Hercules Club

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis

Rutaceae (Rue Family)

Toothache Tree, Pepperbark, Tickle Tongue, Prickly Ash

Marcus, Joseph A., https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=14637

Courtesy: Marcus, Joseph A., https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=13244

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Native Habitat: Grassland

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain

Maintenance

Don’t prune.

Comments

Aromatic, round headed tree with spines on branches; Grey bark covered with spine-tipped cone-like growths. Lustrous, pinnately compound leaves with spines on leaf stem, 5-19 leaflets with serrated edges. Clusters of whitish-yellowish flowers in spring. Clustered, shiny black fruits in fall on females feed birds. Larval host: Giant Swallowtail butterfly.

Growth Form

Tree

Height

10 to

25 ft

Spread

12 to

15 ft

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Acid, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low, Medium

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Bloom Color

Yellow, Green

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Seeds, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Birds

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Previous Scientific Name(s): Synonym(s): Zanthoxylum macrophyllum

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ZACL. 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Zanthoxylum+clava-herculis&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=22455&locationType=County&mapType=Normal, 5) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=28850#null

Native Plant Society of Texas