What is this?

I have never noticed this plant before...at least not like this...and I am very curious as to what it is. Thank you for your help.

 

Aralia spinosa, Devil's Walkingstick.

HTH
Chris

 

Thank you, is that what some people call Prickly Ash?

 

Prickly Ash would in theory be a species of Fraxinus; however, there isn't any ash with prickles. Prickly-ash (with a hyphen, to indicate that it isn't an ash) is Zanthoxylum.

 

Thank you. Does Aralia spinosa only thrive on the banks of ponds or creeks? I think I'd like a hedge row of it to separate my land from the woods beghind, would be a very interesting hedge.

 

Any normal reasonably moist soil will suit it fine.