Northern prickly-ash
Zanthoxylum americanum
Synonyms: Mioptrila odorata, Zanthoxylum fraxineum, Zanthoxylum parvum, Zanthoxylum americanum f. impuniens, Zanthoxylum americanum f. armatius, Zanthoxylum ramiflorum, Zanthoxylum caribaeum, Zanthoxylum clava-herculis var. americanum, Zanthoxylum mite, Zanthoxylum cauliflorum, Thylax fraxineum
Western Herbalism Properties
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Botanical Description
Zanthoxylum americanum, the northern prickly-ash or toothache tree, is an aromatic deciduous shrub or small tree in the citrus family (Rutaceae), reaching up to about 10 meters tall with a trunk diameter to 15 centimeters. The branches are armed with stout paired prickles at the nodes. Leaves are pinnately compound with 5 to 11 membranous, dark green leaflets having crenate margins and emitting a citrus-like aroma when crushed. The plant is dioecious; small yellow-green flowers without petals (or with reduced petals) appear before the leaves in spring in dense axillary clusters. Fruits are reddish follicles that open to expose shiny black seeds and ripen mid- to late summer. The species is the northernmost New World member of the citrus family, native to central and eastern North America across 32 U.S. states and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, where it occupies rich woodlands, thickets, riverbanks and rocky slopes. It is listed as endangered in Florida, Maryland and New Hampshire.
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional American Uses
Northern prickly-ash was one of the most widely employed medicinal plants in eastern Native American materia medica, with at least 50 documented drug uses across the Iroquois, Menominee, Chippewa, Comanche, Meskwaki, Alabama, Delaware, Cherokee and Creek. The bark and berries served principally as a toothache remedy, dermatological aid, analgesic and antirheumatic; additional applications included cold and cough remedies, febrifuge, pulmonary and throat aids, kidney and heart medicines, anthelmintic, abortifacient, and orthopedic and burn dressings (Herrick, 1977; Smith, 1923; Densmore, 1928). In nineteenth-century Western herbal practice the bark and fruit were similarly used as a warming, stimulating, diaphoretic and alterative tonic for chronic rheumatism, typhoid, leg ulcers, dyspepsia, dysentery and debilitated conditions of the digestive organs (King, 1898).
Chemistry & External Identifiers
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.