Sun King Golden Japanese Spikenard (Aralia cordata 'Sun King')

Sun King Golden Japanese Spikenard (Aralia cordata 'Sun King') is a fast-growing perennial with a rounded habit and bold, toothed compound leaves. Foliage is golden yellow in part sun and shifts to chartreuse or lime green with more shade.

Tiny white flowers rise above the foliage in summer, followed by purple-black berries in fall. Pair its bright leaves with darker neighboring foliage for contrast.

Growing details

• Plant type: Perennial
• Mature size: 2.5–3 feet tall and wide
• Spacing: Approximately 3 feet apart
• Hardiness: USDA zones 4–8
• Light: Part sun to full shade; strongest golden color in part sun
• Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained acidic soil
• Flowers: Tiny white blooms in summer
• Fruit: Purple-black berries in fall
• Foliage: Toothed compound leaves, golden yellow to lime green depending on light

Care and garden use

This low-maintenance plant self-seeds and can naturalize, so monitor seedlings where spread is unwanted. Watch for aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, slugs, and snails.

Use as an accent or in grouped plantings, borders, naturalized areas, or containers. Pair with coral bells, hostas, or bleeding hearts for contrasting foliage and seasonal flowers.

Image credits: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Aralia cordata 'Sun King' kz2, CC BY-SA 4.0; photos courtesy of TERRA NOVA® Nurseries, Inc., Aralia ‘Sun King’. Plants naturally vary in appearance and may differ from the images shown.