Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rutaceae

Genus:

Zanthoxylum

Species:

Zanthoxylum spinosum

USDA Symbol:

ZACO

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

600 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

green, yellow

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from roots following fire; historically present in fire-maintained woodlands.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy to loamy soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to Caribbean, prefers coastal conditions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Seeds have hard seed coat requiring scarification; cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI