Acanthopanax

a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae. They are deciduous, less commonly evergreen shrubs and low-growing trees, are weakly branched, and have thorny branches and shoots. Their palmate compound leaves are on delicate petioles, have no stipules, alternate, and are sometimes crowded together on short shoots; the flowers are in umbels or are occasionally gathered into large paniculate inflorescences. About 20 species grow wild in southeastern Asia. One species is found in the USSR (in the Far East)— A. sessiliflorum. Three species are grown for use as ornamental plants and for creating hedges.