‘Sun King’ Golden aralia

‘Sun King’ Aralia in Baltimore, Maryland Garden

Plants with golden foliage brighten up a dark area in the garden. Sun King golden aralia (Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’) is no exception, hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3-9.  Bright golden compound leaves emerge in mid-spring and Sun King aralia retains its bright color through the summer months.

This long-lived perennial grows 4 to 6 feet high and 3 to 4 feet wide. New growth emerges in mid-spring and growth rate is rapid; foliage dies back in late autumn. Many small clusters of tiny white flowers emerge, borne on 2 feet tall racemes in mid-summer. Lustrous purplish-black berries follow in early fall.

Sun King makes a bold almost tropical statement in a shade garden. Grow it in a compost-rich moist soil and in ½ day sunlight (morning sun preferred). It adapts to a wide soil pH range. The foliage will likely burn in full day sun. In zones 8 and 9, grow in dappled sunlight all day long to escape foliage burn. Aralia should be irrigated during long summer dry spells.

Sun King aralia mixes well in containers along with green and other brightly colored foliage plants. It combines with variegated Solomon seals, hostas, lungworts (Pulmonaria spp.), coral bells (Heuchera spp.), and astilbes. Golden aralia is deer resistant and its tiny white flowers in late summer attract numerous honeybees.

A native of Japan, Korea, and China, ‘Sun King’ aralia was introduced to the U.S. by Barry Yinger. Tony Avent at Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, NC says: “Aralia ‘Sun King’ is one of the most amazing new perennial introductions in the last decade”.