Dear Ms. Mehallow,
Thank you for you comment. Yes, indeed, Aralia elata is nonnative and can be invasive in wild conditions. The particular cultivar, ‘Aureovariegata,’ was planted in 2000 at the Scott Arboretum. The tree was planted in a controlled arboretum environment, so I understand your concern for at home gardeners.

Thank you very much for your research and interest in this blog post.

Rosemary Grogan

This is where to find the tree at the arboretum – http://arbnav.scottarboretum.org/weboi/oecgi2.exe/INET_ECM_DisplayPlant?ACCNUM=2000-054*A

We appreciate your concern about Aralia elata. Plant “invasiveness” tends to be a regional issue since plants that possess invasive tendencies in one region may not behave in the same manner in another. Our Aralia elata ‘Aureovariegata’ specimen produces very few seedlings and does not exhibit aggressive or invasive tendencies. Conversely, many of our native species such as Cercis canadensis, Acer saccharum, and Fraxinus americana self-sow readily, yet we do not consider them thugs. Periodic monitoring and a bit of hand-weeding helps us to keep their populations in-check.