The Autograph Tree, also known as Clusia rosea, is a striking plant that can be grown indoors, or outdoors all year round if you live in USDA zones 11 to 12.
This species is one of the most eye-catching, neat foliage houseplants around. The common name comes from the way you can scratch words or patterns into the thick leaves!
Clusia rosea is not a difficult plant to care for, but you do need to ensure you get the growing conditions right to get the best out of this plant.
Interested in growing your own Clusia rosea? Here’s what you need to know.
How To Recognize Clusia Rosea
The Autograph Tree features glossy paddle-shaped bright green leaves which are densely packed along the darker stem.
Each leaf will turn a deep, emerald green as they mature, creating an ever-changing display in your home.
At maturity, in its native habitat, the Autograph Tree can reach anywhere between 8 and 25 feet tall, though it’s likely to reach about 6 feet tall indoors at the most unless you have a lot of space and light for it.
It’s also capable of producing white flowers with hints of red or pink, followed by green fruit which are poisonous.
It’s worth noting at this point that the Autograph Tree is toxic to pets and humans alike, so keep it well out of reach.
Clusia rosea is perhaps not a plant you want to grow outside, either.
It has a reputation for being a thug, starting life as an epiphyte, eventually reaching the ground, and once it does, it suffocates the plant it started life on.
This is why it is incredibly invasive, so best to grow it as a houseplant!
Autograph Tree Care Guide
While growing this plant in a warm location outside can be easier than trying to care for it indoors, it is worthwhile growing it as a houseplant.
It looks fabulous, and you also don’t have to worry about doing any damage to the surrounding environment by introducing an invasive species.
Ideal Light Levels
Southern-facing or Western-facing windows are perfect for the Autograph Tree, as they can provide the plant with lots of light and some strong direct sunlight to help it grow properly.
Try to place it as close to the glass as possible, so the plant can get plenty of sunlight.
But as you increase the light, you do need to make sure that the plant has plenty of moisture, as well as humidity, as this plant won’t do well with prolonged dry spells. It won’t thank you for drying out completely, either.
Eastern-facing windows may also be an option, as long as you have the plant near a large window, and very close to the window itself.
Northern-facing windows are unlikely to give this plant the light intensity it needs for optimal growth, but this plant can tolerate some lower light.
You could also use a full-spectrum grow light if you prefer, but keep in mind that this plant can get tall, so an overhead grow light is best!
Soil Requirements
The Autograph Tree is quite fussy when it comes to soil. The compost needs to be airy, loose, and sandy.
Very dense houseplant compost mixes will not do for this plant, as not enough oxygen will get to the roots, and the soil will hold onto more moisture than the plant can handle.
You can start with houseplant compost, mixing in some orchid bark to help aerate the soil and sharpen up the drainage.
Temperature And Humidity
The ideal temperature range for the Autograph Tree is 61°F and 84°F (or 16°C and 29°C), and to keep the temperatures as stable as possible, avoid putting your plant near drafts or sources of heat.
The Autograph Tree requires higher humidity to survive, so very dry rooms or drafty areas are a no-no. Instead, put your plant in a kitchen, or bathroom, or group several plants together to create a microclimate.
You could also invest in a humidifier to make things easier if you have quite a few humidity-loving plants.
When To Water Clusia Rosea
When the plant is younger, it will need watering more than an established plant. Aim to water your Autograph Tree when the top inch (or two when the plant is more mature) of compost dries out.
Once your plant does get established – after the first year or so – you can get away with watering less, as it does become somewhat drought tolerant, but never let the plant dry out completely.
Scale back the watering during fall, and especially during winter when the plant goes dormant, as it won’t need the extra moisture, and it could cause fungal issues or even root rot.
Should You Feed An Autograph Tree?
While this plant grows quite quickly, it isn’t that demanding when it comes to nutrients. It will get most of what it needs from the soil already, but if you like, you can use a liquid houseplant feed every fourth water during the growing season.
Just make sure that you follow the dosage instructions on the label, and scale back the feeding regime to nothing in winter.
How To Propagate An Autograph Tree
The best way to propagate the Autograph Tree is through stem cuttings. While you might try growing this plant from seed, the seeds are difficult to get hold of and aren’t easy to germinate.
Always propagate your Autograph Tree plant during spring and summer when it is in active growth.
Use sharp and clean secateurs to make some stem cuttings, about 4 to 6 inches long, making sure there are at least one or two nodes on each cutting, and several leaves.
Remove the bottom-most leaves from the stem, and prepare a pot of compost mixed with some orchid bark.
Plant up the cuttings deep enough, so they stand up on their own, making sure that at least one node per stem is buried, and no leaves are under the soil line.
Water the soil, and put the pot somewhere warm and bright, away from direct sunlight. To increase the chances of success, put the pot under a clear propagation lid, or, seal it in a clear plastic bag with a few holes poked in the top.
This helps create a greenhouse-like environment, preventing the cuttings from getting too cold or too dry. You will have to air it out occasionally to stop any fungal problems, however.
Once the cuttings start to put out new leaves, they have rooted, and are ready for their own pots.
Problems To Watch Out For When Growing Clusia Rosea
For the most part, the Autograph Tree is not prone to many problems, but chances are you will run into a problem with your plant eventually.
Here are the most common problems, and what you can do to solve them. The earlier you treat houseplant issues, the quicker your plant will recover.
Leaf Problems
One of the first signs something strange is going on usually develops on the leaves.
Leaves Turning Yellow
If the leaves on your plant are turning yellow, this is usually a moisture-related problem. Either your plant is getting too much water, the compost is struggling to dry out, or your plant is desperate for more moisture.
Confirm which problem you might have by checking the compost with your fingers. If it is too dry and the soil is coming away from the sides of the pot, it’s time to give the plant a soaking.
Water it again, so the soil rehydrates as well as the plant, and then tip out any excess water so the plant doesn’t rot.
If the soil is very soggy, it can be an idea to gently poke some holes into the soil using a pencil, which mimics the work of worms and other invertebrates, helping to aerate the compost.
This also helps overwatering from becoming a problem in the future, but for now, scale back the watering, allowing the plant to dry out a little.
If the soil is very wet, and the leaves look worse for wear, it’s a good idea to repot your Autograph Tree into fresh compost that’s only slightly damp, and your plant may recover with consistent care.
If you have overwatered your plant, it’s a good idea to propagate healthy growth through stem cuttings so that you have a backup plant in case the original does not bounce back.
Brown Spots On The Leaves
Brown spots forming on the leaves of your Autograph Tree can be a sign of pests, bacterial infection, or overwatering.
Check the soil to rule any moisture problems out, to begin with. Have a look at the leaves, including the undersides, and where they meet the stem for pests.
If in doubt, remove the affected leaves, just in case it is a bacterial infection, and discard them, washing your secateurs with hot soapy water to disinfect them.
Leaf Drop
Autograph Trees may drop their leaves when the growing conditions aren’t right. Most of the time, the leaves will fall from the plant when temperatures are too hot or too cold for the plant to handle.
This can also be a light issue, where the plant is exposed to too much or too little sunlight, or the plant has dried out completely, and it’s trying to survive by extracting any moisture it can get from the foliage.
Root Problems
A healthy root system keeps your plant strong, able to withstand minor issues such as stress and improper growing conditions, and even a light pest infestation.
But if the root system is weakened, this results in a much weaker plant overall, unable to cope with minor problems!
Improper Watering
One way the roots can weaken is when the plant isn’t given enough water. If you only give the plant a small amount of water every time, this means that moisture won’t reach all the roots.
Those dry roots will dry up in air pockets and start to rot, weakening the plant and making it vulnerable to disease and pests.
Always water all the soil you can reach, and the deeper the water goes into the soil, the better.
The roots will follow the water instead of staying near the surface, which helps your plant become stronger, better anchored, and more resilient.
Root Rot
Another way the root system can weaken is through overwatering. It may not be the case that your plant is suffering because you’ve watered it too much, but the watering element of care is out of balance with the rest.
Maybe the pot is too big, the light levels are too low, and temperatures are lower than they should be, and all of these factors contribute to the soil not drying out quickly enough.
If the plant’s roots sit in water for too long, they will become damaged, leaving them vulnerable to diseases, and this is how they rot.
As they are damaged, they can no longer take up the nutrients and water the plant needs to survive, and the whole plant will decline quickly.
It can be difficult to save a plant from root rot once you see signs of damage above the soil or notice a horrible smell.
But it is always worth a try. Take your Autograph Tree out of its pot, and check the roots. Cut off any dead or dying roots, including black or mushy ones, and repot it into slightly damp soil.
Hold off on watering the plant for a little while to see if it recovers, and then resume normal care.
Pest Problems
Clusia rosea is not susceptible to a lot of pest problems, but it can occasionally fall victim to thrips, scale, spider mites, aphids, mealybugs, and whitefly.
At the first sign of pests, including unexplained damage to the foliage, curling leaves, and insects on the leaves or stems, use a horticultural soap to treat the infestation.
It’s also a good idea to wash the sides of the plant’s container down with dish soap and to isolate your plant from the rest of your collection to stop the pests from spreading.
You could also use rubbing alcohol on a swab, applied directly to the pests to get rid of them on smaller infestations.
Some people swear by using neem oil, while others have had no success with it, so keep this in mind.
You can also use tepid water to shower the leaves between applications, which helps keep pest numbers down.
Autograph Tree Tricks And Tips
How To Repot
The Autograph Tree grows quickly, and before you know it, it will need more space. Signs that your Clusia rosea is looking for more room include roots coming out of the drainage holes, and struggling to keep the plant hydrated.
Always repot your Autograph Tree during the growing season, moving one pot size upward at a time.
Take the plant out of the pot, and loosen up the root ball slightly with your fingers. Add a layer of compost into the bottom of the new pot, and put your Autograph Tree in there to test the depth.
You want it to sit about the same height in the pot as it did in its original container. Then fill the pot with compost, gently firming it down as you go, and water once you’re done.
Keep The Leaves Free Of Dust
At some level, all houseplants will accumulate dust, dirt, and other debris on their leaves, including the Autograph Tree.
If the leaves stay like this for a while, the dust and dirt can clog up the capillaries in the leaves, making the plant work harder for the same amount of light.
To keep your Autograph Tree healthy, use a damp cloth to wipe down the leaves, which will clean them.
You don’t need any fancy leaf-shine products or harsh chemicals here, as this can damage the leaves of your plant.
Do this every few weeks, or as soon as you notice water stains or marks on the leaves. It only takes a couple of minutes, but it can make a huge difference in the health of your plant.
It also helps that this trick gets rid of pests before they become a problem if the numbers are small enough, especially if you wipe the undersides of the leaves, too.
Should You Summer Your Autograph Tree Outdoors?
Your Autograph Tree plant would benefit from the increased light, humidity, air circulation, and rainwater only outdoors can provide, giving your plant a jump-start in terms of size and potential growth.
However, you have to remember that this plant is incredibly invasive when grown outdoors, and can become a huge problem, causing devastation across your garden and beyond.
It’s much easier to grow this plant indoors, where it won’t strangle its neighbors or escape into the wider environment.
As this plant is fast-growing anyway, it won’t be long until you see a big difference in how quickly it gets bigger.
Don’t Forget Its Toxicity!
The Autograph Tree is classified as toxic to both pets and humans, and this goes for all parts of the plant, including the fruits which can attract curious hands, paws, or mouths.
To avoid disaster, keep your Autograph Tree well out of reach, preferably in a room where pets or children cannot access it at all, as the risk is not worth it.
Maintain Good Air Circulation Around Your Plants
It’s worth mentioning that plants that like higher humidity levels are at some risk of developing fungal infections if the humid rooms you keep them in do not have good air circulation.
Remember that as you increase humidity – whether that’s through a humidifier, keeping it in a bathroom or kitchen, or creating a microclimate, you also need to increase air circulation.
This will stop any fungal infections before they can damage your plants. It’s easy to do, too.
Make sure there is plenty of space around all parts of your plant and between multiple plants.
For humidity-rich rooms, run a fan on low throughout the room, or keep a window or door open (keeping your plants away from the drafts), and this will help prevent problems and damage to your plants.
Final Thoughts
The Autograph Tree is a beautiful plant, but you do have to keep in mind that it is toxic, so keep it away from pets and children.
If you can give this plant plenty of space, light, warmth, humidity, and water, keeping the growing conditions balanced, your Autograph Tree plant will thrive under your care.
Always check the soil before watering your Autograph Tree, and try not to move it to a different location unless necessary.
Do it right, and you’ll soon have a towering Autograph Tree as a testament to your plant-keeping skills, providing life, height, and color into any room.
