Aralia cordata 'Sun King' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Golden Japanese spikenard

Aralia cordata 'Sun King'

£21.99
Very hardyShade-tolerantLoved by pollinators
Pot size
17cm / 2L £21.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

Complete the set up
Description

Aralia cordata 'Sun King', the golden Japanese spikenard, lights up shade with big, golden-yellow compound leaves. It forms a rounded, clump-forming perennial about 1.2m tall and wide. With a few hours of sun the leaves hold their gold all summer; in deeper shade they turn lime-green. It is also the udo of Japanese cooking: the young spring shoots are blanched and eaten as a vegetable, with a fresh, celery-like flavour.

It is fully hardy, rated RHS H7. The top growth dies back in autumn and the crown regrows in spring, so there is nothing to protect over winter. Spikes of tiny white flowers in late summer are visited by bees and followed by purple-black berries that birds eat; it is the shoots, not the berries, that go in the kitchen.

Plant it in moist but well-drained soil, out of strong winds that damage the large leaves. It brings colour to shady corners and makes a bright partner for green foliage in exotic borders.

What you receive: a plant in a 17cm, 2 litre pot.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

Find out more

What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

Best quality plants guaranteed
7 day live arrival guarantee
Delivered to your door with care
Earn 109 points with this plant · 5 points per £1 Join free

How to care for Golden Japanese spikenard

Plant me in full sun and the coldest UK winters do not worry me.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
Get to know me

About Golden Japanese spikenard

Aralia cordata 'Sun King' needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is very hardy, standing the coldest UK winters outdoors.

Good for

Exotic Borders Shade

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H7 · Hardy Exotic · below −20°C

RHS H7, hardy below -20°C. As a herbaceous perennial it dies back to the ground in autumn and regrows from its rhizomatous crown in spring, so it needs no winter protection. Cut the dead stems to the ground once it has died back. See more hardy exotics that take a UK winter in their stride.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeSheltered

Full sun to partial shade. A few hours of sun keeps the leaves gold; deeper shade turns them lime-green. Shelter it from strong winds, which damage the large leaves. It is one of the brightest plants for shade we offer.

Soil

ClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAlkaline pHNeutral pH

Moist but well-drained clay, loam or sand, neutral to alkaline. It sits well alongside our other hardy perennials in a moisture-retentive border.

Watering

Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Cut the dead stems to the ground in autumn after it dies back. Read moreShow less

Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Cut the dead stems to the ground in autumn after it dies back.

Mature size

Height1.2 m
Spread1.2 m

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Late summer · White

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

No formal pruning. Cut the dead stems back to the ground in autumn once the plant has died back after fruiting.

Toxicity

Berries are inedible to people. (The young shoots of the species are eaten as a vegetable in Japan, but the berries are not edible.)

Native range

Temperate East Asia: Japan, Korea and China (species)

Family

Araliaceae

Also known as

Aralia cordata 'Sun King'

Genus

Aralia
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Japanese spikenard?

Japanese spikenard, also called udo or mountain asparagus, is Aralia cordata, a large herbaceous perennial from Japan, Korea and China. 'Sun King' is its golden-leaved form, found in Japan and introduced to the US by plantsman Barry Yinger. It was the Perennial Plant Association's Perennial Plant of the Year in 2020.

Does Aralia 'Sun King' like sun or shade?

It takes full sun to partial shade. A few hours of sun keeps the leaves golden through summer, while in deeper shade they turn lime-green. It is one of the most useful gold-leaved plants for shade.

How do I care for Aralia cordata 'Sun King'?

Plant it in moist but well-drained soil in a sheltered spot, out of strong winds that damage the leaves. No formal pruning is needed: cut the dead stems to the ground in autumn after it dies back. Watch for aphids.

Is Aralia 'Sun King' hardy?

Yes. It is rated RHS H7, hardy below -20°C. The top growth dies back in autumn and the crown regrows in spring, so it needs no winter protection.

Does Aralia 'Sun King' flower?

Yes. In August and September it carries spikes of tiny white flowers that bees and other pollinators visit, followed by small purple-black berries in autumn. The berries are inedible to people but eaten by birds. See more plants for pollinators.

How big does Aralia 'Sun King' grow?

Around 1.2m tall and 1.2m wide, as a rounded clump from a rhizomatous crown. That size makes it a strong focal plant in exotic borders.

Are your plants treated with pesticides?
We aim to avoid using pesticides where possible, but we can't control the whole supply chain.

If the plant is going into a vivarium, terrarium or aquarium with live animals, rinse the leaves and roots well, remove any soil and let the plant dry out before adding it. We'd also suggest keeping it away from animals for a month first.
Can I see a photo of the exact plant I'll receive?
We're not able to send photos of individual plants or let you choose a specific one, as plants are selected by our team when your order is packed. Our photos show the variety and the kind of plant you can expect, and yours may vary a little in height, shape or fullness.

If a size has a code next to it, such as 9cm / B2, you're buying the exact plant pictured.
Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

Verified reviews

Rated by real customers

You may also like

We recommend
Aralia cordata 'Sun King'
£21.99