Lime Prickly-ash
Zanthoxylum fagara
Crushing the leaves releases a pungent citrus aroma. The bark contains numbing alkaloid compounds historically used by indigenous peoples to soothe toothaches.
- Scientific name
- Zanthoxylum fagara
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Sapindales › Rutaceae › Zanthoxylum
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Subtropical hammocks, coastal scrubs, and dry maritime forests.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis requiring sunlight, water, and soil nutrients).
- Range
- Florida, USA, Texas, USA, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
- Size
- Shrub or small tree growing 2 to 7 meters (6 to 23 feet) tall.
- Lifespan
- 20 to 50 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, urbanization, and displacement by invasive plant species.
- Safe to approach?
- Defensive. This plant is armed with sharp, curved thorns that can easily snag clothing and tear skin. Maintain a safe distance of 1-2 feet when navigating through its habitat. If scratched, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water to prevent secondary infection.
Zanthoxylum fagara or wild lime , is a species of flowering plant that, despite its name, is not actually in the citrus genus with real limes and other fruit, but is a close cousin in the larger citrus family, Rutaceae. It is native to southern Florida and Texas in the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America as far south as Paraguay. Common names include lime prickly-ash , wild lime , colima , uña de gato , and...
Photo: Douglas Goldman, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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