Wild Sarsaparilla

Wild Sarsaparilla

Aralia nudicaulis L.

Araliaceae

Wild sarsaparilla growing at Cootes Paradise showing leaf venation; caution when there are only three leaflets on the leaves to not mistake poison ivy for wild sarsaparilla, photo credit J. Dolan 2022

Names and Their Meanings

Wild Sarsaparilla - Aralia nudicaulis

Kanienʼkéha

tsyotere'se'kó:wa, yonekó:wa, tsyawenséhsha, otsyawénhsa

Anishinaabemowin

waaboos-odji-bik, waabooz jiibik

French

Aralie à tige nue, Salsepareille, chassepareille

Wild sarsaparilla growing at Cootes Paradise; note characteristic “turtleneck” around base of the stem, at the root, photo credit J. Dolan 2022

Wild sarsaparilla herbarium specimen collected by Mia Yu Zhao Ni and David Botcherby, 2022

Wild sarsaparilla has reddish-brown, shiny leaves when young; note umbel flower heads that spread in a spherical shape, photo credit YZ Ni 2022

Wild sarsaparilla growing at Cootes Paradise, photo credit J. Dolan 2022

Wild sarsaparilla has reddish-brown, shiny leaves when young; note umbel flower heads that spread in a spherical shape, photo credit YZ Ni 2022

Wild sarsaparilla berries in a spherical shape, photo credit YZ Ni 2022

Conservation Status

S5 (Secure) in Ontario, Québec and New York.