutherococcus sieboldianus). Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN).
https://learn.misin.msu.edu/webapp/facts/detail/?project=misin&id=268&cname=Five+leaf+aralia
Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Plant Finder.
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=246011
Native Plant Trust. (n.d.). Eleutherococcus pentaphyllus (five-leaved-aralia). Go Botany.
https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/eleutherococcus/pentaphyllus/
Nishina, A., Itagaki, M., Suzuki, Y., Koketsu, M., Ninomiya, M., Sato, D., … & Kimura, H. (2017). Effects of flavonoids and triterpene analogues from leaves of Eleutherococcus sieboldianus (Makino) Koidz.‘Himeukogi’in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Molecules, 22(4), 671.
North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Eleutherococcus sieboldianus. Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/eleutherococcus-sieboldianus/
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online.
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:90437-1
Tabuchi, M., Tamura, A., & Yamada, N. (2003). Effect of Ukogi (Acanthopanax sieboldianus) leaves on glucose tolerance in rats with neonatally induced streptozotocin (type 2) diabetes.
The Morton Arboretum. (n.d.). Siebold’s shrub-ginseng.
https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/siebolds-shrub-ginseng/#overview
