Description
Clusia Rosea Hedge – Pitch Apple Overview
Clusia Rosea (Pitch Apple) is a spreading, low-branching Florida Native shrub or tree, reaching 25 feet (7.62 m) in height, with a short trunk and a rounded crown of dense, dark green foliage. In its multi-trunk form, it is one of South Florida’s most popular Clusia Rosea hedge plants — valued for its large, leathery leaves, tolerance of coastal conditions, and year-round screening ability.
Autograph Tree – Description
The thick leaves are opposite, entire, obovate, and measure 8 to 12 by 4 to 8 inches — resembling those of the Southern Magnolia. A well-known characteristic: the waxy surface can be written on by scratching with a fingernail, which earned Clusia Rosea the name Autograph Tree. With age, the tree develops distinctive prop-like aerial roots that add sculptural quality to the plant — read more about aerial root trees in South Florida landscapes.
Flowers are white and pink, 2 to 3 inches wide, borne on branch tips and very showy. The fleshy light green fruit, about 3 inches in diameter, ripens to black, splits open, and reveals bright red seeds surrounded by black resinous pulp — formerly used to caulk boat seams, giving the tree its common name Pitch Apple. Seeds attract birds but are poisonous to humans. Propagation is by seed or cuttings. No serious pests are reported.
Clusia Rosea Multitrunk – Cultivation & Landscape Use
Clusia Rosea is a rugged, low-maintenance plant tolerant of a wide range of soil types, growing faster in moist conditions. Its high salt tolerance and drought resistance make it one of the preferred choices for coastal privacy hedges along the South Florida shoreline. In multi-trunk form it makes an excellent natural screening plant; in tree form, an elegant specimen for gardens, parks, patios, and commercial plantings.
Looking for a smaller-leaved, tighter hedge option? Compare with our Small Leaf Clusia (Clusia Guttifera). Available at our Homestead nursery in sizes from 25 to 300 gallons, suitable for residential and wholesale landscape projects.
🌳 More popular and beautiful plants: Apple Blossom Tree
