castor aralia; prickly castor oil tree
A deciduous tree native to East Asia, known for its large palmate leaves and prickly stems. The scientific name is Kalopanax septemlobus.
The castor aralia is characterized by large leaves and sharp thorns.
I found a castor aralia tree in the park.
Katakana spelling is common and matches usual-kana usage.
Kanji form is rare; the plant is usually written in kana.
The name ハリギリ (針桐) literally means 'needle paulownia', referring to the prickly stems and the resemblance of its leaves to those of the paulownia tree. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.