Under Appreciated Native Genera: Aralia

Spikenards (Aralia) are common members of Eastern North America flora in the Ginseng family. American Ginseng is notoriously picky about site conditions and and Dwarf Ginseng (Panax trifolius) is rarely available in the trade. Many other Ginseng family members are invasive (Ivies) or inconspicuous aquatic plants like Pennyworts. Spikenards, on the other hand, can be grown fairly easily and are in the trade if you're willing to look for them. Like much of our flora, it has close relatives in eastern Asia where, in this case, the Ginseng family evolved (the eastern North American–eastern Asian disjunction).

American Spikenard (Aralia racemosa). This is probably the most garden adaptable plant on this list and one of our largest herbaceous forest plants–great for a shaded spot where you want something bush-shaped that also disappears during winter. If you can picture Hydrangea arborescens in a spot and want something different, consider planting American Spikenard instead. Provides berries for birds.

Devil's Walkingstick (Aralia spinosa). Deer resistant, adaptable, provides berries for birds, and can be used as impromptu weapon–what's not to love. It's like a more wicked sumac and would do well on the forest edge of larger properties. There is unfortunately a closely related invasive Japanese Angelica Tree (Aralia elata) that can share the same habitat–so it's a good idea to confirm you found Aralia spinosa before collecting seed. Host plant for the globally rare Papaipema araliae

Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis). A nice forest understory plant that was historically used to make root beer. It would do well in a forest setting where it will form colonies and could potentially be used as a ground cover in dry shade. Oddly difficult to source in my experience despite how common it is in the wild.

Bristly Sarsaparilla (Aralia hispida). I have not personally seen this plant for sale or in the wild. It's apparently strongly fire dependent for reproduction and may not be as common in some regions as it was historically.