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Pepperwood or Hercules Club

Q: Is Pepperwood or Hercules Club natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Steam distillation or CO2 extraction of bark, leaves, or berries of Zanthoxylum species. Various species yield slightly different aromatic profiles. Production is limited..

WOODS AND MOSSES / woody · spicy · aromatic

Category	WOODS AND MOSSES
Subcategory	woody · spicy · aromatic
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Zanthoxylum clava-herculis
Appearance	Pale yellow to amber viscous liquid
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	United States
Pyramid	Heart

Sharp, numbing, peppery-woody. The bark and berries of Zanthoxylum -- Sichuan pepper's woody cousin, with a tongue-tingling spice and a citrusy, almost lemony brightness.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Sharp, tingling, and citrus-peppery. Like biting a Sichuan peppercorn and breathing in -- the numbing sensation on the tongue is accompanied by a bright burst of lemon, a woody bark depth, and a sharpness that is more electric than hot. Different from any other pepper.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Sharp, bright, citrus-peppery. A tingling, electric spice.

After a few hours

The sharpness fades. Warm, woody bark with residual citrus.

After a few days

A subtle, woody-peppery residue.

The Full Story

Pepperwood, also known as Hercules club, refers to trees of the genus Zanthoxylum (Rutaceae family), the same genus that produces Sichuan pepper (Z. bungeanum) and Japanese sansho (Z. piperitum). The common name "Hercules club" comes from the thorny, club-like branches of Z. clava-herculis, native to North America.

The aromatic character of Zanthoxylum species is particular: a sharp, numbing spiciness (from sanshools and hydroxy-alpha-sanshool), combined with a bright, lemony-citrus quality (from limonene and citronellal) and a woody, bark-like base.

In perfumery, pepperwood/Zanthoxylum is used for its unique spice-citrus-numbing profile, which differs from both black pepper (piperine-based heat) and pink pepper (fruity-sweet). The numbing quality translates olfactively as a tingling, almost electric sharpness.

The material functions as a top-to-heart spice note, providing a particular, East Asian-inflected peppery brightness that lifts and energizes compositions.

This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Albâtre Sépia. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Related: Alder · Alpha Humulene · Amaranth · Amberever · Ambramone · Amburana Bark · Antillone · Apple Tree

Did You Know?

Did you know?

The numbing sensation of Sichuan pepper (mala) comes from hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, which activates touch receptors that normally detect vibration. Research has shown that the molecule produces a tingling at a frequency of approximately 50 Hz -- the same frequency as electrical mains hum.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Steam distillation or CO2 extraction of bark, leaves, or berries of Zanthoxylum species. Various species yield slightly different aromatic profiles. Production is limited.

Molecular Formula	N/A — complex essential oil (terpenes, alkaloids)
CAS Number	68916-98-3
Botanical Name	Zanthoxylum clava-herculis
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	HERCULES CLUB · TOOTHACHE TREE
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	Pale yellow to amber viscous liquid
Flash Point	> 200.00 °F. TCC ( > 93.33 °C. )

In Perfumery

Top-to-heart note in spicy, citrus, and East Asian-inspired compositions. Functions as a particular, numbing-bright spice distinct from black pepper (heat) or pink pepper (fruity). Built on sanshool-type compounds and limonene. The citrusy sharpness lifts woody and amber bases.