Prickly Ash Bark

(Zanthoxylum americanum)

Zanthoxylum americanum — Northern Prickly Ash, Toothache Tree, or Suterberry — is a deciduous shrub or small tree of the citrus family (Rutaceae) native to the eastern and central United States and Canada, from Quebec and Manitoba south to Georgia and Oklahoma. Armed with sharp, paired thorns along its branches and producing small, aromatic, citrus-scented leaves and clusters of tiny black berries, prickly ash is one of the most distinctive and botanically interesting native shrubs of the eastern North American woodland edge. The common name “Toothache Tree” reflects one of its most well-known traditional uses — the bark and berries were chewed by numerous Indigenous peoples of eastern North America to produce a characteristic numbing, tingling sensation in the mouth, a property attributed to the plant’s unique alkaloid content. Zanthoxylum americanum has a long and well-documented history of use in the traditional botanical practices of the Cherokee, Ojibwe, Iroquois, Potawatomi, and many other Indigenous nations, and it was one of the most widely used circulatory and stimulant botanicals in 19th-century American eclectic medicine. The bark — harvested from the trunk and branches — is the primary part used in herbal preparations.

The bark contains a distinctive array of phytochemicals including chelerythrine (a benzophenanthridine alkaloid), nitidine, fagarine, magnoflorine, tembetarine, berberine (in small amounts), xanthyletin and xanthoxyletin (coumarins), asarinin (a lignan), resin, tannins, volatile essential oils (including limonene and other citrus-characteristic terpenes), and plant acids. Available in Cut & Sifted and Powder forms.

Product Highlights

• Cut & sifted and powdered bark of Zanthoxylum americanum — Prickly Ash / Toothache Tree / Northern Prickly Ash
• A foundational botanical in the traditional herbal practices of the Cherokee, Ojibwe, Iroquois, and many other Indigenous nations
• One of the most widely used stimulant and circulatory botanicals in 19th-century American eclectic medicine
• Rich in chelerythrine, nitidine, fagarine, xanthyletin, berberine, and citrus-characteristic volatile oils
• Produces a characteristic numbing, tingling sensation — the source of the common name “Toothache Tree”
• Distinctly aromatic — spicy, citrus-like, and pungent, with a flavor unlike any other North American bark
• Available in Cut & Sifted and Powder forms

How to Use

Herbal Tea (Decoction): Simmer 1 teaspoon of cut & sifted prickly ash bark in 8 oz of water for 15–20 minutes; strain. The flavor is spicy, aromatic, and distinctly citrus-like with a characteristic tingling sensation. Tincture: Use in alcohol-based tincture preparations. Herbal Blends: Traditionally combined with other circulatory and stimulant botanicals in traditional eclectic herbal formulas.

Available in Cut & Sifted (4 oz, 8 oz, 16 oz) and Powder (4 oz, 8 oz, 16 oz).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before use if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition. Not recommended during pregnancy. Keep out of reach of children.