FNPS Plant Database

Citharexylum spinosum

fiddlewood
  • Photo by: Kari Ruder, Hernando Chapter, FNPS
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

fiddlewood

Synonym(s):

Citharexylum fruticosum

Genus species:

Citharexylum spinosum

Family:

Verbenaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

12 - 25 feet ft tall by to 12 feet ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

young fruits orange, mature to brown

Phenology:

Evergreen. Dioecious. Flowers and fruits throughout the year. Moderately long lived (Nelson 2003)

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits, Aroma/Showy Fruitsagrance, Hurricane Wind Resistance

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Wonderful in a mixed hedge, can be sheared to desired height, but the flowers and berries are too good to be missed. Excellent specimen plant. This plant is naturally multi-stemmed; to form a tree, the stems must be continually reduced to one until a trunk is formed.

Considerations:

Availability:

Quality Nurseries, Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales, Specialty Provider, Friends

Propagation:

Seeds, cuttings

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Somewhat moist, no flooding -to- Somewhat long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

5.0 - 8.0

Suitable to Grow In:

9B,10A,10B,11

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Caterpillars, Birds, Mammals

Larval host for fiddlewood leafroller moth ( Epicorsia oedipodalis ) ( Institute for Regional Conservation).


Nectar plant for butterflies.


Attracts bee pollinators.

Berries eaten by many species of bids and other wildlife.

Native Habitats:

Dry sites. Pinelands, maritime and sub-tropical or tropical hammocks

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

The strong and heavy wood of this plant are also the source of its name - it has long been used for musical instruments, including violins, guitars and others.

General Comments:

The shiny green leaves, gently fragrant flowers and glossy berries make this a charming plant. Can occasionally be subject to defoliation by the moth larvae, but these are an excellent food source for birds and their nestlings, and the fiddlewood regenerates quickly.

Citations:

Gann, G.D., C.J. Abbott, C.G. Stocking, K.N. Hines, and collaborators. (2001+), Natives For Your Neighborhood. ( https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Cithspin ). Accessed 2026. The Institute for Regional Conservation. Delray Beach, Florida.


Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell. (1999). Native Florida Plants. Gulf Publishing Company. Houston, TX.


Huegel, Craig N. (2010). Native Plant Landscaping for Florida Wildlife. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Natural Resources Conservation Service. (2006). PLANTS Database: Spiny Fiddlewood. ( https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/CISP3 ). Accessed 2026. United States Department of Agriculture.


Nelson, Gil. (2003). Florida's Best Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Osorio, Rufino. (2001). A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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