Spikenard (Aralia racemosa) is an herbaceous plant, about 3 ft 3 in to 6 ft 7 in tall, which grows in shady areas. The stems are glabrous, freely branching, dark maroon to near black. The leaves are very large, compound. Small but numerous umbels of tiny greenish-white flowers bloom in early to mid-summer (June to August). Flowers are followed by dense hanging clusters of berries which mature to dark purple.