Northern Prickly Ash
Zanthoxylum americanum
Host plant for giant and black swallowtails, with citrus-pepper scented foliage. Berries for birds in fall, early pollen for bees in spring.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Host plant for giant and black swallowtails, ecologically dense, and it handles dry shade better than almost anything else we grow.
Northern prickly ash is a host plant for giant swallowtail and black swallowtail butterflies, some of the largest and most spectacular butterflies in North America. Plant it along a woodland edge or naturalized border and you will see adults laying eggs on the compound leaves through summer. The aromatic foliage carries a citrus-pepper scent when crushed, a notable sensory experience for anyone walking close by. Thorny stems, berries eaten by birds in fall, early pollen for native bees in spring. This is an ecologically loaded shrub that looks after itself completely once it's established. Not a specimen plant for a formal bed, a foundational component of a naturalized planting that wants to do ecological work.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown northern prickly ash propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 4–10 ft · 36–72 in wide
- Bloom time
- Early spring
- USDA zones
- 3–7
- Family
- Rutaceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America
Care notes for northern prickly ash.
Full sun to part shade, tolerates a wide range of soils from dry to average. Spreads by root suckers to form a colony over time. No pruning needed. Be cautious working around it. the thorns are substantial. Provide gloves. No fertilizing required.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside northern prickly ash.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.