How to grow Hercules' Club

The seeds need to be stratified for four months. Seedlings should be grown indoors in late winter or early spring. When seedlings reach 10cm tall they are ready to be transplanted outside.³

Very much care free in zone 9 when established. Loves well drained sandy soils and lots of water and sunlight.

These estimates for how long Hercules' Club takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

The name refers to large wart-like knots in the bark

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis comes from the Greek meaning “Yellow wood club of Hercules”. The clava segment in the name comes from Hercules’ weapon of choice, which is a club with spines. Zanthoxylum has spines all over branches and trunk.²

The pulverized root and bark are used to ease the pain of toothache.⁴

Toothache Tree, Southern Prickly-Ash, Sea-Ash, Pepper-Bark, pepperwood

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis

http://www.nababutterfly.com/NABA%20Butterfly%20Garden%20and%20Habitat%20Program/hercules_club.html

² Eat The Weeds entry on Hercules’ Club

³ Global Healing Center entry on Hercules’ Club

⁴ pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Zanthoxylum+clava-herculis