322 Species in Genus Clusia

Table of Contents

Clusia: My Fascination with the Autograph Tree

I’m Ferb Vu, and I’ve always been drawn to the unique and intriguing in the natural world. Lately, my attention has been captured by the genus Clusia, a fascinating group of plants native to the tropical Americas. These plants, often called autograph trees, have a unique characteristic that allows you to scratch messages onto their leaves, which remain etched there as the leaf grows. This, combined with their unusual growth habits and ecological importance, makes them a truly captivating subject.

A Diverse Genus with Remarkable Adaptations

Clusia is a large genus, comprising an estimated 300 species. This diversity is reflected in the wide range of forms they take, from small shrubs to towering trees. Some species, like Clusia rosea, are popular ornamentals, prized for their beautiful, thick leaves and waxy, pink flowers. Others, like Clusia grandiflora, are canopy giants, their roots snaking down from the treetops to the forest floor.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Clusia is its adaptability. Many species begin life as epiphytes, germinating high in the canopy and sending roots down to the ground. As these roots establish themselves, they often engulf their host tree, eventually taking its place. This strategy, known as hemiepiphytism, allows Clusia to thrive in the competitive environment of the rainforest.

More Than Just a Pretty Face

But Clusia is more than just a botanical curiosity. These plants play a vital role in their ecosystems. Their fruits are an important food source for a variety of animals, including birds, monkeys, and even bats. Their flowers provide nectar for pollinators, and their leaves offer shelter for insects and other small creatures.

Furthermore, Clusia species have been found to possess medicinal properties. Traditional healers have long used extracts from these plants to treat a variety of ailments, including skin infections, inflammation, and even cancer. Modern science is beginning to investigate these claims, and some studies have shown promising results.

A Closer Look at Some Notable Species

Given the vast number of Clusia species, it would be impossible to list them all here. However, I’d like to highlight a few that I find particularly interesting:

Clusia abbottii Urb.
Clusia aemygdioi Gomes da Silva & B.Weinberg
Clusia alainii Borhidi
Clusia alata Planch. & Triana
Clusia amabilis Maguire
Clusia amaraliana J.E.Nascim.
Clusia amazonica Planch. & Triana
Clusia androphora Cuatrec.
Clusia angustifolia Engl.
Clusia annularis Maguire
Clusia araracuarae Pipoly
Clusia aripoensis Britton
Clusia aristeguietae (Maguire) Pipoly
Clusia articulata Vesque
Clusia asymmetrica Pipoly
Clusia aymardii Pipoly
Clusia belizensis Standl.
Clusia bernardoi Pipoly & Cogollo
Clusia bittrichii J.E.Nascim.
Clusia blattophila M.H.G.Gust. & Vlasáková
Clusia botryoidea Maguire
Clusia brachycarpa Cuatrec.
Clusia brachystyla Maguire
Clusia bracteosa Cuatrec.
Clusia brittonii Alain
Clusia brongniartiana Planch. & Triana
Clusia burchellii Engl.
Clusia burle-marxii Bittrich
Clusia caicedoi Cuatrec.
Clusia cajamarcensis Engl.
Clusia cajambrensis Cuatrec.
Clusia calimae Maguire
Clusia callosa Britton & P.Wilson
Clusia candelabrum Planch. & Triana
Clusia carachensis (H.Karst.) Vesque
Clusia cardonae Maguire
Clusia carinata Engl.
Clusia caryophylloides (Planch. & Triana) Hammel
Clusia cassinioides Planch. & Triana
Clusia caudata (Planch. & Triana) Pipoly
Clusia celiae Maguire
Clusia centricupula Cuatrec.
Clusia cerroana Steyerm.
Clusia chiribiquetensis Maguire
Clusia chuj Luján
Clusia chusqueae Ewan
Clusia clarendonensis Britton
Clusia clusioides (Griseb.) D’Arcy
Clusia cochlanthera Vesque
Clusia cochliformis Maguire
Clusia cochlitheca Maguire
Clusia coclensis Standl.
Clusia colombiana Pipoly
Clusia columnaris Engl.
Clusia comans (Mart.) Pipoly
Clusia congestiflora Cuatrec.
Clusia cooperi Standl.
Clusia coremandra Cuatrec.
Clusia crassifolia Planch. & Triana
Clusia crassipetiolata Cuatrec.
Clusia crenata Cuatrec.
Clusia criuva Cambess.
Clusia croatii D’Arcy
Clusia cruciata Cuatrec.
Clusia cundinamarcensis Cuatrec.
Clusia cuneata Benth.
Clusia cuneifolia Cuatrec.
Clusia cupulata (Maguire) Maguire
Clusia cylindrica Hammel
Clusia dardanoi G.Mariz & Maguire
Clusia decussata Ruiz & Pav. ex Planch. & Triana
Clusia deminuta Pipoly
Clusia densinervia Cuatrec.
Clusia diamantina Bittrich
Clusia dichrophylla Standl.
Clusia dickinsoniana J.E.Nascim.
Clusia diguensis Cuatrec.
Clusia divaricata Maguire
Clusia dixonii Little
Clusia domingensis Urb.
Clusia donramonii J.E.Nascim. & Bittrich
Clusia drouetiana L.B.Sm.
Clusia duartei Maguire
Clusia ducu Benth.
Clusia ducuoides Engl.
Clusia duidae Gleason
Clusia dukei Maguire
Clusia elliptica Kunth
Clusia ellipticifolia Cuatrec.
Clusia elongata Rusby
Clusia engleriana Pipoly
Clusia epiphytica (Cuatrec.) Pipoly
Clusia eugenioides Planch. & Linden
Clusia fabiolae Pipoly
Clusia favus P.F.Stevens
Clusia firmifolia Cuatrec.
Clusia fistulosa Cuatrec.
Clusia flava Jacq.
Clusia flavida (Benth.) Pipoly
Clusia flaviflora Engl.
Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana
Clusia fockeana Miq.
Clusia fragrans Gardner
Clusia fructiangusta Cuatrec.
Clusia garcibarrigae Cuatrec.
Clusia gardneri Planch. & Triana
Clusia gaudichaudii Choisy
Clusia gentlei Lundell
Clusia glauca (Rusby) J.E.Nascim. & Bittrich
Clusia globosa Maguire
Clusia glomerata Cuatrec.
Clusia goscinnyi J.E.Nascim. & Bittrich
Clusia gracilis Standl.
Clusia grammadenioides Pipoly
Clusia grandiflora Splitg.
Clusia gratula Maguire
Clusia guabalensis Luján & Aranda
Clusia guatemalensis Hemsl.
Clusia guaviarensis Cuatrec.
Clusia guayanae Pipoly
Clusia guedesiana Huber
Clusia gundlachii A.Stahl
Clusia hachensis Cuatrec.
Clusia hammeliana Pipoly
Clusia haughtii Cuatrec.
Clusia havetioides (Griseb.) Planch. & Triana
Clusia heterocolorata L.Marinho & Bittrich
Clusia hexacarpa Gleason
Clusia hilariana Schltdl.
Clusia hirsuta Hammel
Clusia hoffmannseggiana Schltdl.
Clusia huberi Pipoly
Clusia hydrogera Cuatrec.
Clusia hylaeae Pipoly
Clusia ibiapabensis A.C.Alencar & Farias-Castro
Clusia ildefonsiana A.Rich. ex Planch. & Triana
Clusia imbricata Steyerm.
Clusia immersa C.M.Vieira
Clusia inesiana Cuatrec.
Clusia insignis Mart.
Clusia intertexta Britton
Clusia kanukuana Maguire
Clusia lanceolata Cambess.
Clusia latifolia Cuatrec.
Clusia latipes Planch. & Triana
Clusia laurifolia Planch. & Triana
Clusia laxiflora (Poepp.) Planch. & Triana
Clusia lechleri Rusby
Clusia lehmannii Vesque
Clusia leprantha Mart.
Clusia leptanthera Cuatrec.
Clusia liesneri Maguire
Clusia lineata (Benth.) Planch. & Triana
Clusia longipetiolata Schery
Clusia longistyla Cuatrec.
Clusia lopezii Maguire
Clusia loranthacea Planch. & Triana
Clusia loretensis Engl.
Clusia lunanthera Maguire
Clusia lundellii Standl.
Clusia lusoria Standl. & Steyerm.
Clusia lutea Bittrich & J.E.Nascim.
Clusia macropoda Klotzsch ex Engl.
Clusia magnifolia Cuatrec.
Clusia magnoliiflora M.H.G.Gust.
Clusia maguireana Pipoly
Clusia major L.
Clusia mamillata Cuatrec.
Clusia mangle Rich. ex Planch. & Triana
Clusia martiana Engl.
Clusia massoniana Lundell
Clusia mayana Lundell
Clusia melchiorii Gleason
Clusia mexiae P.F.Stevens
Clusia microstemon Planch. & Triana
Clusia minor L.
Clusia minutiflora Diels
Clusia mirandensis (Maguire) Pipoly
Clusia mituana Cuatrec.
Clusia moaensis Borhidi & O.Muñiz
Clusia mocoensis Cuatrec.
Clusia modesta Maguire
Clusia monantha Cuatrec.
Clusia monocarpa Urb.
Clusia multiflora Kunth
Clusia multilineata Pipoly
Clusia mutica Maguire
Clusia myriandra (Benth.) Planch. & Triana
Clusia myrsinites Ewan
Clusia nascimentojuniorii A.C.Alencar & Bittrich
Clusia nemorosa G.Mey.
Clusia nervosa (Planch. & Triana) Engl.
Clusia neurophylla Cuatrec.
Clusia niambiensis Pipoly, Cogollo & M.S.González
Clusia nigrolineata P.F.Stevens
Clusia nipensis Borhidi
Clusia nitida Bittrich & F.N.Cabral
Clusia nogueirae A.C.Alencar & Farias-Castro
Clusia nubium M.H.G.Gust. & Borchs.
Clusia nutans Planch. & Triana
Clusia obdeltifolia Bittrich
Clusia obovata (Spruce ex Planch. & Triana) Pipoly
Clusia octandra (Poepp.) Pipoly
Clusia octopetala Cuatrec.
Clusia odorata Seem.
Clusia opaca Maguire
Clusia organensis Planch. & Triana
Clusia orthoneura Standl.
Clusia osseocarpa Maguire
Clusia ovalis Cuatrec.
Clusia ovigera Planch. & Triana
Clusia pachamamae Zent.-Ruíz & A.Fuentes
Clusia pachyphylla Gleason
Clusia paisarum Pipoly
Clusia pallida Engl.
Clusia palmana Standl.
Clusia palmicida Rich. ex Planch. & Triana
Clusia panapanari (Aubl.) Choisy
Clusia paralicola G.Mariz
Clusia parviflora Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
Clusia parvifolia Maguire
Clusia parvula (Maguire) Pipoly
Clusia pavonii Planch. & Triana
Clusia penduliflora Engl.
Clusia peninsulae Hammel
Clusia pentandra Cuatrec.
Clusia pentarhyncha Planch. & Triana
Clusia pernambucensis G.Mariz
Clusia perscariosa Maguire
Clusia peterstevensii J.E.Nascim., Bittrich & M.C.E.Amaral
Clusia petiolaris Planch. & Triana
Clusia phelpsiae Lasser & Maguire
Clusia phelpsiana Maguire
Clusia picardae Urb.
Clusia pilgeriana Mansf.
Clusia platystigma Eyma
Clusia plukenetii Urb.
Clusia plumeri Planch. & Triana
Clusia plurivalvis Little
Clusia polyandra (Vesque) Pipoly
Clusia polyantha Cuatrec.
Clusia polysepala Engl.
Clusia polystigma Little
Clusia popayenensis Planch. & Triana
Clusia portlandiana R.A.Howard & Proctor
Clusia pratensis Seem.
Clusia pringlei Lundell
Clusia pseudochina Poepp.
Clusia pseudohavetia Planch. & Triana
Clusia pseudomangle Planch. & Triana
Clusia ptaritepuiensis (Steyerm.) Pipoly
Clusia pulcherrima Engl.
Clusia punctata J.E.Nascim. & Bittrich
Clusia pusilla Steyerm.
Clusia quadrangula Bartlett
Clusia quadrata (Cuatrec.) Hammel
Clusia radiata Maguire & Phelps
Clusia radicans Pav. ex Planch. & Triana
Clusia ramosa Rusby
Clusia renggerioides Planch. & Triana
Clusia riedeliana Engl.
Clusia rigida M.H.G.Gust.
Clusia riojensis Engl.
Clusia robusta Eyma
Clusia rosea Jacq.
Clusia rosiflora Planch. & Linden
Clusia rotundata Standl.
Clusia rotundifolia Gleason
Clusia rubescens Vesque
Clusia rubrifructa Bittrich & J.E.Nascim.
Clusia salvinii Donn.Sm.
Clusia sandiensis Engl.
Clusia savannarum Maguire
Clusia scandens (Aubl.) J.E.Nascim. & Bittrich
Clusia scariosepala (Maguire) Luján
Clusia schomburgkiana (Planch. & Triana) Benth. ex Engl.
Clusia schomburgkii Vesque
Clusia schultesii Maguire
Clusia scrobiculata Benoist
Clusia seemanii Planch. & Triana
Clusia sellowiana Schltdl.
Clusia sipapoana (Maguire) Pipoly
Clusia skotaster Gilli
Clusia spathulifolia Engl.
Clusia sphaerocarpa Planch. & Triana
Clusia spiritu-sanctensis G.Mariz & B.Weinberg
Clusia spruceana Planch. & Triana
Clusia stenophylla Standl.
Clusia steyermarkii Maguire
Clusia studartiana C.M.Vieira & A.G.Silva
Clusia stylosa Maguire
Clusia subsessilis Benth.
Clusia tabulamontana Maguire
Clusia tarmensis Engl.
Clusia tenuifolia Cuatrec.
Clusia tequendamae Cuatrec.
Clusia ternstroemioides Rusby
Clusia tetra-trianthera Maguire
Clusia tetragona Pipoly & Cogollo
Clusia tetramera J.E.Nascim. & Bittrich
Clusia tetrandra Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
Clusia tetrastigma Vesque
Clusia thurifera Planch. & Triana
Clusia tocuchensis Britton
Clusia torresii Standl.
Clusia triflora Cuatrec.
Clusia trochiformis Vesqne
Clusia troncosii Maguire
Clusia ucamira J.E.Nascim. & Bittrich
Clusia uleana Engl.
Clusia uniflora Lundell
Clusia uvitana Pittier
Clusia valerii Standl.
Clusia veneralensis Cuatrec.
Clusia venulosa Cuatrec.
Clusia venusta Little
Clusia verapazensis Lundell
Clusia viscida Engl.
Clusia vittata Cuatrec.
Clusia volubilis Kunth
Clusia weberbaueri Engl.
Clusia weddelliana Planch. & Triana

Clusia vs Cocoplum

I found Clusia to be a hardier option than Cocoplum in my garden, thriving despite the occasional neglect.

Clusia vs Podocarpus

When comparing Clusia to Podocarpus, I noticed Clusia requires less maintenance and grows faster in my experience.

Clusia vs Areca

I prefer Clusia over Areca because its dense foliage offers better privacy for my backyard.

Clusia vs Ficus

In my opinion, Clusia edges out Ficus due to its superior tolerance to pruning and fewer pest issues.

How to care for Clusia?

Light: Sun-Kissed or Shade Seeker?

The Clusia is surprisingly versatile when it comes to light. Unlike some finicky houseplants, it can thrive in a range of conditions. Here’s the breakdown:

Bright Light: This tropical beauty loves to bask in the sun. Place it near a south, east, or west-facing window for optimal growth.
Partial Shade: Don’t have a south-facing window? No worries! The Clusia tolerates partial shade well. Just be mindful that growth might be slower.

Here’s the key: avoid placing your Clusia in complete darkness. It needs some indirect sunlight to perform photosynthesis and stay healthy.

Water: Finding the Balance

Finding the perfect watering routine is crucial for any plant, and the Clusia is no exception. Here’s how to avoid underwatering or overwatering, the bane of many houseplant parents:

The Finger Test: This simple trick is your best friend. Stick your finger into the soil about two inches deep. If it feels dry, it’s watering time.
Soak and Drain: When watering, soak the soil thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes. This ensures the roots get a good drink. Avoid letting your Clusia sit in waterlogged soil, as this can lead to root rot.

Remember, underwatering is generally better than overwatering for the Clusia. It’s more forgiving of dry spells than soggy roots.

Humidity: Mimicking the Tropics

Clusia hails from the humid tropics, so it appreciates a bit of moisture in the air. Here are ways to keep your plant happy:

Grouping Plants: Placing your Clusia near other humidity-loving plants creates a mini microclimate that benefits everyone.
Pebble Tray: Fill a tray with pebbles and water. Sit your Clusia’s pot on top (not directly in the water) to increase humidity around the leaves.
Humidifier: If your home is naturally dry, consider using a humidifier to create a more tropical environment for your Clusia.

Soil: The Foundation of Growth

The Clusia thrives in well-draining soil. Here’s what you can do:

Potting Mix: Use a commercial potting mix specifically formulated for houseplants. These mixes usually have good drainage properties.
Perlite or Orchid Bark: Adding perlite or orchid bark to your potting mix further enhances drainage.

Remember, proper drainage is essential to prevent root rot.

Fertilizer: Feeding for Success

While not a heavy feeder, your Clusia will benefit from occasional fertilization during its growing season (spring and summer). Here are some pointers:

Balanced Fertilizer: Opt for a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength.
Frequency: Apply fertilizer once a month during the growing season. Withhold fertilizer during fall and winter when the plant’s growth slows.

How to propagate Clusia?

Feeling generous? You can propagate your Clusia to create new plants. Here’s a popular method:

Stem Cuttings: Take a stem cutting with a few leaves during the growing season. Plant the cutting in a pot with moist, well-draining soil and provide warmth and humidity.

With patience, you’ll see new growth emerge in a few weeks.

Common Clusia Issues: Troubleshooting Like a Pro

Even the most attentive plant parent might encounter occasional issues. Here are some common Clusia problems and their solutions:

Yellowing Leaves: This could be a sign of underwatering, overwatering, or lack of light. Adjust your watering routine or move your plant to a brighter location.
Brown Spots: Excess sunlight, low humidity, or fungal diseases can cause brown spots on the leaves. Check for pests and adjust your care routine accordingly.
Scale Insects: These tiny sap-sucking insects can infest your Clusia. Neem oil spray or insecticidal soap are effective remedies.

Conclusion: The Allure of the Clusia

The Clusia is a unique and rewarding houseplant that offers a touch of the tropics to your home. With its adaptability to various light conditions, forgiving nature towards underwatering, and stunning foliage, it’s a perfect choice for both experienced plant enthusiasts and curious beginners. So, if you’re looking for a conversation starter with a twist, consider welcoming a Clusia into your life.

Remember: With proper care and a little TLC, your Clusia will thrive for years to come, leaving its beautiful mark on your indoor space.