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Citharexylum spinosum
Verbenaceae FAMILY

Citharexylum spinosum

Citharexylum spinosum

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Tree
GrowthMedium

A plant of the tropics to the subtropics of the Bahamas. It can endure wide fluctuations in temperature in the northern reaches of its range with a summer mean around 27.5°c, a winter mean of 16°c and occasional light frosts[1]. It is found in areas where the mean annual rainfall is within the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, which can be evenly distributed, or there can be a short dry season of 2 - 3 months[1]. Grows best in a sunny position[2]. Also succeeds in dappled shade[3]. Prefers a well-drained but moisture-retentive, humus-rich, fertile soil[2, 4]. The plant is tolerant of a wide range of soils from clay to gravelly and sandy, dry soils, and also adapts to a wide range of soil pH from 5 - 8[5, 1]. It is sometimes found on somewhat poorly drained sites[1]. The plant is moderately tolerant of salt-laden winds[3]. The relatively weak wood is susceptible to breakage in strong winds[4]. Often grown as an ornamental plant, it has escaped from cultivation in some areas and established itself. The main way of the plant spreading is by means of bird-sown seeds[4]. It is classified as 'Invasive' in Hawaii[6]. Trees usually begin producing fruit before the age of 10 years when open-grown[1]. Plants can flower and produce fruit all year round[4, 7]. Young trees coppice vigorously, but older trees lose this vigour[1]. Adventitious buds develop profusely, filling the lower part of the tree with sucker growth[8]. The tree is often reported to have hermaphrodite flowers, but at least in parts of its range the male and female flowers, although they look very similar) are borne on different trees[1].

Propagation

Seed - sown in a nursery seedbed, it usually starts sprouting within 13 days from sowing[1]. Pot up the seedlings about 1 month later when around 5cm tall into individual containers and move to a position in 25% shade. They should be ready to plant out about 3 months later when around 40cm tall[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Citharexylum+spinosum>

Pollinators

Insects, Bees

References

  1. [1]Citharexylum fruticosum. L. Péndula, fiddlewood. Verbenaceae. Verbena Family. — Francis J.K. · USDA Forest Service; New Orleans. · 1990 · http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/30397 ↩︎A very detailed article on Citharexylum fruticosum. It can be downloaded from the internet.
  2. [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  3. [3]Flowers of India — http://www.flowersofindia.net/ ↩︎A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
  4. [4]Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide — Whistler. W. Arthur. · Timber Press Inc. Oregon. · 2000 · ISBN 0-88192-448-2 ↩︎An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
  5. [5]Medicinal Plants of the Guianas — DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J. · Smithsonian Museum · http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html ↩︎A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
  6. [6]Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk — http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html ↩︎A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands.
  7. [7]Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands — Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H. · USDA, Forest Service; Washington. · 1964 ↩︎Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
  8. [8]Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 11 — Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass. · 1945 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎Includes an article on the Economic Plants of S. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
  9. [9]Fruits of the Guianan Flora — van Roosmalen. M.G.M. · Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands. · 1985 · ISBN 90-9000988-4 ↩︎Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat.
  10. [10]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.