Kalopanax pictus (Thunb.) Nakai, Syn. Kalopanax septemlobus (Thunb. ex A. Murray) Koidz. family Araliaceae Haragirl, Sen-no-ki, Tree Aralia Native to Japan, east Russia, Korea and China, a tree which resembles a maple, but has alternate leaves and stout yellow prickles on its branches and suckers. Height to 25-28m (80-90ft) in the wild, usually much smaller in cultivation. Small white flowers open in August and September in round clusters, grouped into a large head sometimes as much as 60cm (2ft) across. Fruit is tiny, about 0.5cm (1/5in) ripening black and falling in December. Leaves are up to 18-2scm (7-10in) wide with 5 or7 lobes, generally cut about 1/3 into the leaf, dark green above, and downy below when young. Bark is dark grey and ridged, often knobbly with spines.
K. pitus var. maximowiczii (Van Houtte) Li comes from Japan and has often been confused in gardens and collections with the type species. It has more deeply lobed leaves. Z5.