Skip to main content

Texas Hercules Club

Zanthoxylum hirsutum

Last reviewed: June 2026

Texas Hercules Club (Zanthoxylum hirsutum)
Photo: no rights reserved, uploaded by lanechaffin

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

72"–144" H × 72"–144" W

Bloom

Mar, Apr, May

Native to

TX

Pollinators

butterflies, bees

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 411 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Texas Hercules Club is a medium-sized native tree with distinctive spiny bark and compound leaves that turn yellow in fall. It produces small clusters of greenish-white flowers in spring followed by small red berries, creating year-round interest in the landscape.

In an HOA neighborhood

Texas Hercules Club is an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement. Maintenance level: moderate. Tidiness: 2 out of 5.

Works well in: front yard, mid zone.

  • Trees often require HOA/ARC approval even when allowed.
  • Verify setbacks from sidewalks, driveways, utilities, and structures.
  • Confirm mature height/canopy limits and sightline rules for corners.

Wildlife value

This tree attracts butterflies and bees with its spring blooms and provides berries for birds. It serves as a host plant for giant swallowtail butterfly caterpillars.

Common questions

How much sun does Texas Hercules Club need?
Texas Hercules Club grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Texas Hercules Club bloom?
Texas Hercules Club blooms in March, April, and May.
Where is Texas Hercules Club native?
Texas Hercules Club (Zanthoxylum hirsutum) is native to TX, per the USDA PLANTS Database and regional native plant society lists.
What pollinators does Texas Hercules Club attract?
Texas Hercules Club draws butterflies and bees.
Is Texas Hercules Club HOA-friendly?
Texas Hercules Club is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with moderate maintenance.

Native range data from the USDA PLANTS Database and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

Ready to grow Texas Hercules Club? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz