Varnish Leaf
(Florida Hop Bush)
Dodonaea viscosa
Plant Family: Sapindaceae
Leaves: Alternate, simple, oblanceolate, shiny, to 12 cm, surface somewhat sticky like wet varnish.
Bark: Brown, fissured, shaggy on older trees.
Flowers: Greenish yellow, in sparse clusters at the twig ends; appearing from late fall to early spring.
Fruits: An angular hop-like capsule that is yellow-green and red, to 2.5 cm, quite noticeable in the spring to early summer.
Habitat: The understory and edges of pinelands and hammocks, sandy soils.
Growth Form: Shrub to small tree.
Key Features: The narrow, shiny, sticky leaves, and hop-like fruits, will identify Varnish Leaf.
Comments: Most of the species in the genus Dodonaea are found in Australia; Varnish Leaf, however, has a worldwide distribution in warmer regions of Australia, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. In the United States it is found in Florida, Arizona, California, and Hawaii.
