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Zanthoxylum fagara

Zanthoxylum fagara

(L.) Sarg.

Family: Rutaceae
Order: Sapindales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Phylum / Division: Magnoliophyta
Kingdom: Plantae

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Synonyms: Zanthoxylum hyemale.





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Description


Zanthoxylum fagara or wild lime, is a species of flowering plant that—despite its name—is not part of the genus Citrus with real limes and other fruit, but is a close cousin in the larger citrus family, Rutaceae. It is more closely related to Sichuan pepper. It is native to southern Florida and Texas in the United States, and to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America as far south as Paraguay. Common names include: lime prickly-ash, wild lime, colima, uña de gato, and corriosa.

 Zanthoxylum fagara is a spreading shrub or small tree growing to 7 m tall. Its trunk is generally rough with gray bark and grows to about in diameter. The irregularly-shaped branches contain hooked spines with pinnate 5 cm leaves. The leaves and bark can be crushed to make a bitter-tasting condiment, and much of the tree smells similar to citrus. Lime prickly-ash has a high drought tolerance and grows best in full sun, but it can also survive as an understory shrub. It provides significant food and cover for native wildlife and the leaves host the larvae of many butterflies, such as the giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes).

Uses: The powdered bark and leaves have been used as a spice, with an odor similar to that of limes.

Source: Wikipedia, article Zanthoxylum fagara. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 17/07/2026.





Geographic distribution


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Species photographs

Count: 4

Foto
Photography ID: 663497
  Adult

Parque Nacional Pre Delta
Entre Ríos
Argentina
11/23/2025
Peter Vidana
Foto
Photography ID: 497383
  Adult

Diamante
Entre Ríos
Argentina
06/21/2022
Gustavo Puente
Foto
Photography ID: 451154
  Adult

General Pico
La Pampa
Argentina
04/26/2020
Hugo Alberto Valderrey
Foto
Photography ID: 444940
  Adult

Montevideo
Montevideo
Uruguay
05/17/2021
Emilio Lessa


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Species records

Count: 7



Page 1 of 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
240089523/11/2025ArgentinaEntre RíosSendero Bosque de barranca, Parque Nacional Pre DeltaPeter Vidana
193010910/12/2023ArgentinaBuenos AiresReserva Natural de Uso Múltiple Isla Martín GarcíaDiego Carus
193001010/12/2023ArgentinaBuenos AiresReserva Natural de Uso Múltiple Isla Martín GarcíaMaria Belén Dri
179364817/06/2023ArgentinaBuenos AiresReserva Natural de Uso Múltiple Isla Martín GarcíaGustavo Fernando Durán
159842621/06/2022ArgentinaEntre RíosLas Cuevas, DiamanteGustavo Puente
140506717/05/2021UruguayMontevideoJardín Botánico, MontevideoEmilio Lessa
141922026/04/2020ArgentinaLa PampaGeneral PicoHugo Alberto Valderrey
Page 1 of 1

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Zanthoxylum fagara – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 15/09/2026.