Clusia rosea

RHS Plant Profile
autograph tree

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Clusia rosea?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
autograph tree RHS
autograph tree RHS

Other common names

copey, fat pork tree, pitch apple, star of night, balsam apple, balsam fig, Scotch attorney

Synonyms

Clusia major misapplied

Shrubs
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
2 Suppliers

A semi-epiphytic, tropical shrub or small tree to 3m tall, considerably less when grown as a houseplant. It has particularly thick, glossy leaves and stout stems. Funnel-shaped, white or pink flowers are produced in the summer on mature plants, but are unlikely to be seen on potted specimens

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H1A

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Clusiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus
A genus of around 300-400 species of evergreen shrubs, vines and trees with thick, sometimes succulent-like glossy, leathery foliage. Funnel-shaped flowers produced in some species vary in colour from white, yellow or pink to red, but these are often only produced in more warm and humid conditions
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
Trop. & Subtrop. Am.

How to Grow

Cultivation

Under glass grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added leaf mould and grit, in bright filtered light with shade from hot sun. Water freely in summer and keep barely moist in winter. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser weekly when in growth up to flower bud formation. Do not repot regularly as these plants resent root disturbance and need a restricted root run to encourage flowering

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings with bottom heat in summer, or by air layering in spring or summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Houseplants
  • Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

See pruning group 1; pruning will encourage branching and bushiness

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, scale insects and mealybugs

Diseases

Generally disease-free