New Blooms Nursery Aralia cordata Sun King

While it is tolerant of full shade, the foliage color is most vibrant when it receives at least a few hours of morning sun. In deep, dense shade, the leaves may lean more toward a chartreuse or lime green rather than a bright, sunny gold.

Since this plant reaches a mature spread of about 3 feet, you should space them 3 feet apart on center. This allows each plant enough room to develop its full, rounded habit without crowding.

While no plant is 100% deer-proof, Sun King Aralia is widely considered deer-resistant. Deer generally avoid it, but if your local deer population is particularly aggressive or food-scarce, you may still want to use a repellent as a precaution.

Sun King is a herbaceous perennial, meaning it will die back completely to the ground after the first hard frost. You can prune the dead stems back in late fall or early spring, and it will reliably emerge again as the soil warms up.

It can be grown in a container, provided the pot is large enough to accommodate its 3-foot spread and has excellent drainage. Keep in mind that container-grown plants dry out faster, so you will need to be diligent about keeping the soil consistently moist.

It prefers rich, moist, well-drained soil. If your garden soil is heavy clay or very sandy, amending it with organic matter like compost before planting will help improve moisture retention and drainage, which this plant needs to thrive.