Prickly Ash is a neat tree during all four seasons, but it is admired most during the summer because you can see a ton of pollinators visiting the flowers, and for the stunning red berries.
Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)
How can you tell if a tree doesn't know something?
- It shrubs!
Did you know?
- Prickly Ash is commonly called “Toothache Tree” because Native Americans chewed the bark or fruits for relief from toothache pain because it would produce a numbing effect
- Native Americans would prepare a variety of medicinal remedies from the bark and roots for treatment of fever, coughs, and external wounds
- Recent scientific research has shown prickly ash extracts may have promise in formulating antifungal and anticancer drugs
- Despite the “Ash” in the name, Prickly Ash is not actually an ash tree—it is actually in the citrus family—not in the genus “Fraxinus” like White and Green Ash
Common Names:
- Prickly Ash
- Common Prickly Ash
- Northern Prickly Ash
Wildlife Benefits:
- The flowers are a nectar and pollen source for a variety of bees, butterflies, and flies
- The leaves are eaten by Giant Swallowtail larvae
- The sap is food for several leafhoppers and treehopper species
- The fruit is eaten by birds and small mammals
- The thicket provides important cover for wildlife, including quail, rabbits, and much more
Habitat:
- Woodlands
Size:
- 5-25' tall, with a crown width of 15-25'
Growing Conditions:
- Full sun to partial shade
- Moist, well-drained soil
Select Identification Characteristics:
- Leaf Type: Compound
- Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
- Bud Arrangement: Alternate
- Terminal Bud: Single
- *Twigs: Very thorny
