Common prickly-ash

Leaves

Form

• Deciduous, alternate
• Pinnately compound
• 5–11 leaflets on a prickly central stalk

Length

• Leaf and central stalk 10–20 cm

Buds

Form

• Terminal and lateral buds small, rounded
• More than 1 above a leaf scar
• Covered with woolly hairs
• Leaf scars with 3 vein scars

Length

• Terminal bud 4–6 mm

Colour

• Hairs red

Twigs

Form

• Stiff
• Spicy citrus odour when bruised
• 2 spines at the leaf base

Colour

• Dark brown

Flowers

Form

• Small
• In small clusters on previous year’s twig

Colour

• Greenish

Structure

• Dioecious

Floral timing

• Before the leaves

Fruits

Form

• Rounded, small
• Spicy odour
• 1 or 2 seeds

Width

• Fruit 4–5 mm

Colour

• Fruit bright red
• Seeds shiny black

Structure

• Capsule

Bark

Form

• Smooth, becoming furrowed

Colour

• Grey or brown with lighter blotches

Wood

Texture

• Hard

Colour

• Yellow

Size

Height

• Shrubs or very small trees

Habitat

Site

• Along fencerows and forest edges
• Reproduces by root sprouts to form colonies

Light tolerance

• Moderately shade-tolerant

Range

Common in southern Ontario and Quebec