Devil’s Club in Washington: Spines, Berries, Spring Buds, and Its Rare Korean Relative
Have you ever seen a plant with enormous maple-like leaves, clusters of berries, and sharp spines covering nearly every exposed stem?
I recently stopped to film one of these remarkable plants in a moist forest here in Washington State. From a distance, its wide green leaves were the first thing I noticed. They looked almost like giant maple leaves spreading across the forest understory. Then I moved closer and saw the feature that makes this plant impossible to forget: sharp spines along the stems, leaf stalks, and even the veins on the undersides of the leaves.
The plant was also carrying a long cluster of developing berries. Some were still green, while others had begun turning pink. As they mature, Devil’s club berries become a vivid red and stand out dramatically against the deep green leaves.
This extraordinary Pacific Northwest native is Devil’s club, scientifically known as Oplopanax horridus.
 |
Devil’s club (*Oplopanax horridus*) growing in the moist forest understory of Washington State. |
What Is Devil’s Club?
Devil’s club belongs to the ginseng family, Araliaceae. It is native to northwestern North America and is especially associated with the cool, wet forests of Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and nearby regions.
It often grows in damp, shaded places such as streambanks, forested slopes, seeps, and other areas with consistently moist soil. In the right habitat it can form dense thickets, making travel through the area difficult. The plant’s common name makes perfect sense once you have seen its long, spine-covered stems.
Devil’s club is usually a large deciduous shrub. Its stems often lean, arch, or sprawl rather than standing like the trunk of a small tree. The leaves can grow impressively large and create a lush, almost tropical appearance beneath conifers and other forest trees.
Although the plant is visually striking, it should be approached carefully. The spines are not limited to the main stem. They can also appear on the leaf stalks and along the prominent veins beneath each leaf. Brushing against the plant can be painful, and broken spines may remain in the skin.
How I Recognized This Plant
Several visible characteristics helped identify the plant I filmed:
Very large leaves with five to nine broad, pointed lobes
A shape that may remind viewers of an oversized maple leaf
Long, pale spines on the stems and leaf stalks
Smaller spines following the veins underneath the leaves
A tall cluster of berries rising above the foliage
Green berries that gradually become pink and then bright red
A moist, shaded woodland habitat in the Pacific Northwest
⚠️ No single feature should be used by itself to identify a wild plant. Habitat, leaf arrangement, growth form, stems, flowers, and fruit should all be considered together. A photo, video, or plant-identification app should never be the only basis for eating or using a plant.
The Unusual Berry Cluster
The berry cluster was the most eye-catching feature during this visit. Each small fruit was attached to a branching central stalk, creating a long, cone-like arrangement. The mixture of green and pink fruits showed that the berries were still ripening.
Later in the season, the fruits become bright red. Their color can make them look inviting, but attractive wild berries should never be assumed to be edible. I photographed and filmed them as an identification feature, not as food.
I hope to return to the same area later in the season to see how the cluster changes. Revisiting a plant at different stages is one of my favorite ways to learn. Spring buds, summer leaves, flowers, developing fruit, mature berries, and winter stems can look so different that the same species may seem unfamiliar from one season to another.
What Happens in Early Spring?
Before the huge leaves open, Devil’s club produces tightly closed spring buds or very young shoots. Historical and regional sources describe these tender, unopened growths as being eaten raw or cooked in some places. Some experienced foragers briefly blanch or cook them before eating.
This does not mean that an open leaf, mature stem, root, or berry should be treated as food. Timing and correct identification are essential. Once the leaves begin unfolding and the spines develop, the plant quickly becomes difficult and painful to handle.
Because Devil’s club is culturally important, slow growing in some habitats, and subject to different land-management rules, this is not a plant I recommend harvesting casually. Anyone interested in traditional foods should learn directly from knowledgeable local teachers, confirm the identity from multiple reliable sources, and obtain permission before gathering anything.
A Plant of Deep Indigenous Importance
Devil’s club is much more than an unusual spiny shrub. It has a long history of cultural, spiritual, practical, and traditional medicinal use among many Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast and Alaska.
Different communities have their own knowledge, practices, and relationships with the plant. Traditional preparations and meanings are not interchangeable, and they should not be reduced to a list of home remedies. Some historical records describe uses of the inner bark, roots, stems, charcoal, and other parts, but traditional use does not automatically establish that a preparation is safe or medically effective for everyone.
For that reason, I prefer to describe Devil’s club as an important traditional cultural and medicinal plant, rather than calling it a cure or recommending a particular treatment. Indigenous knowledge deserves respectful attribution, and medical decisions should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.
Its Rare Korean Relative: Ttatdureup
When I saw Devil’s club, it immediately reminded me of a rare Korean plant called ttatdureup, or Korean Devil’s club. Its scientific name is Oplopanax elatus.
The resemblance is not a coincidence. Both plants belong to the same genus, Oplopanax, and both are members of the ginseng family. They share large lobed leaves, thorny stems, and a generally similar appearance.
However, they are not the same species:
In Korea, Oplopanax elatus is also associated with the name cheonsam, often translated as “heavenly ginseng.” The Korean Forest Service has described ttatdureup as a rare and endangered tree species and a protected medicinal resource whose wild populations were damaged by overharvesting and habitat change.
That conservation history is one reason it is important not to suggest that the Korean plant can simply be gathered from the wild. The PNW species may be more familiar in parts of Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington, but that does not mean it can be harvested everywhere either.
Devil’s Club or Devil’s Walkingstick?
The similar common names sometimes cause confusion, but Devil’s club and Devil’s walkingstick are different plants.
Devil’s club is Oplopanax horridus. It has enormous, simple, maple-like leaves and berries that turn red. It is strongly associated with moist forests in northwestern North America.
Devil’s walkingstick is Aralia spinosa. It usually has very large compound leaves made of many smaller leaflets, and its fruits mature to a dark purple or nearly black color. It is native mainly to eastern and southeastern North America.
Both belong to the ginseng family and both have spines, but their leaf structure, fruit color, and geographic ranges make them distinguishable.
Can You Harvest Devil’s Club in Washington?
The answer depends on exactly where the plant is growing and who manages that land.
In Washington State Parks, plants and other natural resources are protected, and removing or damaging them is prohibited. On National Forest lands and other public lands, permits, quantity limits, seasonal restrictions, or complete prohibitions may apply. Tribal lands, private property, county land, state forest, National Park land, and National Forest land can all have different rules.
Before harvesting any wild plant:
Identify the landowner or managing agency.
Check the agency’s current official website.
Contact the local ranger station when the rule is unclear.
Ask whether personal-use gathering is allowed and whether a permit is required.
Respect culturally important gathering areas and traditional harvest rights.
Leave the plant undisturbed if you cannot confirm that harvesting is legal and appropriate.
Seeing a plant beside a trail does not mean it is available for gathering. When in doubt, I photograph it and leave it where it is.
Foraging and Handling Safety
This article is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not a recommendation to eat, harvest, or prepare Devil’s club.
Never eat a wild plant unless you are 100 percent certain of its identity.
Confirm several characteristics rather than relying on one photograph.
Do not rely only on a video, social media post, or identification app.
Wear appropriate protection when examining a plant covered with sharp spines.
Never taste unknown berries or assume that brightly colored fruit is edible.
Avoid plants growing near roads, sprayed areas, polluted water, or contaminated soil.
Confirm land ownership, permits, and current harvesting regulations.
Traditional medicinal use is not a substitute for professional medical care.
Watch My Devil’s Club Videos
I filmed both a short introduction and a longer video about the plant I found in Washington.
The longer video shows the leaves, stems, spines, and developing berries while explaining the plant’s identity, spring growth, traditional importance, Korean relative, and harvesting considerations.
Why This Spiky PNW Plant Is Compared to Korea’s “Heavenly Ginseng” | Devil’s Club
The Short offers a quick mystery-style introduction before revealing the plant as Devil’s club.
What Is This Spiky PNW Plant with Berries?
Join Wild Harvest Life PNW on YouTube
If you enjoy discovering wild edible plants, mushrooms, berries, seaweed, shellfish, fishing, and Korean-style cooking, you can also join me on YouTube.
I share what I find in the forests, mountains, rivers, and coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest—and sometimes those wild ingredients eventually make their way into my kitchen.
Visit Wild Harvest Life PNW on YouTube
Related Article
Another Remarkable Plant from the Washington Mountains
Fireweed is another native plant that captured my attention while exploring the mountains near our home.
Its bright pink flowers, narrow leaves, and ability to appear in burned or disturbed places make it one of the most recognizable wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest. I later used its flowers to make jelly and its leaves to prepare a mild herbal tea.
Fireweed in Washington State – A Pink Wildflower After the Rain and a Korean-Style Wild Green Idea
Fireweed Tea and Jelly: The Wild PNW Plant I Had Been Walking Past
Next Read
A Native Forest Plant That Is Actually an Orchid
While exploring the forest floor, I discovered a small evergreen plant with beautifully patterned leaves. Although its common name includes the word “plantain,” it is actually a native orchid.
Learn how to recognize Western rattlesnake plantain and discover why this quiet forest plant is so easy to overlook.
Western Rattlesnake Plantain: A Native Orchid Hidden on the Forest Floor
A Forest Plant Worth Observing Carefully
Devil’s club is one of those plants that becomes more fascinating the closer you look. Its huge leaves create a dramatic first impression, but its spines, seasonal berry colors, cultural history, and relationship to Korea’s rare ttatdureup make its story much deeper.
For me, discovering plants in Washington often creates a connection between the Pacific Northwest and Korea. Sometimes the plants are completely different. Sometimes, as with these two Oplopanax species, they are close botanical relatives growing on opposite sides of the world.
Have you ever seen Devil’s club growing in the wild? Which feature would you notice first—the enormous leaves, the sharp spines, or the unusual cluster of berries? Please share your experience in the comments.
For more Pacific Northwest wild plant discoveries, seasonal foraging stories, and Korean-inspired outdoor cooking, visit Wild Harvest Life PNW on YouTube and follow along for the next forest adventure.
Thank You for Visiting Wild Harvest Life PNW
At first, what caught my attention was the unusual cluster of green and pink berries rising above the enormous leaves.
Then I looked more closely.
Sharp spines covered the stems and leaf stalks, and even followed the veins beneath the leaves. This was Devil’s club, one of the most distinctive native plants growing in the moist forests of the Pacific Northwest.
Learning about this plant also created an unexpected connection between Washington and Korea.
Devil’s club, Oplopanax horridus, has a rare Korean relative called ttatdureup, Oplopanax elatus. They belong to the same genus and look remarkably similar, but they are different species growing on opposite sides of the world.
Discoveries like this remind me that one plant can hold many stories—stories about habitat, changing seasons, traditional knowledge, conservation, and the relationships between distant places.
The more carefully I observe the forests around me, the more I realize how much remains unseen.
There is always another plant to notice, another detail to examine, and another connection waiting to be discovered.
Have you ever seen Devil’s club growing in the wild?
What would catch your attention first—the enormous leaves, the sharp spines, or the unusual cluster of berries?
I would love to hear your story in the comments.
Stay tuned for more Wild Harvest Life PNW adventures! 🌿
Sources and Further Reading
© Wild Harvest Life. All rights reserved. Unauthorized copying, editing, or redistribution of this article, photographs, or videos is prohibited.
Comments
Post a Comment