This member of the
heath family (which includes blueberries and azaleas) is
also known as rusty lyonia. It occurs throughout Florida
in sandy habitats, both dry and wet. Either crookedwood,
the closely-related staggerbush
(L. fruticosa), or both, are
almost always present in Florida scrub. Some scrubs are
dominated by crookedwood. This is one of the few scrub
plants that persists in the shade of a sand pine forest.
Crookedwood is common in the mature sand pine forests of
the Ocala National Forest. The specimens shown here have
been protected from fire for several decades, and are
twice as tall (about 15') as normal. Crookedwood is
sometimes harvested for its twisted trunks and stems
which are used in decorative arrangements and displays. How ironic that these real shrubs are cut down
and stripped of their leaves to make artificial shrubs
with plastic leaves for indoor malls! (Fortunately,
decapitated crookedwoods usually sprout back from their
roots just as if they had burned to the ground.)
Plants of The Florida Scrub 
This member of the
heath family (which includes blueberries and azaleas) is
also known as rusty lyonia. It occurs throughout Florida
in sandy habitats, both dry and wet. Either crookedwood,
the closely-related staggerbush
(L. fruticosa), or both, are
almost always present in Florida scrub. Some scrubs are
dominated by crookedwood. This is one of the few scrub
plants that persists in the shade of a sand pine forest.
Crookedwood is common in the mature sand pine forests of
the Ocala National Forest. The specimens shown here have
been protected from fire for several decades, and are
twice as tall (about 15') as normal. Crookedwood is
sometimes harvested for its twisted trunks and stems
which are used in decorative arrangements and displays. How ironic that these real shrubs are cut down
and stripped of their leaves to make artificial shrubs
with plastic leaves for indoor malls! (Fortunately,
decapitated crookedwoods usually sprout back from their
roots just as if they had burned to the ground.) 
