THE COCCOLOBA CHAPTER OF THE FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY
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Hercules-club
Zanthoxylum clava-herculis
Picture
Hercules-club is a small to medium tree or large shrub with a rounded, spreading crown. Trunks short to 18 inches in diameter, but usually much less. Bark light gray, roughened by numerous large spine-tipped corky-pyramidal projections, losing spines with age. Elliptical to lanceolate leaves, temperate deciduous, compound, aromatic, shiny green above, to about 8 inches in length. Typically, 10-20 feet in height in South Florida; to 65 feet in Florida. Often as broad as tall.

Follicles produced in clusters, individual fruits enclosed in a brown husk that splits open at maturity to reveal a shiny red-brown to black seed. Dioecious and tiny flowers appear in early-spring.

Larval host plant for giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) butterflies.

​By Tony Mauriello
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  • Home
  • Why Natives?
    • Why Natives?
    • EXAMPLES
  • Projects
  • What We Do
    • Meetings
  • Volunteer Info
    • Projects
    • FGCU Service Learning Hours
  • Education and Resources
    • Native Plant Resources
    • Native Plants for your area
    • Native Host Plants for Butterflies
    • Native Wildflowers for Birds
    • Native Plants for Birds
    • Documents
  • Newsletter
  • Our Founder