Description
- Botanical Name - Zanthoxylum americanum
- Other Names - Tumbru, Toothache Tree, Tejbal, Northern Prickly Ash, Szechuan Pepper, Yellow Wood, Prickly Ash
- Origin - USA
- Flavor Profile - Bitter and astringent tasting. Usually combined in tea blends with gentian and orange peel.
- Typical Preparations - Teas or tinctures. Prickly ash powder may be used as a poultice. Although rare, may also be taken as capsule.
Prickly Ash is woody shrub in the citrus family native to eastern and central North America. While the soft, blond wood isnt suitable as timber, the chopped bark is tinctured for topical use. Prickly ash bark was also an ingredient in the herbal bitters formula promoted by the 17th century American botanist, John Bartram. Precautions - Use with caution during pregnancy. Prickly ash can stop lactation, and should be avoided by mothers wishing to continue nursing.