They grow everywhere here.

In the College Station area, they grow along fencelines out on Wellborn road, all the way to Millican and beyond.

You should be able to find many with no problem.

Good Luck

Kt

When I was in high school I worked at a golf course near Ft. Worth and the greenskeeper showed us a tree that you could peel the bark of and stick a piece in your mouth and it would make your mouth numb. I remember it had spikes on the trunk and it was growing wild not planted. Could this possibly be the same tree? I've always wondered what species of tree that was!

What is the difference between toothache tree (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis) and the devils walking stick (Aralia spinosa)??

I can't tell the difference by the pictures here. . ..

I have them on my land and you are welcomed to one. Get ahold of me through my page. They are a host tree fore swallowtails. The really big yellow one.

What a thoughtful gift, James! Too sweet of you to do this for your girlfriend's mother.

I just wanted to let you know that there are atleast two trees in the Zanthoxylum genus that will make your mouth numb, so if I were you, I'd get one as close to where she lives as possible to up the chances you get the right one. You could always learn the differences between them and pump her for more info, but somehow I think that might spoil the surprise. And besides, the info she gives you still may not be enough to differentiate between the two.

Good luck! I hope you find the right one. If you do, would you come back and tell us what happened after Christmas? I LOVE sweet Christmas stories like this one. ;)

That's a very thoughtful thing to do. That plant is also a host plant for Giant Swallowtail caterpillars. I found a mail order source, but chances of getting one before Christmas are very slim. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Mail Order Natives

James, I know where you said you gf's mom lives but where do you live. We have prickly ash here and you are more than welcome to some
jolana

We have a few 1 and two gallon toothache trees.
1 Gallons $6.50
2 Gallons $12.50
All we grow are Natives
You can contact me at texican@zipnet.us for a map and price list.
Steve & Valorie Lewis
Mertzon, Texas

Over in Leon Co. we call them tickle tongue trees. they do grow wild everywhere. I was always told by my grandfather and father they were used for toothaches.

Hi, James...I'm supposing you've already found a toothache tree, and it doesn't sound like you're close to San Antonio. But just in case, I have at least two small ones I need to dig up from our property in Bulverde. I can also show you what a more mature one looks like. Just let me know.

Yours are likely to be Zanthoxylum hirsutum, another variety which is native to central and western Texas. I've got one of those also. Eastern Texas has the Zanthoxylum clava-hercules mentioned above.

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas Toothache Tree

This is great information. I was just talking to a friend about this tree the other day. I will definitely send her a link to this thread so she can read about it. She thought I was talking about Bois d'arc, but that was definitely not it. All I could think of was the name toothache tree or hercules club. Now I have the information I need. I sure hope the OP found the tree in time for the holidays.

Definitely do NOT want to chew on the sticky bark of a Bois d'arc tree...might glue your mouth shut.