Fairchild Botanic Garden

Common name: naked-wood, soldier wood (English)

Family: Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn)

Distribution: Florida Keys, Mexico, Bahamas, Mexico through Central America, West Indies to n. South America

Life form: Tree

Description: Colubrina elliptica, soldierwood, is native to Florida, the West Indies, and tropical Americas. Trees are typically 10-20 feet tall. Flowers are tiny and inconspicuous but they produce a nectar which is very attractive to insects and, in turn, insectivorous birds like redstarts and gnatcatchers. Fruits are dry 3-seeded capsules that audibly pop open as they dry (perhaps sound like artillery, hence the common name “soldierwood”). In many Caribbean countries, the bark is gathered from the wild and used to make a fermented drink known as “mauby,” “mavi,” or “mobi.” Plant this fast-growing species in sun or shade.