Castor Aralia of Gongbuk-ri, Cheongju

The castor aralia, also commonly called eomnamu, is found in Korea as well as in Japan, China, Manchuria and the southern part of Russia's Far East. Its tender leaves are eaten as a vegetable, and its thorny branches were used to drive away evil spirits. In the past, a hexagonal charm was carved from its wood and worn by children so that evil spirits could not enter them; this charm was called "eum," and it is from this that the tree came to be known as eumnamu. The Castor Aralia of Gongbuk-ri, Cheongju is estimated to be about 700 years old, standing 15.0m tall with a trunk girth of 5.35m at breast height. Its thick branches spread out in every direction and bear flattened thorns. Villagers once held the tree sacred and offered devotions there, but it now stands alone in the mountains. The Castor Aralia of Gongbuk-ri, Cheongju has lived alongside the lives of our ancestors for a long time, and holds great value as folkloric and cultural material as well as high biological conservation value, and is therefore designated and protected as a natural monument.

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Where it is

Region

Cheongju, Chungbuk

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물