Photos: © Robin Baranowski

The June ARIWF Mystery Plant is a lovely perennial subshrub ranging from 1 to 3 feet in height, that grows in dry woods, roadsides and sandy fields, often in full sun. Its twice-compound leaves with sharply serrate margins alternate along bristly stems. The round flower clusters are composed of individual 5-parted 1/8 inch diameter greenish to creamy white flowers. The purplish black fruit resemble blueberries but are not edible.

It is…

Botanical Name: Aralia hispida
Common Name: bristly sarsaparilla
Family: Araliaceae
Habitat: sandy fields, dry woodlands and roadsides

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