Castor-aralia, Haragiri, Tree-aralia                kal-oh-PAN-aks sep-TEM-lo-bus

• Broadleaf deciduous tree, 40-60 ft (12-18 m) tall and a similar spread, sparingly branched, branches stout, with numerous prickles (i.e., "thorns").  Leaves alternate, simple, 18-15 cm long, larger on young trees, 5 to 7 shallow lobes more or less triangular shaped, long pointed, leaf base cordate or rounded to nearly truncate, margin serrate, glossy, dark green; turn dull yellow to red in fall.  Flowers small, white to yellowish green, arranged in small clusters (1-2.5 cm) that combine to form terminal clusters (panicles) that are 30-60 cm across.  Fruit dark blue to black at maturity, globose, 3-5 mm across, contains 2 seeds.
• Sun, adaptable to most moist soils.  Reportedly intolerant of hot and humid summers.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 4      Native to Japan, Korea, China and far eastern Russia.
• septemlobus: 7 lobes.