Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Dick Diener

Nomenclature

Common Name:

Hercules-club

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis

Family:

Rutaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

tree

Size:

10 to 25 (50) ft tall by 10-25 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

yellow

Phenology:

Deciduous. Blooms in spring. Fruit ripens in fall.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Thorns, Interesting Foliage, Interesting Bark

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Specimen tree.

Considerations:

Quite thorny.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Usually moist, occasional inundation ---to--- Somewhat long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

Ecology

Wildlife:

Caterpillars, Birds, Mammals

Larval host for giant swallowtail ( Papilio cresphontes ).

Birds and other wildlife eat the fruit.

Native Habitats:

Hammocks, wet woods, dunes, shell middens.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

The bitter aromatic bark was used for toothaches.

General Comments:

Wood is quite soft and weak.  This author had one break in a storm.  It did however resprout from low on the trunk and the sprout is now about 15 ft tal.