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Hercules-club

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in maritime forests, dunes, shell middens, shell hammocks, maritime scrub, inland (in FL and GA) in hammocks. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

59
Strong

Native to Louisiana (estimated). How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 94%

Height
30–40 feet
Spread
12–15 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 13.5 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

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At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
March to May
Fruiting season
June to September

Recorded in 52 Louisiana parishes.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Maritime forests and thickets

Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.

Coastal dunes and beaches

Open sand of beaches, dunes and the hollows between them.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Louisiana. Shared habitat, not food. 83 animals.

Widespread birds also seen here (17)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of Louisiana

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

7CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA

Genus host records with ranges including LA · Zanthoxylum

  • Cryptothelea gloveriiOrange Bagworm
  • Dichomeris citrifoliellaOrange Webworm Moth
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Papilio cresphontesEastern Giant Swallowtail
  • Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • Papilio troilusSpicebush Swallowtail
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
5BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Zanthoxylum

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
4BirdsRecorded eating Zanthoxylum in Louisiana

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes Louisiana, most records first.

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Birds that eat Zanthoxylum 4

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Rutaceae
Flower color
Yellow, green or white
Fruit begins
June
Fruit ends
September

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Hercules club

Conservation status

Louisiana rankSNR
Global rankG4
LA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources