Georgia Wildlife Federation

Toothache tree is wonderfully odd and interesting! Its trunk is dotted with large, corky, domelike outgrowths that remind me of dinosaur armor, and every part of it—leaves, wood, bark, roots, flowers, and fruit—is lemon-scented. The big, complicated leaves are glossy and prickly, and the hard little red summer fruits attract mockingbirds and catbirds. If you chew on a berry or a bit of bark, your mouth will go numb; not surprisingly, these parts of the plant were once used in home remedies to relieve toothaches.

I like the “unusualness” of this spiny, fragrant, funny little tree, but here’s the real reason I planted it in my yard: It’s a host plant for the giant swallowtail butterfly. If you find tiny pale green eggs on the tips of the new leaves, then you’ll know your toothache tree has been discovered. The eggs hatch into caterpillars that look almost exactly like bird droppings—a great disguise that helps protect them from predators! The adult giant swallowtail has a wingspan of up to six inches. Its upper side is black with dramatic golden yellow bands, and its underside is yellow with black borders and veins.

Family: Rutaceae (Citrus Family)

Description: A small deciduous tree with unusual gray-brown bark bearing many corky, pyramid-shaped projections, each tipped with a spine. Leaves are pinnately compound and six to ten inches long, with spines along the rachis. Clusters of small yellow-green flowers are produced in early spring, followed in summer by small reddish brown fruits with shiny black seeds.

Size: 20 to 30 feet tall and about 10 feet wide.

Habit: Small, with a rounded crown.

Light: Full sun to light shade.

Planting and Care: For best results, plant toothache tree in moist, well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight. It is fast-growing, drought-tolerant, and maintenance-free. Toothache tree is dioecious, which means you’ll need both a male and a female tree to produce fruit.

Ornamental Value: Assets include interesting warty bark, red summer fruit, and large, aromatic leaves.

Landscape Usage: Combine toothache tree with palms to create a tropical effect. A host plant for the giant swallowtail, it’s a must-have for the butterfly or pollinator garden. It might be a little wild-and-wooly-looking for use in a formal area, but it works well in more naturalistic settings.

Wildlife Benefits: Summer fruits attract birds; deer browse the leaves.

Native Habitat: Found on sand dunes and in maritime forests along the Georgia coast. Also occurs in a few counties in the southwestern part of the state, in sandy soils near marshes, rivers, and streams.

Propagation: Root cuttings. Seed requires scarification and four months’ stratification.