Possible New Hedge Material??

[Patricia A. Harris]

Several of my neighbors have inquired about Calusa Pitch Apple.  It seems The Big Box Store is pushing it as a hedge material replacement for ficus.  They have also tagged it "white fly resistance" which is very enticing.  Any opinion on this plant?

Thanks,

Patty Harris

[Christina Dupuy]

Plant finder lists several; Clusia guttifera, which I believe is the really small leafed Clusia. Then there is C.guttifera 'nana' which is smaller. Clusia rosea 'Pitch apple or Autograph tree' get quite large, & a larger leaf. Then they list C. rosea 'compacta' Compacta does not mean dwarf, as many people assume, but that the internodes are shorter = more leaves, denser canopy. I don't know if that helps, but thats what is out there as the nurseries list it.

[Patricia A. Harris]

OK.  Thanks for the clues.

[Barbara McAdam]

Clusea gutifera has smaller leaves but we just did a bit more research and this grows to 20', still too big. check out Plant Creations list of alternatives to ficus at http://plantcreations.com/ficus_alternatives.html

[Barbara McAdam]

The scientific names are not too hard on this one, yes Clusea rosea is also know as the autograph tree and check out the trusty source below (LOL)

http://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Cl...

[Patricia A. Harris]

Is there quick way to tell the difference between the two Clusias?  Also, in talking with my neighbors, it would be easier to use common names rather than scientific (I know, but...).  Can you help me out there too, please.  Is one of them commonly called "Autograph tree?"  If so, which one?  And is that the one that the Big Box is selling?  Sure would knock some sense into my neighbors if the word "tree" was in that plant they are considering as a "hedge."  I wouldn't have to do so much convincing if that were so.  Thanks, gals.  Any guys want to chime in here??  :D

[Barbara McAdam]

Me too Christina, this is sad but true most often the plants selection for mediums need to pruned regularly creating more landscape debris hauled away in huge gas hog trucks and the plants suffer from being constantly pruned and eventually die.

[Christina Dupuy]

I don't know which Clusia it is but it is certainly being planted all along Old Cutler as hedge material. I'm waiting to see how they are going to prune it :-)

[Barbara McAdam]

Perhaps Clusia gutrifera - grows in the range of 4' to 8' but not Clusia rosea which becomes a small to medium tree. It is also recommended to use more than one plant to create a hedge in case whatever you choose to use becomes the next "buffet table" for a pest. check out Stephen Browns publication at http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/GardenPubsAZ/Hedges.pdf