Award-Winning Gold Foliage That Lights Up the Shade

Sun King Aralia (Aralia cordata 'Sun King') was named Perennial Plant of the Year, and one look explains why: it forms a bold, shrub-sized mound of brilliant golden-yellow foliage that brings sunshine to shady corners where bright color is hard to find. Spikes of tiny white flowers rise above the leaves in summer, followed by dark berries that birds enjoy, and the whole plant dies back to overwinter as a hardy perennial. Deer-resistant and dramatic, it's a showpiece for part-shade beds in Edina, Maple Grove, and Woodbury.

Landscape Uses

Use Sun King as a specimen or bold accent in shaded borders and woodland gardens, where its gold foliage brightens dark spots and contrasts with greens and burgundies. It pairs beautifully with hostas, ferns, and dark-leaved plants.

Best Time to Plant

Plant in spring or early fall, when cooler weather and steady moisture help roots establish.

How to Plant

Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Set the crown level with the soil, backfill with compost-enriched soil, water thoroughly, and mulch 2–3 inches deep. Give it room to reach its full, shrubby size.

Watering

First Year: Keep the soil consistently moist, watering 2–3 times per week.
After Year One: Water regularly, especially in heat; it prefers rich, evenly moist soil.
Drip Irrigation: A soaker hose or drip line keeps the root zone evenly moist.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much sun does it need for the gold color?
A few hours of morning sun deepens the gold; in deep shade the foliage shifts toward chartreuse-green.

Does it come back as a perennial?
Yes, it dies back in winter and re-emerges each spring as a hardy perennial.

Is it hardy in Minnesota?
Yes, hardy to Zone 4 and reliable across most of the state.

Is it deer resistant?
Yes, deer tend to leave it alone.

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Pair Sun King with hostas, ferns, and dark-leaved shade plants for a bold, high-contrast woodland border.

How Many Sun King Aralia Do I Need?

This is a bold, shrub-sized specimen rather than a mass-planting perennial, so a little goes a long way. A single plant makes a striking focal point in a shady corner. Because it reaches 3 ft wide (up to 6 ft in rich shade), give each plant at least 3–4 ft of room. For a larger woodland sweep, plant in a loose group of 3 spaced 3–4 ft apart so the gold mounds can knit together without crowding.

Sun King Aralia Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: New shoots emerge late and quickly unfurl into brilliant chartreuse-gold foliage, lighting up the shade.
• Summer: A full, shrubby gold mound holds court, topped by airy spikes of tiny white flowers that draw bees.
• Fall: Spent flowers give way to dark purple-black berries that songbirds enjoy; foliage softens to chartreuse-green.
• Winter: The plant dies fully back to the ground — cut it down and mulch the crown; it re-emerges reliably each spring.

At a Glance

✔ Deer-Resistant   ✔ Shade-Tolerant   ✔ Pollinator-Friendly

Plant It With

• Japanese Painted Fern — silver-and-burgundy fronds glow against the gold leaves.
• Jack Frost Brunnera — frosted silver foliage and blue spring flowers for the front of the group.
• Montgomery Astilbe — deep red plumes add a bold color contrast in part shade.
• Lady Fern — soft, lacy green texture to round out the shade planting.

Is Sun King Aralia Right for Your Yard?

It thrives in part shade with rich, evenly moist, well-drained soil and enough room to reach its full shrubby size — a dramatic gold accent for a shaded border or woodland edge, and deer tend to leave it alone. It is not a fit for hot, dry full sun (the leaves scorch) or for a tight spot where a 3–6 ft mound would crowd its neighbors.