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. 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.

The range of this plant appears to encompass most of Florida with actual occurrances having been found in streams with appropriate water chemistry (appears to like relatively neutral pH and high nutrients).  Has been planted in areas where it is not known to occur naturally including old mine ponds and reclaimation areas.   This plant is not a nuisance in Florida.  It is, however, listed as a nuisance invasive in Australia. Ponds, streams.