What is this thorny tree?

Jeff · March 07, 2011, 11:45:33 AM

My Sister is living in Ocala for the winter, so this is somewhere near that area. She sent me the photo to have you guys I.D.

pineywoods · March 07, 2011, 11:49:58 AM

Looks like what we call devil's walking stick. Never heard any other name.

Texas Ranger · March 07, 2011, 12:07:18 PM

Aralia spinosa, devils walking stick. Also called tooth ache tree, peel the bark and put it on your tongue, will deaden it.

Tom · March 07, 2011, 01:06:03 PM

Yep, Devil's Walking Stick. Also called "a stick".

Hit someone up side of the head with it and it will hurt. It might even "deaden" it. ;D

Texas Ranger · March 07, 2011, 03:55:22 PM

It is usually the tree on the other side of the creek when you jump and lose your balance, and try to grab something.

ely · March 07, 2011, 05:33:13 PM

its called Prickly Bark Ash.... at least it is around here. ive also heard it called toothache tree. it will numb your mouth and to me its acutally hotter than jalapenos until it gets numb. makes my lips swell really bad though.

anyway, the guys that buy snakeroot also buy that bark , it is used in medicine or something.

SwampDonkey · March 07, 2011, 06:20:03 PM

Out west along the coast mountains the understory in places has a nastier shrub called the devil's club. It's a mass of needle sized spines, even the leaves. When you slip and slide on those greasy wet mountains you grab that stuff before you nose dive or land on your but. :D :D :D That thing ain't even got half the density of spines a devil's club has. ;) I was doing layout on a block in the upper Skeena and it was solid club, you couldn't see the blow down and so was constantly tripping and grabbing. Miserable place to be in. I'm glad I'm back in NB. :D

tyb525 · March 07, 2011, 06:22:16 PM

Try honey locust ;)

Tom · March 07, 2011, 06:24:50 PM

Quote"Out west along the coast mountains the understory in places has a nastier shrub called the devil's club."

Oh Yeah!?!? Well down souther'n here the sandspurs are the size of golf balls. They're a lot worse than your club thingy

SwampDonkey · March 07, 2011, 06:27:34 PM

:D :D :D :D

Honey locust has spines, but nothing like club. ;D

Now, I'm doubly glad I'm up here. :D

beenthere · March 07, 2011, 06:41:50 PM

I'd vote for Zanthoxylum clava-herculis (Hercules' club)

The pics are near identical to the one Jeff posted.

That is referred to as the southern Prickly Ash or pepperwood.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanthoxylum_clava-herculis

In the midwest, is the common Prickly Ash, Zanthoxylum americanum

It's stem (bark) isn't as decorated with the thorns as Jeff's pic, and the stem is darker color.

We have that in the midwest and it is almost as bad as multiflora rose. Get into a thicket of it, and almost cannot get out.

Also recall SD's Devils Club on the island of Wrangell, AK. When you slip, there is always one right there to grab hold of and rip out your hand.

Jeff · March 07, 2011, 06:47:36 PM

I looked at Beenthere's choice and I think it is exactly on. The photo's for that are much closer then devil's walking stick

Tom · March 07, 2011, 06:48:46 PM

Oh yeah!??! well you can propel a shaft of sandspurs, with the flick of a wrist, as far as twenty feet 8) and pin a girls blouse to her back such that it'll take a bevy of Mama's to free her.

beenthere · March 07, 2011, 06:55:56 PM

Did you get in trouble for that, or did Charlie?

Tom · March 07, 2011, 07:02:21 PM

It was in retaliation for being chased and kissed.

SwampDonkey · March 07, 2011, 07:04:33 PM

Well, what happened to the notion of using a friendly hand. Why be so rough?

;D :D :D :D

Better stop there. ;D

Mooseherder · March 07, 2011, 07:06:54 PM

We have a few of deese. Different but thorny. ;)

WDH · March 07, 2011, 08:37:27 PM

I bet my sand spur is thornier than your sand spur! Take that ;D.

SwampDonkey · March 07, 2011, 08:42:12 PM

Where's my wild cucumbers and burdocks? :D

tyb525 · March 07, 2011, 08:56:25 PM

WDH · March 07, 2011, 09:24:00 PM

Those other thorny things scratch. Ty's specimen scars

.

Texas Ranger · March 07, 2011, 09:35:50 PM

OK, hercules club

tyb525 · March 07, 2011, 09:38:46 PM

And they take over in the blink of an eye! My grandfather had one stick in his head when he was mowing underneath one. I've had countless holes and scratches in my body from them, and my dad has had them poke through coveralls and jeans into his leg, sometimes breaking off under the skin requiring home surgery to remove.

Paul_H · March 07, 2011, 10:19:39 PM

Quote from: Tom on March 07, 2011, 06:24:50 PM
Quote"Out west along the coast mountains the understory in places has a nastier shrub called the devil's club."

Oh Yeah!?!? Well down souther'n here the sandspurs are the size of golf balls. They're a lot worse than your club thingy

sez you

Tom · March 08, 2011, 12:09:11 AM

Yep! I've been in a thicket of both. Sandspurs will stop you dead in your tracks. :P ;D

Looks like I was wrong in calling that a devil's walking stick.
http://www.lnps.org/articles/ToothacheHercules.html