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