[The Ginseng Family in Mt. Adams Country]

Devilsclub, Devil's Club

Oplopanax horridus

Synonyms: Echinopanax horridum, Echinopanax horridus, Fatsia horrida, Fatsia horridum, Oplopanax horridum, Panax horridum, Ricinophyllum horridum

Leaves of Devilsclub, Devil's Club: Oplopanax horridus (Synonyms: Echinopanax horridum, Echinopanax horridus, Fatsia horrida, Fatsia horridum, Oplopanax horridum, Panax horridum, Ricinophyllum horridum)

The photo above shows the palmately-veined leaves of devil's club as seen along the Salt Creek Trail #75 near Cascade Creek on the southern slopes of Mt. Adams..........June 2, 2007. The upper and lower surfaces of the large leaves also bear spines.

Inflorescence of Devilsclub, Devil's Club: Oplopanax horridus (Synonyms: Echinopanax horridum, Echinopanax horridus, Fatsia horrida, Fatsia horridum, Oplopanax horridum, Panax horridum, Ricinophyllum horridum)Characteristics:

As both its common and species name imply, devil's club is a plant that one does not want to encounter first hand. It is a deciduous shrub with one to several erect stems from 1-7 meters high. The thick stems, petioles and leaf veins are generously covered with sharp yellow spines from 5-10 mm long. Older stems have a gray bark while the younger twigs and buds are reddish brown. The large leaves are simple and palmately lobed, the 7-9 lobes being shallow. The margins of the lobes are doubly serrate. The blades are about 10-35 cm wide and are about as long as the stout petioles. The base of the blade is hear-shaped.

The inflorescence is a terminal panicle or raceme up to 25 cm long. Individual flowers are greenish or white with 5 petals and measure 5-6 mm wide. The petals are long and loosely twisted. The flowers each have 20 stamens. The bright red berries are somewhat flattened and are 5-8 mm long.


Uses:

Despite the spiny nature of this plant, it can be used as an ornamental shrub. The layered look of the large leaves give the plant a tropical appearance and the berries are showy. The berries are inedible for human consumption but are eaten by bears. The leaves are eaten by slugs. The plant, when planted in dense rows could be used as an effective barrier to prevent livestock or humans from entering the wetland. Native Americans used the berries to repel lice and treat dandruff by rubbing the berries in the hair. The stems and spines were used to make fish hooks and lures. The outer bark of the stems was used as a dye or deodorant.


Habitat:

Devil's club is a riparian plant and may be found along forest streams and in moist soils in the forest.


Range:

Devil's club may be found from Alaska south to southern Oregon between the Cascade Mts. and Pacific coast. It may be found eastward through British Columbia and northern Washington to Idaho and Montana and the range extends into Michigan and Ontario.


Prickly stems of Devilsclub, Devil's Club: Oplopanax horridus (Synonyms: Echinopanax horridum, Echinopanax horridus, Fatsia horrida, Fatsia horridum, Oplopanax horridum, Panax horridum, Ricinophyllum horridum)

The photo above shows the "lethal" upper stem and leaves of devil's club as seen along the Salt Creek Trail #75 near Cascade Creek on the southern slopes of Mt. Adams..........June 2, 2007. I remember the day I walked though a large concentration of this plant somewhere in the upper Lewis River basin while doing tagline surveys for the forest service. We stopped to tend our wounds and to have a bite of lunch. a few minutes later, with the sound of toenails clicking on wood, I looked up to see a pine marten working its way along a large log that had fallen across the devils club a year or two before. It stopped and looked at us a minute or so, before continuing its way. Definitely a day not to forget!

Prickly stem of Devilsclub, Devil's Club: Oplopanax horridus (Synonyms: Echinopanax horridum, Echinopanax horridus, Fatsia horrida, Fatsia horridum, Oplopanax horridum, Panax horridum, Ricinophyllum horridum)
Some of the numerous yellowish spines found along the stem of devil's club from east of Crown Point, Columbia River Gorge..........late May, 2001.

Prickly leaf surface of Devilsclub, Devil's Club: Oplopanax horridus (Synonyms: Echinopanax horridum, Echinopanax horridus, Fatsia horrida, Fatsia horridum, Oplopanax horridum, Panax horridum, Ricinophyllum horridum)
A view of some of the sharp spines found above the veins on the upper surface of a leaf of devil's club.

Flowers of Devilsclub, Devil's Club: Oplopanax horridus (Synonyms: Echinopanax horridum, Echinopanax horridus, Fatsia horrida, Fatsia horridum, Oplopanax horridum, Panax horridum, Ricinophyllum horridum)
A close-up of two of the flower clusters of devil's club.

Devilsclub, Devil's Club: Oplopanax horridus (Synonyms: Echinopanax horridum, Echinopanax horridus, Fatsia horrida, Fatsia horridum, Oplopanax horridum, Panax horridum, Ricinophyllum horridum)

Devil's club from east of Crown Point, Columbia River Gorge..........late May, 2001.

Paul Slichter