Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Oplopanax horridus
devil's-club
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Widely distributed throughout the forested areas on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Oregon, east to Alberta and Montana, also in the Great Lakes region.

Habitat: Moist woods at mid-elevations, especially along streams.

Flowers: May-July

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees

Description:
General:

Deciduous shrub 1-3 m. tall, the thick stems, petioles, and leaf veins densely armed with yellowish spines 5-10 mm. long.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, petiolate, the blades palmately 7- to 9-lobed, 1-3.5 dm. broad, cordate based, irregularly twice-serrate, about equaled by the petioles.

Flowers:

Flowers 5-6 mm. long in sub-sessile, capitate umbels borne in elongate racemes or panicles up to 2.5 dm. long; sepals 5, tiny; petals 5, greenish-white; ovary inferior, 2 celled; styles 2, distinct; stamens 5, longer than the petals.

Fruits:

Berry bright red, 5-8 mm. long, flattened.

Accepted Name:
Oplopanax horridus (Sm.) Miq.
Publication: Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavum 1: 16. 1863.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Echinopanax horridum (Sm.) Dcne. & Planch
Echinopanax horridus (Sm.) Decne. & Planch. ex Harms [KZ99]
Fatsia horridum (Sm.) Benth & Hook. f. ex Brewer & S. Watson
Oplopanax horridum (Sm.) Miq. [HC]
Panax horridum (Sm.)
Ricinophyllum horridum Nelson & Macbr.
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Oplopanax horridus in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Oplopanax horridus checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Oplopanax horridus information.

E-Flora BC: Oplopanax horridus atlas page.

CalPhotos: Oplopanax horridus photos.

USDA Plants: Oplopanax horridus information.

69 photographs:
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