Zanthoxylum americanum
Common name: Prickly Ash
Prickly Ash is part of the oak savanna. It is a very thorny plant that grows into thickets that are impossible to penetrate. The seeds are jet black and have a very strong citrus smell. I have crushed the seed with my hands and smelled like citrus all day. Prickly and Wafer Ash are the major food source for the Giant Swallowtail butterfly.
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Plant Details
Plant type
Shrubs
Soil type
Dry, Dry Mesic, Mesic (Not too Wet Not too Dry)
Light exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun / Part Shade, Shade
Bloom period
Spring
Urban environment
Yards that Flood
Habitat
Prairie Grasslands
Growth form
Shrubby/Clump, Colonizing / Spreading, Rhizomatous/stoloniferous
Growth rate
Slow
Flower color
Green White
Fall color
Yellow
Size
- Mature height
- 10 Feet
- Mature width
- 5 Feet
- Max height
- 15 Feet
- Max width
- 10 Feet
Additional information
Butterfly host plant Loved by birds