Clusia Rosea

[epicure3]

Is anyone growing this in So. Cal? I have tried, and killed, a few. An easy grow in S. Fla or HI, I'm curious to know if anyone is growing it here. There is a rather nice specimen at the SD Zoo that seems very happy.

[bubba]

Epic, You got Clusia rosea on the brain! I think I am going to send some to you in the mail.

[ariscott]

Epi,

For your information... my variegated Clusia is still variegated....

Regards, Ari

[epicure3]

Epic, You got Clusia rosea on the brain! I think I am going to send some to you in the mail.

What brains?

[epicure3]

Epi,

For your information... my variegated Clusia is still variegated....

Regards, Ari

Variegated clusia would be an impossibility here, I believe.

[fastfeat]

John--

Maybe try starting a small one (seedling) as an epiphyte in some moss on a south-facing wall or tree trunk? May become problematic as it grows, but at least it could get a start.

My guess is that the soil at Balboa Park may be sandier than yours? They're, of course, very easy to grow in warm subtropics and tropics that also seem to have very poor, sandy soils. And since the temps of SoCal are marginal at best for success, any clay that holds excessive moisture can't help. From my experience, they don't care much for organic material, commonly used to lighten heavy soils, either.

Also, Clusia rosea/i] is unique in being the only woody plant that uses CAM (Crassualcean acid metabolism) in managing its water:

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abst...4717/969?ck=nck

[epicure3]

John--

Maybe try starting a small one (seedling) as an epiphyte in some moss on a south-facing wall or tree trunk? May become problematic as it grows, but at least it could get a start.

My guess is that the soil at Balboa Park may be sandier than yours? They're, of course, very easy to grow in warm subtropics and tropics that also seem to have very poor, sandy soils. And since the temps of SoCal are marginal at best for success, any clay that holds excessive moisture can't help. From my experience, they don't care much for organic material, commonly used to lighten heavy soils, either.

Also, Clusia rosea/i] is unique in being the only woody plant that uses CAM (Crassualcean acid metabolism) in managing its water:

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abst...4717/969?ck=nck

Thanks for the reply. It is indeed madding that it won't grow for me since the C. Lanceolata and C. Guttifera do quite well and have, indeed, the C. Lanceolata has gotten quite large. I haven't tried the sand route though.