Colima

 In
Colima

Zanthoxylum fagara
Zanthoxylum fagara
Colima, Lime Prickly Ash
Coastal and south Texas; tropical Americas
5

20 feet
3

12 feet
  • Texas
  • Full Sun
  • Part Sun/Shade
  • Low
  • Deer Resistant
  • Flowering
  • Birds
  • Hummingbirds

About This Plant

Part shade or sun. Nearly evergreen, even in very cold temperatures, with prickly branches and a mounding form. The compound leaves bear distinctive “wings” (along the rachis) and, as the name suggests, they do smell like “lime” or, basically, Fruit Loops cereal.

In the tropics, colima can grow into a tree, but in South Texas it tends to remain shrub-like in sand or clay. It has been used in remedies and natural toothpastes; the chewed leaves tend to numb the mouth. Look for it at nurseries specializing in native plants, especially in the Rio Grande Valley. It is very thorny.

Maintenance

Light grooming and shaping.

Features

Plant Type:
Large Shrub
Size:
5-20' H, 3-12' W
Sunlight Requirements:
Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade
Soil Types:
Clay
Wildlife:
Birds, Butterflies, Butterfly Larvae, Hummingbirds
Flower Color:
Yellow
Bloom Time:
February, March
Freeze Hardy:
Yes
Invasive:
No
Caution:
None
Coupon Eligible:
No

This plant goes well with

Recent Posts

Start typing and press Enter to search