Care for an autograph-meet the autograph tree

The autograph tree, botanical name Clusia rosea was introduced in Hawaii as an ornamental plant. The plant is a close relative of Mangosteens tree and belongs to the family ‘Clusiaceae,named in the honor of 16th century Netherlands botanist Carolus Clusius.

The plant is native to Florida and the Caribbean. Other names for the plant are signature tree, pitch apple, and monkey apple tree.

The tree gets its name from the ability of its leaves to retain any scratch or writing for a very long time. Each leaf is 5-8 inches in length, oval, thick and sturdy and shaped like a paddle. The leaves resemble that of Magnolia. If you scratch the leaf with your nails or a sharp object, the upper dark green layer is peeled off and the lighter greenish/white underneath layer is exposed, creating a contrast that is retained till the life of the leaf.

Another unique thing about this species is it is part of the only genus of plants capable of absorbing carbon dioxide at night.

The plant is long-lived perennial that can grow to 25-30 feet in height, but it really depends upon the trimming and potting and the ground conditions. Its drought and salt tolerant nature makes it an ideal choice for landscaping in areas with less rainfall or sea-side homes.

The flowers are white or pink and mostly bloom during the night, they sometimes remain open all morning, especially on a cloudy day. The flowers turn orangish-brown as they mature and fall.

By Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada - Clusia rosea, the Autograph Tree flower., CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34450558

The flowers are followed by green to tan, fleshy, rounded, up to 3 inches (8 cm) in diameter fruits. They turn brown to black on maturation and split open like a wood rose to reveal bright red seeds between black resinous material.

The fruits 

Dried Fruit on the ground

The black resinous material was used in the early days to fill in the seams and crack of the boats. The red seeds are very attractive to birds which also help in the dispersion of the seeds.

The seed pods open up

The autograph tree is a strangler tree. The tree is hemiepiphyte and can grow as an epiphyte or from the ground. The seeds are dispersed by birds in the crotch of other trees sometimes as high as 20-25 feet. The seeds germinate and send long banyan-like aerial roots toward the ground and establish other roots into the interior of the host tree. Slowly the host tree is cut-off from receiving nutrients and perish eventually.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/starr-environmental/24549985985/

[[File:Starr 011205-0021 Clusia rosea.jpg|Starr 011205-0021 Clusia rosea]]

Hence, the Autograph tree is classified as an invasive tree in Hawaii. Gardeners are advised to remove autograph trees from their property and not to plant new ones.

According to the Food and Drug Administration database, Clusia rosea is a poisonous plant. The green fruits are mildly poisonous, and so are the leaves. Consumption of fruits and sap will lead to stomach and intestinal irritation, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The autograph tree

The autograph tree