Common Name: Udo

General Information

Aralia cordata is a herbaceous, perennial plant growing from 150 - 200cm tall from a stout, horizontal rootstock[]..
Udo is a commonly cultivated food crop in Japan, where it is grown for its edible shoots[, , ]. It is also used medicinally and is said to be a substitute for ginseng[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea

Habitat

Thickets and thin woods, esp. by streams and ravines, all over Japan[, ]. Shaded places in forests, grasslands on slopes; at elevations from 1,300 - 1,600 metres in southern and eastern China[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.80 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants are very cold-tolerant when dormant, and should also succeed in subtropical areas and at higher elevations in the tropics[]. Dormant plants are hardy to about -25°c[] - though the young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[].
Prefers a good deep loam and a semi-shady position[, ]. Requires a sheltered position[]. Plants are hardier when grown in poorer soils[]. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.0 to 7.4.
There are several named varieties[, , , ].

Edible Uses

Young branched shoots - cooked or raw[, , , , , ]. They can be up to 1.5 metres long and have a mild and agreeable flavour[]. They are usually blanched and are crisp and tender with a unique lemon-like flavour[]. They can be sliced and added to salads, soups etc[]. The shoots contain about 1.1% protein, 0.42% fat, 0.8% soluble carbohydrate, 0.55% ash[].

Root - cooked[, , ]. Used like scorzonera[].

Medicinal

The root is sometimes used in China as a substitute for ginseng (Panax species)[]. It is said to be analgesic, antiinflammatory, carminative, diuretic, febrifuge, stimulant, stomachic and tonic[, ]. The root contains an essential oil, saponins, sesquiterpenes and diterpene acids[]. It is used in Korea to treat the common cold and migraines[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 - 5 months of cold stratification. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 4 months at 20°c[]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Once the plants are 25cm or more tall, they can be planted out into their permanent positions, late spring or early summer being the best time to do this.
Root cuttings 8cm long, early winter in a cold frame[, ]. Store the roots upside down in sand and pot up in early to mid spring. High percentage[].
Division of suckers in late winter[]. Very easy, the suckers can be planted out direct into their permanent positions if required.