Devil's Walkingstick (plant #2)

KINGDOM: Plantae
PHYLUM:
CLASS:
ORDER:
FAMILY: Araliaceae (Ginseng family)
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Aralia spinosa
COMMON NAME: Devil's Walkingstick
NOTES OF INTEREST: Aptly named...the stem of this tree is covered with tiny, but extremely sharp prickles, some circling the stem in rings, some more irregularly spaced. Even though this specimen is not in bloom yet, we had no trouble identifying it. Blooms in summer with clusters of tiny white flowers, yielding round, juicy berries in autumn.
PHOTO TAKEN: March 28, 2009