My question is this, what would it's response be to having it's terminal growth pruned? See, I like the hieght that it's reached and would like to keep it in that range. Does anyone know if it will make lateral buds at the petiole node? The only aralias I see are 12' single stems in the wild, but once they set berry, bears come in and tear them down. From my observation the colony is rejuvenated by stolons. I certainly don't want to promote growth from below the graft.

Hey, but it's flowering for the first time this year, wouldn't that probably indicate that it has to make laterals to grow past the flower petiole? hmmmmm

The variegated ones are Aralia elata, from Asia, of course, whereas eastern North American local native ones will be A. spinosa--unless you are seeing naturalized A. elata. So there will be some differences in structure and function.

Since the variegated cultivars may tend to be short-lived, apt to die back or wither I might be disinclined to cut one back. I have seen one trained to a single stem so it would fit next to a garage door, an effect I did not think enhanced the plant. Sort of like a spindly, variegated palm tree where a bushy evergreen that softened the corner of the structure would have been far more pleasing. But it did show that the plant could be trained into a different shape than usual.

either way, I think I'll agree with you not to risk cutting it. Let's just wait to see it's response around the terminal panicles.