Common Pricklyash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

Common Pricklyash

(Zanthoxylum americanum)

Common Pricklyash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

Reuven Martin

Public Domain

Image By: Reuven Martin

Recorded By:

Estimated Native Range

Summary

Zanthoxylum americanum, commonly known as Common Pricklyash, is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to the understory of deciduous forests, forest edges, and riparian zones in the North-Central and Northeastern USA, as well as Canada. It typically grows to 10 meters (33 ft) tall with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 15 cm (5.9 in). The plant has a spiny trunk and branches, with pinnately compound leaves that turn yellow in the fall. The yellow-green flowers are small and inconspicuous, appearing in umbrella-like clusters from April to June. They are dioecious, meaning individual plants are either male or female, and the flowers are imperfect with pedicels 2–4 mm long. The fruit is a red-brown follicle containing two black, shiny seeds per carpel, which are often used as a spice or flavoring agent.

Common Pricklyash is valued for its unique appearance, with spiny branches that provide textural interest in the landscape. It is used for naturalizing in wild gardens, as a barrier plant due to its spines, and for its aromatic bark and fruits, which have culinary and medicinal uses. It thrives in full sun to part shade and adapts to a range of soil types, from slow to fast drainage. While it is not a heavy water user, medium moisture will support optimal growth. Gardeners should be aware that the spines can make handling difficult, and the plant may sucker, forming colonies if not managed.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

Plant Type: Shrub, Tree
Height: 15-20 feet
Width: 10-15 feet
Growth Rate: Moderate
Flower Color: N/A
Flowering Season: Spring
Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Growth Requirements

Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Medium
Drainage: Fast, Medium, Slow

Common Uses

Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Fragrant, Low Maintenance, Rabbit Resistant, Salt Tolerant, Street Planting

Natural Habitat

Native to the understory of deciduous forests, forest edges, and riparian zones

Other Names

Common Names: Northern Prickly-Ash , Toothachetree , Prickly-Ash , American Prickly-Ash , Common Prickly-Ash , Toothache Tree , Common Pricky-Ash , Clavalier D’Amérique , Frêne Épineux , Amerikanskt Pepparträd , Toothache-Tree

Scientific Names: Zanthoxylum americanum , Zanthoxylum fraxineum , Zanthoxylum americanum f. impuniens , Zanthoxylum mite , Zanthoxylum americanum f. americanum , Zanthoxylum cauliflorum , Zanthoxylum fraxinifolium , Zanthoxylum ramiflorum , Thylax fraxineum , Xanthophyllon clavatum

GBIF Accepted Name: Zanthoxylum americanum Mill.