elk clover
Aralia californica
USDA zones7 to 9
SunHandles partial sun to full shade
WaterHandles moderate to moist soil
Size6 to 10 feet tall6 to 10 feet wide
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- White
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Elk clover (Aralia californica) is a perennial for low maintenance gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 7, or down to 0°F (-18°C). This plant likes part sun to full shade and average to moist, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. White blooms open in summer and again in autumn, and they draw butterflies, bees, and birds. Deer tend to pass it by. It grows 71 to 122 inches tall and wide, so give it room.
Pairs well with Wild ginger, Pacific bleeding heart, Redwood, and Fringe cups.
Native range
CA and OR.