Product Description
Aralia cordata 'Sun King '
Common Name: Golden Japanese Spikenard.
2020 Perennial Plant of the Year
'Sun King ' emerges mid-spring with bright gold leaves on contrasting reddish brown stems. With at least a few hours of sun a day, the foliage will remain yellow all summer. In heavier shade, the foliage ranges from chartreuse to lime green. In mid to late summer, interesting racemes of tiny white flowers are produced followed by deep purplish black, inedible berries.
An excellent tropical-looking complement to Hostas and woodland perennials, the flowers attract honeybees. Herbaceous perennial quickly forms a large clump of foliage. It typically grows three feet tall and wide, though many reported it will grow larger over time.
This unique perennial grows best in part to light shade, though if given consistent moisture it can also grow in full sun. It prefers richly organic, deep loamy soil that is moist but well-drained. This plant is not drought tolerant. It typically dies back to the ground in winter and re-emerges in spring to quickly form a shrub-like clump.
Resists deer browsing!
- Remains yellow in part shade; chartreuse to lime green in heavy shade
- Tiny white flowers give way to purple-black berries in fall
Height: 3.0 Feet
Spread: 3.0 Feet
Hardiness Zones: 3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Flower Color: White Shades
Foliage Color: Green shades, Yellow shades
Part Shade (4-6 hrs. Direct Sun)
Average to Consistent Water Needs
Average to Fertile Soil Quality
Bloomtime: Midsummer - Late Summer
Deer and Rabbit Resistant
Growth Rate: Medium to Rapid
Border Plant, Attractive Foliage, Specimen, Focal Point
Other Details
The most important part of the plant is its root system. Healthy roots are the foundation of a healthy, vibrant plant. The type of plug container used is based on the specific needs of the plants. Perennials offered as bare root traditionally perform better when planted as bare root.Planted in a specialized mix, potted plants have well established root systems. Top growth stage will vary depending on the current life cycle and time of year when shipped. In Winter and early Spring dormant plants may be shipped. Dormant plants may be planted right away, even before the last frost date.
Most bare root varieties are field grown for at least one season, though Hemerocallis and Hosta are grown for two seasons. The bulk of the soil is removed during the harvesting process and the tops of most varieties are trimmed back to the crown. They are graded, packed in shredded aspen or sphagnum moss and stored in freezers until ready to be shipped.
See our Container Sizes and Bare Root Perennials pages for more information.
Plant information and care is provided in the Overview section, Plant Genus Page and general information is provided in the Planting Care & Guides. Additional questions can be asked on each Plant page.
Plant Spacing: Using the maximum mature spread or width of a plant to guide spacing, ensures space to grow to full size. To fill an area sooner, plant them closer together. Just remember, future thinning or transplanting may be needed.
Water: Keep a close eye on newly planted perennials, especially throughout the first growing year. Most early plant loss is due to too much or too little water!
