- Type
- Trees & Vines
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Season
- Spring
- Sowing
- Plant a sapling
Aralia Shoots (Durup)
Aralia elata
Saponins · a tree shoot picked in early spring
Durup is the young shoot of the Japanese angelica tree, eaten as a spring vegetable. Shoots push from the tips of bare stems in April and May, and they stay tender only until they open out to about the length of a finger. The roots run sideways and keep throwing up new stems, so a large pot or a buried root barrier is the sensible way to fix its limits in a small plot. The Donguibogam lists it in the Vegetable section as mokduchae ("tree-head vegetable") and records the Korean name as dulhup. It gives the plant a neutral nature with no toxicity, and citing a folk recipe adds that boiled as a namul or pickled it is good, that it grows everywhere, and that it is gathered in early spring.
Year-Round Calendar
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Where It Grows
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Main producer
This is a country that has moved from gathering the wild green in the mountains to planting and growing it in fields. Cultivation centers on the mountain districts of Gangwon and North Gyeongsang. Harvest April, May
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Main producer
Known here as taranome, it is grown widely in the northern prefectures such as Yamagata and Akita. In winter, forcing is also used: cut branches are brought in and stood upright in a warm place to sprout. Harvest March, April, May
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- Major producer It grows wild in the mountains of Jilin and Liaoning in Northeast China, and some of it is planted and grown in fields.
- Wild population It grows wild in the forests of Primorye and Sakhalin in the Russian Far East. It is not cultivated there.
The plant grows wild in the temperate mountains of Korea, Japan, northeastern China and the Russian Far East. Once a wild green gathered in the mountains, it moved into field cultivation in Korea and Japan, and as forcing took hold — cutting branches in winter and standing them upright to sprout — the seasons for open-field shoots and forced shoots diverged even within the same country. In Russia and China it remains largely a wild-gathered crop.
- Optimum
- 15~25℃
- Range
- 5~30℃
- Hardiness
- Hardy
The plant is extremely cold-hardy, surviving winters of around -25℃. Once spring temperatures climb above 10℃, new shoots begin to emerge, and that moment travels from south to north, and from lower ground to higher, over a little more than a month.
Harvested 2–3 years after planting. In the year the saplings are planted, no shoots are picked; harvesting begins two or three years later and continues annually after that. New stems keep rising from the roots, so once a planting is established, it lasts for many years.
In Korea Nationwide
Production centers on the mountain districts of Gangwon and North Gyeongsang. The season opens in the south in early April and runs until mid-May in the Gangwon mountains, so even within the same year the harvest shifts by a little over two weeks depending on the growing area. Forced durup comes to market from January to March.
How to grow
- Light
- Half a day of sun or more. In deep shade the shoots come up thin
- Soil and depth
- Free-draining soil at least 30cm deep. Standing water rots the roots
- Spacing
- One to one and a half metres between plants. The roots run, so fix the boundary with a pot or a barrier
- Watering
- Keep it from drying out through the first year only. Once rooted it largely carries itself on rainfall
- Feeding
- Work a spadeful of compost around the base in November or December after leaf fall. Heavy nitrogen makes the shoots soft
- Harvest
- April and May. Cut at the base just before the shoot opens out, at 5 to 10cm. Take only the first shoot from each stem and leave those that follow to build the tree. Stripping every shoot weakens it for the following year
What makes the difference. Shoots must be blanched two to three minutes in boiling water and rinsed cold before use. Discard the blanching water, and never eat them raw
Why this one is harder. New stems keep rising from the roots, and within a few years the planting spreads beyond where it started. In a small plot, start in a large pot or bury a barrier 30cm deep
Common problems
- Aphids You will see Colonies on the tips of new shoots, turning sticky What to do Wash off with a jet of water; if it recurs, use an egg-yolk oil spray. Observe pre-harvest intervals where shoots are to be picked
- Scab You will see Brown scabby spots settling on shoots and leaf stalks What to do It spreads when wet weather lingers. Remove affected shoots and thin the branches for airflow
- Root rot You will see Shoots fail to appear in spring, or start and then wilt What to do Avoid spots where water sits and raise the bed. Dig out rotted crowns and do not replant in the same place
This page describes how a crop is grown and used. It does not claim health effects for any food, nor is it intended to prevent or treat disease. Component and study notes are references only and do not mean the same result occurs in people. Consult a medical professional about health concerns.
Health Benefits
What the Donguibogam records — the name, nature and how it was eaten. The Donguibogam lists the plant in the Vegetable section as mokduchae ("tree-head vegetable") and gives the Korean name as dulhup. It records a neutral nature and no toxicity. Boiled as a namul or pickled it is good, the entry says, and it grows everywhere and is gathered in early spring, all credited to a folk recipe. This is a historical medical record and differs from modern medical judgment.
Saponins of the genus Aralia. Araloside-type triterpene saponins have been isolated from Aralia species in repeated analyses. The same work reports the highest levels in root bark, with the shoots carrying them as well. These are compositional analyses and have nothing to do with preventing or treating disease.
Nutrition
- Saponins (araloside type) (in the shoots and root bark) — triterpene glycosides reported across the genus Aralia
- Dietary fibre (around 4g per 100g fresh) — the fibre behind the substantial bite
- Protein (3 to 4g per 100g fresh) — comparatively high for a spring green
- Potassium (around 300mg per 100g blanched) — a mineral common in vegetables
It has to be blanched Durup shoots carry saponins, and eaten raw they leave the throat rasping and can unsettle the stomach. The basic preparation is two to three minutes in boiling salted water followed by a cold rinse. Throw the blanching water away. Blanching takes the harshness out and brightens the colour.
Protein among spring greens Durup runs 3 to 4g of protein per 100g fresh, high for a spring green. Fibre sits around 4g, which is why the bite is substantial rather than delicate. The fibre coarsens as the shoot opens out, so picking on time matters for texture as much as for aroma.
Saponins Araloside-type triterpene saponins are reported across the genus Aralia. Analyses put the highest levels in the root bark, with the shoots carrying them as well. Some of it leaches into the water during blanching. This entry stays with the compositional record.
Potassium Blanched durup holds roughly 300mg of potassium per 100g. Blanching draws part of the mineral content into the water, so the figure runs below that of the raw shoot. Dressing it lightly rather than seasoning hard leaves the vegetable itself in front.
Pairings
○ Chogochujang — Blanched durup dipped in vinegared chilli paste is the most common way it is eaten. The acidity covers the harsh finish. Shake the shoots dry rather than wringing them out, or they break up.
○ Batter and egg — durup jeon — Halve the blanched shoots, coat them thinly and pan-fry. Score the thick base so it cooks through evenly. Frying softens the aroma enough for children.
○ Beef skewers — Thread blanched durup and strips of beef alternately onto skewers and pan-fry. The firm base of the shoot holds the skewer's shape. It is a long-standing pairing on the holiday table.
△ Never eaten raw — Durup shoots are not eaten raw. The saponins leave the throat rasping and can cause stomach pain, so blanch for two to three minutes in boiling water and rinse in cold before use. Throw the blanching water away. Serving them raw, sashimi style, is not advisable.
△ Confusion with lacquer tree shoots — The real hazard when picking durup on a spring hillside is the shoot of the lacquer tree, Toxicodendron vernicifluum, known as otsun. Some regions do eat otsun, but anyone who reacts to urushiol gets severe contact dermatitis from it. The angelica tree carries dense fine thorns along the whole stem and sends up a single upright shoot at each branch tip; the lacquer tree has no thorns and its young leaves flush red. If you are not certain, do not pick. Lacquer Tree
△ Thorns — The stems of the angelica tree are set with hard, close thorns. Wear thick gloves and cut the shoots with scissors. If children use the plot, plant a thornless line or keep the pot well away from the path.
Varieties
- Cham-durup (Aralia elata) (sapling) — The native line, fine thorns crowding the whole stem. The strongest aroma of the four
- Thornless durup (sapling) — A near-spineless selection distributed for cultivation. Far easier to pick
- Ttang-durup (Aralia cordata) (sapling) — A different species — a herbaceous perennial rather than a tree. Thick shoots come straight out of the ground
- Gae-durup (Kalopanax septemlobus shoot) (sapling) — The shoot of the castor aralia, a different tree altogether. More bitter
Source: Donguibogam, Vegetable Section 木頭菜 · Rural Development Administration (Nongsaro)