It is a shrub or tree usually with trifoliate leaves, white, male and female flowers arranged in panicles in leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets and red, purple or brown follicles.

Zanthoxylum ovalifolium is a shrub or tree that typically grows to a height of 8 m (26 ft) and often has prickles on its branchlets and thick, conical spines on its older stems.

Flowering occurs in summer and the fruit is a spherical red, purple or brown follicle 6.5 mm (0.26 in) wide.

[3][4][5] Zanthoxylum ovalifolium was first formally described in 1839 by Robert Wight in his book, Illustrations of Indian Botany, from specimens collected in the "Shevagerry hills in flower, and fruit in August and September".

[6][7] Thorny yellowwood is a widespread species, found from India, through southeast Asia, Malesia, New Guinea, and Queensland.