My question is about Oplopanax horridus. I planted one last winter in deep shade. It has lost its leaves and appears to have gone dormant. 1) Does devil’s club go dormant in the winter? 2) If not, then could it come back with watering in the winter climate or am I better to rip it out and put in another one? 3) How frequently should devil’s club be watered in a normal summer and assuming good loam soil?
Devil’s club does lose its leaves in the winter. Quoting from the source cited below, it is hardy down to at least 5 degrees F, although the young growth is likely to be cut back by spring frosts…On cool moist soils, it forms tall, impenetrable thickets…Plant in sun or part-shade.
(Source: The New Royal Horticulture Society Dictionary of Gardening, Vol.3, 1992, p. 378)
Additionally, devil’s club “grows in well-drained to poorly drained soils with sandy, silty, or loamy textures,” which indicates that it will appreciate regular watering that ensures moist soil in the summer.
(Source: Propagation of Pacific Northwest Native Plants, R. Rose, et al, 1998, p. 129)