prickly ash

noun

Also called Northern prickly ash, a citrus shrub or small tree, Zanthoxylum americanum, having aromatic leaves and usually prickly branches.
Hercules-club ( def 2 ).

prickly ash

a North American rutaceous shrub or small tree, Zanthoxylum americanum, having prickly branches, feathery aromatic leaves, and bark used as a remedy for toothache Also calledtoothache tree

An Americanism dating back to 1700–10

Trimble Rogers plowed through the prickly ash, short of wind and temper, with the musket again ready for action.

Some oak woodland on the W. side, but the whole bottom covered with prickly-ash.

Of our native plants the prickly ash (Zanthoxylum), and the various species of sumach (Rhus), are the best known.

The prickly ash, with its little scarlet berry, was common upon this as upon other islands, and the elms were of remarkable size.

Hereabout also was to be found the prickly ash, a rather uncommon and graceful shrub.

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