Zanthoxylum fagara
Family: Rutaceae
Plant Description: Prickly evergreen shrub to 3.2 m high. Leaves odd pinnate with obovate or oval leaflets 5-20 mm long, 5-13 leaflets per rachis. Rachis and petioles with numerous curved prickles. Crushed leaves aromatic, alternate. Flowers clustered along the branches, both unisexual and bisexual occurring on the same plant. Petals 2-3 mm long, yellow-green.
Plant Trivia: Mexican Lore: As the story goes, a wealthy Mexican rancher who was blessed with a female child would plant Colima outside what would be her bedroom window. As the child grew and matured, so did the Colima. By the time she became a teenager the Colima was a large bush, dense with stems and thousands of small, curved cat-like thorns. The objective was to keep her from sneaking out of the house to visit a boy; and conversely keep the boy from sneaking into the house.
Field Identification: Curved prickles and the citrus odor of he bruised leaves, combined with the winged petioles and rachises identifies this plant.
Occurrence: Common on various soils, in brushy thickets, motts, and wooded steam beds.
Bloom Period: January-April
Plant Use: Nesting site for several passerine birds, browse for White-tailed Deer. Host planta for Giant Swallowtail butterfly.
Key to the other species of Zanthoxylum:
- Leaf rachis winged…………………………………………………………………………Z. fagara
Leaf rachis not winged………………………………………………………………………………..2
2. Leaflets tapered to end or at least pointed………………….Z. clava-herculis
Leaflets mostly blunt or rounded…………………………………………….Z. hirstum
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