# Hercules' club (*Zanthoxylum clava-herculis*) Hercules' club is a unique plant with thick, spiky branches. It grows in warm areas and has bright green leaves that can be very pretty. This plant is named after the strong hero Hercules! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas - **Also known as:** Toothache Tree ![Hercules' club](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Zanthoxylum_clava-herculis.jpg&width=800) Photo: user:MPF, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zanthoxylum_clava-herculis.jpg) ## Appearance The Hercules' club is a striking tree with a distinctive trunk covered in corky, cone-shaped thorns. Its compound leaves are shiny green, turning yellowish in fall. Small, clustered yellowish-green flowers lead to tiny, dark, capsule-like fruits. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Sapindales - **Family:** Rutaceae - **Genus:** Zanthoxylum ## Interesting facts - It's called "Hercules' club" because its thorny trunk looks like the legendary hero's weapon! - Its bark contains chemicals that create a buzzing, tingling feeling on your tongue! - Many butterflies, like the Giant Swallowtail, lay their eggs only on this special tree! - Some birds love to eat its tiny, black berries, helping to spread its seeds far and wide! ## Special abilities - **Spiky Armor:** Hercules' club has formidable, cone-shaped thorns on its trunk that protect it from hungry herbivores. - **Numbness Nectar:** The bark of Hercules' club contains compounds that can cause a tingling, numbing sensation, deterring pests. - **Desert Dweller:** Hercules' club can thrive in dry, sandy soils thanks to its deep root system, helping it survive droughts. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1000-1800 cm - **Spread:** 400-800 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Shelter:** Giant Swallowtail (*Papilio cresphontes*) — Its leaves are food for the butterfly's larvae. - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees visit its small flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Robins consume its small, dark berries, spreading seeds. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Be careful around the spiky branches; they can be sharp! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Hercules' club? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Hercules' club? 1000-1800 cm ### How wide does Hercules' club spread? 400-800 cm ### How big are the flowers on Hercules' club? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does Hercules' club bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is Hercules' club edible? No ### Is Hercules' club toxic? Mild ### What is Hercules' club's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Causeyville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/causeyville-historic-district) — Mississippi, US · Historic District - [Lake Bob Sandlin State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-bob-sandlin-state-park) — Texas, US · State Park - [Fort Matanzas National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-matanzas-national-monument) — Florida, US · National Park [View all places to see Hercules' club](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/hercules-club) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Hercules' club: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hercules-club)