Aralia elata

Aralia elata is an upright deciduous small tree or shrub up to 6 m in height, native to Japan. It is known as Tara in Japanese, and also as Japanese Angelica-tree. It prefers deep loamy soils in partial shade, but will grow in poorer soils and in full sun.

The bark is rough and gray with prickles. The leaves are alternate, large, 60–120 cm long, and double pinnate. The flowers are produced in large umbels in late summer, each flower small and white. The fruit is a small black drupe.

In Japan, the shoots are eaten in the spring. They are picked from the end of the branches and are fried in a tempura batter.