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Zanthoxylum alatum - Roxb.

Common Name Winged Prickly Ash
Family Rutaceae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Forest undergrowth and hot valleys to 1800 metres in the Himalayas.
Range E. Asia - China to the Himalayas.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Zanthoxylum alatum Winged Prickly Ash


commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Cillas
Zanthoxylum alatum Winged Prickly Ash
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Cillas

 

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Summary

UPDATE 10/10/2011: Zanthoxylum alatum Roxb. is a synonym of Zanthoxylum armatum var. armatum


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Zanthoxylum alatum is a deciduous Shrub growing to 4 m (13ft 1in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). . The plant is not self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Z. armatum.

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts:
Edible Uses: Condiment

The seed is ground into a powder and used as a condiment[183]. A pepper substitute, it is widely used in the Orient[105, 132, 158, 183]. A light roasting brings out more of the flavour[206]. The seed is an ingredient of the famous Chinese 'five spice' mixture[206]. The fruit is rather small but is produced in clusters which makes harvesting easy[K]. Each fruit contains a single seed. Young leaves are used as a condiment[105, 158, 183].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Cholera  Miscellany  Odontalgic  Stimulant  Stomachic  Tonic

The seeds and the bark are used as an aromatic tonic in the treatment of fevers, dyspepsia and cholera[240]. The fruits, branches and thorns are considered to be carminative and stomachic[46, 61, 146, 158, 240]. They are used as a remedy for toothache[240].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Miscellany  Teeth  Wood

The fruit contains 1.5% essential oil[240]. The fruit is used to purify water[146, 158]. Toothbrushes are made from the branches[146, 158]. Wood - heavy, hard, close grained. Used for walking sticks[146, 158].

Special Uses

Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Prefers a good deep well-drained moisture retentive soil in full sun or semi-shade[1, 11, 200]. This species is closely related to Z. planispinum[200]. Flowers are formed on the old wood[206]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the autumn. Stored seed may requires up to 3 months cold stratification, though scarification may also help[113]. Sow stored seed in a cold frame as early in the year as possible. Germination should take place in late spring, though it might take another 12 months. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Root cuttings, 3cm long, planted horizontally in pots in a greenhouse. Good percentage[78]. Suckers, removed in late winter and planted into their permanent positions[113].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: China (Anhui Sheng, Zhejiang Sheng, Fujian Sheng, Henan Sheng (south), Hunan Sheng, Hubei Sheng, Gansu Sheng (south), Jiangxi Sheng, Jiangsu Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guizhou Sheng, Shanxi Sheng (south), Shandong Sheng, Shaanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Yunnan Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Xizang Zizhiqu), Korea, Japan (Honshu (west), Kyushu, Ryukyu Islands, Shikoku), Taiwan (north) TROPICAL ASIA: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur), Nepal, Pakistan (north), Laos, Myanmar (north), Thailand (north), Vietnam (north), Indonesia (Lesser Sunda Islands), Philippines

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Zanthoxylum ailanthoides Tree18.0 8-11  LMHSNM21 
Zanthoxylum americanumPrickly Ash - Northern, Common pricklyash, Northern Prickly AshShrub4.0 3-7 MLMHSNM232
Zanthoxylum beecheyanum Shrub0.8 -  LMHSNM21 
Zanthoxylum bungeanum Shrub6.0 -  LMHSNM23 
Zanthoxylum clava-herculisHercules Club. Prickly Ash - Southern, Hercules' club, Southern Prickly AshShrub3.0 7-11 MLMHSNM232
Zanthoxylum coreanum Shrub0.0 -  LMHSNM11 
Zanthoxylum nitidum Climber0.0 -  LMHSNM021
Zanthoxylum piperitumJapanese Pepper TreeShrub2.0 5-9  LMHSNM321
Zanthoxylum planispinumWinged Prickly AshShrub3.5 5-9  LMHSNM32 
Zanthoxylum schinifoliumPeppertreeShrub4.0 5-9  LMHSNM220
Zanthoxylum simulansSzechuan Pepper, Chinese-pepper, Prickly AshShrub4.0 5-8 MLMHFSNM320

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Roxb.

Botanical References

200

Links / References

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