Dodonaea viscosa – Florida Hopbush

Dodonaea viscosa - Florida Hopbush, Hopbush, Keys Hopbush

Dodonaea viscosa - Florida Hopbush, Hopbush, Keys Hopbush

Plant Name

Scientific Name: Dodonaea viscosa

Synonyms: Dodonaea ehrenbergii, D. elaeagnoides, D. eriocarpa, D. jamaicensis, D. microcarya, D. sandwicensis, D. spathulata, D. stenoptera, D. thunbergiana, Ptelea viscosa

Common Names: Florida Hopbush, Hopbush, Keys Hopbush

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial, Evergreen

Growth Habit: Tree, Shrub

Arizona Native Status: Native

Habitat: Desert, Upland

Flower Color: Inconspicuous (yellowish)

Flowering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall

Height: To 15 feet (4.6 m) tall

Description: The small, petalless flowers are followed by showy, hop-like seedpods. The seedpods have 3 seeds and 3 or 4 rounded wings. The seedpods are initially green, later becoming yellow-green to greenish cream, and then becoming tinged red or pink before finally drying to a papery brown. The leaves are alternate, narrowly oblanceolate, dark green, and very shiny.

Special Characteristics

Poisonous – The plants are poisonous because they contain toxic saponin, a bitter, soapy, foaming substance.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Sapindales
Family: Sapindaceae – Soapberry family
Genus: Dodonaea Mill. – dodonaea
Species: Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq. – Florida hopbush

More About This Plant

Arizona County Distribution Map