cupaniopsis

( koo - pan - ee - OP - sis )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Carrot Wood, evergreen trees need full sun and can take any amount of water and grow well. They grow at a slow to moderate rate to 40 feet tall and 30 feet wide, and have glossy dark green leaves. Most species are native to an area that includes Fiji, Indonesia, New Caledonia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanatu, Samoa, the Torres Strait Islands, Micronesia, and Australia. Flowers are typically white to cream-colored and are followed by neat, yellow-orange fruits.  These trees tolerate seaside conditions, heat, drought, and poor soil. Use these trees as evergreen shade trees in the landscape, and as drought-tolerant additions to landscape.

Cupaniopsis species and varietals

The genus Cupaniopsis is a member of the Soapberry plant family Sapindaceae and includes 67 species. The genus was first described by Ludwig Adolph Timotheus Radlkofer in 1879. The genus name means 'resemblance to the genus Cupania', which was named to honor Italian monk Francesco Cupani. Carrot Wood grows well in zones 16-24, H1 and H2. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Cupaniopsis anacardioides (Carrot Wood, Tuckeroo, Beach Tamarind, Green-Leaved Tamarind)
These Australian native evergreen trees need full sun and can take any amount of water and grow well. They grow at a slow to moderate rate to 40 feet tall and 30 feet wide, and have glossy dark green leaves. These trees tolerate seaside conditions, heat, drought, and poor soil. They produce neat, yellow-orange fruit. Carrot Wood grows well in zones 16-24, H1 and H2, and is considered invasive in Florida and Hawai'i.

Cupaniopsis baileyana (White Tamarind, Toothed Tuckeroo, Narrow-Leaved Tuckeroo)
This species is native to eastern Australia, and is named for Australian botanist F. M. Bailey. These trees grow in disturbed soils and at the edges of rainforests in their native range, and top out at just under 45 feet tall on average. Bark is smooth and grey-brown and foliage is green. Flowers are cream-white and bloom in March, followed by reddish-brown fruit capsules. 

Cupaniopsis cooperorum (Cooper's Puzzle)
This species is endemic to Queensland, and forms a small tree up to 23 feet tall when mature. Leaves are green with wavy margins, and flowers are cream-colored and bloom in panicles. Fruits that follow blossoms are orange-pink and under an inch long. The species is named for botanist Wendy Elizabeth Cooper.

Cupaniopsis flagelliformis (Brown Tuckeroo, Weeping Flower Tamarind)
Native to eastern Australia, this species forms a tree that prefers to grow in dry forests. These plants reach about 82 feet tall at maturity and produce white to pink flowers in June and July followed by yellow, pink or red fruits. These plants are gaining in popularity for use as ornamental landscape trees and is available at nurseries in Australia.

Cupaniopsis foveolata (Narrow-Leaved Tuckeroo, White Tamarind, Toothed Tuckeroo)
These trees reach 82 feet tall and produce pink to white flowers in May through September, followed by fruits in December and January. These trees are native to northeastern coastal regions of Queensland, Australia.

Cupaniopsis newmanii (Long-Leaved Tuckeroo)
These plants produce trees with crooked dark grey to black trunks. Flowers produced by these trees are pink. This is a rare species, considered endangered in its native range. New foliage is a striking bright red color. This species forms either shrubs or small trees, typically reaching up to 20 feet tall when mature.

Cupaniopsis wadsworthii (Duckfoot, Scrub Tuckeroo, Dwarf Tuckeroo)
This species is endemic to rainforests and dry forests in Queensland, Australia, and forms a slender shrub up to 10 feet tall. Wedge-shaped leaves are glossy and green, and flowers are cream-colored, followed by orange to yellow fruits that ripen between October and December in the plant's native range. They are loved by local bird species.

Caring for and pruning cupaniopsis Trees

Cupaniopsis trees do well in full sun to partial shade exposure, but will perform best when they receive at least 6 hours of direct sun each day. They prefer well-draining soils, and can adapt to a variety of different soil types, including sandy and loamy. The ideal soil pH for growing Carrotwood trees is slightly acidic to neutral (between 5.6 and 7.3). Newly installed trees should be watered on a regular basis to help establish a strong root system. Mature trees also prefer consistent moisture, especially during dry spells or warm weather. Water established trees deeply but allow the top inch of soil to dry out before watering again. Apply mulch around the base of trees to reduce soil water evaporation, suppress weed growth, and maintain constant soil temperatures.

Pruning is simple for these trees; crossing, damaged, dying, or diseased branches and foliage can be removed at any time. The best time to prune is in late winter or early springtime, especially for shapings. Heavy prunings are not recommended for these trees, as they do not recover well from such damage. Fertilization is not necessary for Carrotwood trees; a simple springtime application of organic compost each year is sufficient. If trees seem to be struggling or if soil is particularly poor, a balanced, slow-release fertilizer can be applied in springtime to support the year's growth, flowering and fruiting.

Propagation

Cupaniopsis trees can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your tree, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Cupaniopsis by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch semi-hardwood portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Cupaniopsis by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
  2. Harvest your seeds in late summertime. Seeds of Cupaniopsis trees are contained inside of the fruiting bodies produced by plants at this time of the year. They are bright orange to red and are contained inside of pods that open up when seeds are mature. 
  3. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Cupaniopsis seeds are contained inside of the fruits produced by trees, which splits open to reveal them when they are mature.
Seeds are black with red coats.

Problems and Pests

Take care when planting these trees in the landscape, as they are considered invasive plants in some areas of the world, including Hawaii and Florida. They have few pests and diseases that affect them, but they can be susceptible to:
  • Verticillium Wilt
  • Fusarium Dieback
  • Root Rot
  • Invasive Shot-Hole Borer
  • Leafhoppers
  • Scale Insects
For more information on these problems, including how to solve them, consult the following links:

Gallery

These trees can take a wide variety of growing conditions in stride.
Here, a Cupaniopsis tree is used to add privacy to a front entryway.
These trees are considered drought-tolerant shade trees.

Videos

How to identify Carrotwood trees.
Learn about the invasive nature of these trees.

Resources

How to Grow Cupaniopsis - Tuckeroo
How to Grow and Care for a Carrotwood Tree
Wikipedia: Cupaniopsis
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 272, Cupaniopsis anacardioides
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