Zanthoxylum hirsutum
Limestone Prickly Ash (Tickle-Tongue) is a small native tree or shrub covered in sharp prickles and glossy compound leaves. Chewing its leaves or bark causes a numbing, tingling sensation due to xanthoxylene compounds—a property historically used in Native American and pioneer dentistry to relieve toothaches. Critically, it serves as the premier larval host plant for the magnificent Giant Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio cresphontes).
Height: 15-40 ft.
Spread: 15-30 ft.
Foliage: Deciduous
Growth Rate: Moderate
Water Need: Low
Sun Need: Part Sun, Full Sun
Substrate / Soil: Limestone, Loam, Gravelly
Bloom Season: Mar, Apr, May
This species serves as an essential host plant for caterpillar larvae of: Giant Swallowtail.
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