Zanthoxylum fagara

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Wild-lime, Colina, Lime Pricklyash

Rutaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:Tree
Size:5-20 ft tall by 3-12 ft wide
Life Span:Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:Yellow,green,NA
Fruit Color:Brown,black
Phenology:Evergreen. Inconspicuous flowers mostly winter-spring. Fruits ripen in summer-early fall. Moderately long lived (Nelson 2003).
Noted for:Aroma, fragrance, Interesting foliage, Thorns

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:Hedge, buffer or screen plant where its thorns will be an asset. Foliage is aromatic.  This author has one growing as a specimen plant and loves its shape and the shiny green rather lacey foliage.
Considerations:Very sharp thorns.
Propagation:Seed.
Availability:Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales
Light: Full Sun,  Part Shade
Moisture Tolerance:
always floodedextremely dry
 (Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods)
Moisture Tolerance: Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges.
Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance:Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
Soil or other substrate:Lime rock, Sand
Soil pH:

Ecology

Wildlife:
  

Provides wildlife cover.

Fruit is used by birds and other wildlife.

Insects:
  

Larval host for giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) and Schaus' swallowtail (Heraclides aristodemus)in southern Florida.

Native Habitats:Hammocks. Scrub.

Distribution and Planting Zones

Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones

Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 11 9A 9B 

USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures

Comments

Ethnobotany:Fruit is edible, but is also a numbing agent. Powdered bark, leaves or fruit can be used as a spice. Wood is used for making furniture.
General Comments:Fragrant flowers and crushed foliage smells like limes. Dioecious: male and female flowers are on separate plants.