Zanthoxylum americanum - Deciduous,Medicinal Herbs - Common Pricklyash, Northern Prickly Ash Page

Discover the botanical marvel, Zanthoxylum americanum. Also known as Prickly Ash, this unique shrub, which can sometimes even transform into a small tree of up to 25', adorns itself with aromatic dark green leaves and axillary flower and fruit clusters. Even though it mimics an ash, this enchanting plant is from the citrus family and is close kin to the hardy orange, Poncirus trifoliata. Resembling the average ash in leaf, this prickly beauty offers much more with its dark green crenate leaves and pungent aroma. It comes alive with yellow-green dioecious flowers, followed by the transition of its berries from vivid red to deep dark blue-black. Spiny stems and prickles up to 1/2" long add to its unique appeal. Known colloquially as the 'Toothache Tree,' Native Americans used its numbing fruits and bark as a natural remedy for tooth pain. This incredible plant not only offers striking visuals and a lemony fragrance but also thrives in average, well-drained soils under full sun to part-shade and even tolerates poor soil conditions. Indulge in the allure of the Prickly Ash - a prolific plant with an intoxicating blend of beauty, resilience, and medicinal prowess.