Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured in photo below?
The answer to last week’s mystery is devil’s walking stick, Aurelia spinosa, pictured in photo below.
Devil’s walking stick is a deciduous tree/shrub with a viciously spiny trunk. It is native primarily to the eastern half of the US. A member of the ginseng family, it is sometimes called Hercules club, prickly ash, or angelica tree.
Devil’s walking sticks spread by rhizomes underground, creating clonal thickets. They are found in upland and lowland woods and prefer moist soils. They’re commonly found at edges of streams and are classified as shade intolerant. Devil’s walking sticks are used as a unique ornamental in landscape plantings thanks to its decorative foliage and large flower clusters, and distinctive Fall color.
They are monoecious, meaning the tree has both male and female flowers in large clusters. The adult flowers and fruit provide nectar and food for a variety of insects and wildlife. The flowers are panicles (about 12-18 inches) occurring at the end of the branches. They are aromatic with a lemony scent. Devil’s walking stick flowers have insane pollinator action!
Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.
