Florida Fiddlewood (Citharexylum spinosum)
Common Name Florida Fiddlewood
Latin Name Citharexylum spinosum
Family Verbenaceae
Native Yes
Zone 9B-11
Height 15-25 feet
Spread to 12 feet
Salt Water Tolerance Low
Salt Wind Tolerance Low
Drought Tolerance moderate
Soil Moist, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, with humusy top layer
Sun Full Sun; moderate shade
Wildlife Attractant Birds, bees, and butterflies
Main Uses
The Fiddlewood is a wonderful large shrub or small tree that can be used as an ornamental or accent element to your garden. It tolerates full sun to partial shade, making it great as a barrier shrub or a great addition to your understory.
Native to Florida, the Fiddlewood can be found from central Florida down into the Keys. Because of its low salt water and salt wind tolerance, its best used in a hammock setting or placed where there is plenty of buffer plants surrounding it.
Appearance
The Fiddlewood is a very pretty shrub with its tiny fragrant flowers blooming in spikes and globular hanging fruit. Its fruits resemble a hanging bunch of grapes, juicy and loved by wildlife. When ripe, the fruits turn an orange hue.
This plant can grow anywhere from 15-25 feet high and is adorned with 3-6-inch-long green shiny leaves. Bloom season is all year round, making it a stunner at all times.
Wildlife Attractant
The sweet and juicy fruit of the Fiddlewood attracts a slew of wildlife, from birds to small ground-dwelling animals. The fragrant flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators. This is a great food and cover source for any wildlife that is attracted to your garden.
