Can You Eat American Spikenard? A Forager's Guide to the Aralia racemosa Diet

October 4, 2025 •

4 min read

While American spikenard (Aralia racemosa) has a long history of use in traditional medicine by Native Americans, its edibility for food is more nuanced. So, can you eat American spikenard? The answer depends on which part of the plant you're considering, emphasizing that some elements are edible with proper handling while others are not.

Quick Summary

American spikenard (Aralia racemosa) has edible parts, including ripe berries, roots, and young shoots, though each requires proper identification and preparation. The berries can be consumed raw or cooked, while roots and shoots are best after boiling to reduce a bitter taste. Caution is necessary to distinguish it from other potentially toxic spikenard relatives.

Key Points

Positive Identification: Foraging requires 100% certainty that you are harvesting Aralia racemosa and not a poisonous lookalike, like the berries of its Japanese relative.
Edible Parts: Ripe dark purple berries, aromatic roots, and young shoots are the edible parts of American spikenard.
Required Cooking: The roots and young shoots contain saponins and resins, which necessitate boiling to improve flavor and palatability.
Flavor Profile: Berries have a pleasant, seedy sweetness, while the root offers a spicy, liquorice-like taste often used for flavoring teas and root beer.
Not a Staple Food: Though edible, American spikenard is not typically consumed in large quantities due to its taste characteristics and mild gastric effects in some people.
Berries for Cooking: The berries are best used for jams, jellies, or wine, rather than being a high-yield food source for raw consumption.
Medicinal History: Historically, the roots were valued more for their medicinal properties than for culinary use by Native American tribes.

Identifying American Spikenard

Before attempting to consume any wild plant, correct identification is the most critical step. American spikenard (Aralia racemosa) is a large, shrub-like perennial plant in the ginseng family (Araliaceae) that thrives in moist, rich woodlands across eastern North America. The mature plant can reach a height of up to seven feet.

Key Features for Identification

Leaves: The leaves are large, compound, and divided into several smaller, ovate leaflets that have heart-shaped bases and toothed margins. The overall effect is a lush, tropical-looking foliage.
Stems: Stems are stout and often have a reddish-brown or dark maroon hue.
Flowers: In mid-to-late summer, the plant produces impressive, branched clusters of small, greenish-white flowers.
Berries: These flowers mature into clusters of small, dark purple to reddish-brown berries (botanically, drupes) in the fall. The ripe berries often have a crown-like formation at the top.

Edible Parts of American Spikenard

American spikenard contains saponins and resins, which can give some parts an acrid or bitter flavor, especially when raw. Cooking helps neutralize these compounds and improve the taste. Here is a breakdown of the edible components:

Ripe Berries (Drupes)

The most commonly consumed part of the plant are its berries. While some sources have historically questioned their edibility, most foragers and botanists agree that the ripe berries of Aralia racemosa are safe to eat, though they are often seedy.

Flavor: The taste is often described as pleasantly sweet, with a hint of resin or spice, similar to a mix of grapes and blackberries.
Preparation: The small fruits can be eaten raw as a trailside snack, though many prefer to cook them. Ripe berries are ideal for making jams, jellies, wine, or fruit leather.

Roots

The aromatic roots of American spikenard have been used for centuries, particularly in traditional preparations. They have a distinct, spicy, and liquorice-like flavor.

Preparation: The roots are too acrid to be palatable raw. They are best boiled to improve the flavor and are used to make teas, soups, and famously, root beer. Native Americans also cooked the root with other ingredients to create a rich dish.

Young Shoots

When they first emerge in late spring or early summer, the young shoots can be harvested.

Preparation: The shoots must be cooked. They are used as a potherb, added to soups, or prepared similarly to asparagus. Some foragers find the taste to be somewhat acrid even after boiling, so tasting a small amount is recommended.

American Spikenard vs. Japanese Spikenard: A Critical Comparison

Misidentification can lead to dangerous consequences, especially with wild edibles. American spikenard (Aralia racemosa) is often confused with its close relative, Japanese spikenard (Aralia cordata), which highlights a critical difference in edibility.


Feature	American Spikenard (Aralia racemosa)	Japanese Spikenard (Aralia cordata)
Edible Berries?	Yes, ripe dark purple berries are safe for human consumption, though often seedy.	No, the berries are considered potentially toxic to humans and should not be eaten.
Edible Shoots?	Yes, young shoots are edible when cooked, used as a potherb or in soups.	Yes, young shoots, known as 'Udo' in Japan, are a culinary delicacy when properly prepared.
Edible Roots?	Yes, roots can be cooked for teas, soups, and root beer.	Yes, but must be properly prepared and used with caution.
Location	Native to eastern North America.	Native to Asia; grown as a cultivated crop in Japan.

Safety, Caution, and Responsible Foraging

Foraging requires a cautious and respectful approach. While American spikenard is not considered highly toxic, following safety protocols is essential.

Positive Identification is Non-Negotiable: Never consume a wild plant unless you are 100% certain of its identity. The risk of confusing Aralia racemosa with its Japanese counterpart, whose berries are toxic, is a serious concern. Use multiple identification guides and consult with an experienced forager before consumption.
Cook Raw Roots and Shoots: The saponins in the roots and young shoots are best neutralized through cooking. Boiling them thoroughly will remove some of the bitterness and make them more palatable and safer to consume.
Eat in Moderation: The berries, roots, and shoots contain compounds that may cause gastric distress if consumed in large quantities. The mild flavor and seedy nature of the berries naturally limit how much one might eat, but it is best not to overdo it.
Respect the Ecosystem: Forage responsibly by only taking a small amount of the plant, especially the roots. Leave plenty behind to ensure the plant can regenerate for future seasons and continue to provide food for wildlife, such as birds.

American Spikenard's Place in Traditional Nutrition

Beyond its potential as a wild edible, American spikenard holds a special place in traditional diets and medicine. Native American tribes, including the Potawatomi, Ottawa, and Iroquois, used the root medicinally for a wide range of conditions, from skin problems to respiratory ailments. This historical use underscores the plant's value, even if its modern culinary applications are limited.

Today, the aromatic root is best known for its role as a flavoring agent. Its historical use as a sarsaparilla substitute in root beer recipes highlights its spicy, liquorice-like essence. This means that while American spikenard might not be a staple food, its unique flavor profile continues to offer a taste of North American heritage.

Conclusion: A Wild Edible with a Nuanced Identity

So, can you eat American spikenard? The answer is a qualified yes, with proper knowledge and caution. The plant offers edible berries, roots, and shoots, but foragers must be confident in their identification and aware of the need for proper preparation. While not a powerhouse of nutrition, it offers unique flavors for culinary exploration and holds a rich history in traditional medicine. The key is to forage responsibly and prioritize safety. When in doubt, leave it in the wild to be enjoyed by its natural inhabitants.

For more information on native plants, consult resources like the Wild Ones River City guide, which offers details on identifying American spikenard and its benefits for wildlife.

Frequently Asked Questions

American spikenard (Aralia racemosa) is not considered poisonous, and its ripe berries, roots, and young shoots are edible when prepared correctly. However, its berries should not be confused with the potentially toxic berries of the related Japanese spikenard (Aralia cordata).

Yes, the ripe dark purple berries of American spikenard are safe to eat, though they contain multiple seeds and have a mild, spicy-sweet flavor. They can be eaten raw or cooked into jellies and other preserves.

The edible parts of American spikenard include the ripe berries, the aromatic roots, and the young, newly emerged shoots.

Yes, but they must be cooked. The roots contain acrid resins and saponins that give them a bitter, unpleasant taste when raw. Boiling or simmering them is necessary to improve flavor, and they are traditionally used for teas, soups, and root beer flavoring.

Ripe berries can be eaten raw or cooked into jams and jellies. Young shoots and roots should be thoroughly boiled, similar to preparing a root vegetable, to improve their taste and reduce bitterness.

The main difference for foragers is the berries. American spikenard (Aralia racemosa) berries are edible, while Japanese spikenard (Aralia cordata) berries are considered potentially toxic and should not be consumed. Their geographic native ranges also differ.

The ripe berries have a pleasant, slightly sweet, and resinous flavor. The roots, after cooking, have a spicy, liquorice-like aroma and taste.

Yes, the root of American spikenard has a long history of use in traditional and herbal medicine for various ailments, including respiratory issues and skin conditions.