How to Grow Clusia from Cuttings

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Root and care for clusia cuttings in soil or water

Co-authored by Mason Martinez, BA Reviewed by Ben Barkan

Last Updated: June 7, 2024 Fact Checked

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Taking a Clusia Cutting

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Propagating in Water

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Propagating in Soil

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Planting

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After Care

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Video

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Tips

Clusia plants, also called autograph trees, are known for their broad leaves and bold flowers. While these plants can be grown from seeds, propagating them from cuttings is much easier and will take less time. If you have access to a large Clusia plant or you got cuttings from your local nursery, you only need a few tools and about a month to grow your very own Clusia plant. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to propagate your cuttings in water or soil!

Simple Way to Propagate a Clusia

Use a clean, sharp knife to cut a stem off the mother plant just below the buds.
Pull the lower leaves from the stem, but keep the top 2 or 3.
Fill a small container with enough water to submerge the bottom of the stem.
Set the container in a warm place with indirect sunlight.
Give the cuttings 2 weeks to grow roots before planting in aerated soil.

Section 1 of 5:

Taking a Clusia Cutting

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1
Use pruners to cut 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm) long stems below the buds. Look at your mother plant and pick out 3 to 4 stems that look green and healthy. Grab your pruners and cut each stem just below the buds to make cuttings that are 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm) long. ^{[1]
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- Try not to make your cuttings much longer than that! If they’re too long, they won’t root well.
- Disinfect the blades of your pruner with a damp cloth of rubbing alcohol before you cut to avoid infecting the plant.
2
Remove the lower leaves, but keep the top 2 or 3. This will help the plant focus its energy on creating roots instead of making its leaves bigger. Gently rip off the bottom leaves on your cutting, leaving a couple of leaves up top. ^{[2]
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- You can also dip the ends in rooting hormone powder to increase the chances of rooting. This can help the roots develop faster and stronger. ^{[3]
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- You’ll be submerging the bottom 1/3 of each cutting in water or soil, or you will want to eliminate any leaves in that area.
- If your plant is flowering, pull the flower heads off with your fingers so the clusia focuses its energy on rooting instead of blooming. ^{[4]
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- Save the flower heads and dry them or press them as a fun decoration!

Section 2 of 5:

Propagating Clusia in Water

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1
Fill a small glass container with 8 in (20 cm) of water. Pick a clear container to keep an eye on your cuttings and watch their roots grow. Pour 20 cm (7.9 in) of water into the container, submerging the bottom ¹ ⁄ ₃ in (0.85 cm) of the cutting.. ^{[5]
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- Tall, skinny glass containers, like test tubes, are perfect for growing cuttings.
2
Place 2 to 3 cuttings in the water root-side down. If your container is wide enough, you can place multiple cuttings simultaneously. Make sure the bottom part of the cutting is fully submerged to help the roots grow! ^{[6]
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- Clusia plants derive from rainy environments. Their roots are used to growing in swampy wetland areas. ^{[7]
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3
Set the containers in bright, but not direct, sunlight. A window with blinds or curtains is a great spot to put your cuttings. They need sunlight, but they can get a little crispy if they’re exposed to too much. ^{[8]
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- If your cuttings turn brown, move them away from the window.
- Clusia plants use photosynthesis, or energy from the sun, to create their roots. If they don’t get enough sunlight, they won’t be able to grow, so this is super important!
4
Add more water periodically if the level gets low. As your cutting grows, it will suck up the water in your container. Keep an eye on the water levels in each glass container and add more water if it dips below 8 in (20 cm). ^{[9]
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- If you see any signs of rot or algae on the roots, carefully remove and rinse your cuttings. Pour all the water from your container and wipe it out with a towel before adding fresh water.
5
Remove the cuttings when the roots are 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5.1 cm) long. After 3 to 4 weeks, the roots on your cuttings will be long enough to plant in soil. Take them out of the water and gently dab off the excess with a paper towel to get them ready. ^{[10]
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- You don’t need to remove your cuttings from the water if you don’t want to. Clusia is one species that can grow in water, too. This is called hydroponics.
- To grow your clusia hydroponically, submerge the roots and leave the top part of the roots free of water so they can breathe. Rinse the roots and put fresh water in the glass every 2 weeks. ^{[11]
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Section 3 of 5:

Propagating Clusia in Soil

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1
Mix perlite and sand and pack a seed tray with the mixture. Clusias thrive in loose, aerated soil, and sand improves drainage and airflow for soil microbes. ^{[12]
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Research source} A sufficient blend of soil consists of ⅔ of potting soil and ⅓ orange builders sand. Add water in small increments to moisten the soil evenly. Mix with your hands. Then, pack a seed tray with the soil, flatting it with your fingers. ^{[13]
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- Additionally, you can add peat, an organic surface layer of soil from partially decomposed plant material, to the mixture. ^{[14]
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  Research source} Add 1 part peat to 2 parts soil. ^{[15]
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Each cutting needs its own cell or pot. Fortunately, seed trays have multiple cells that can host individual cuttings. Use a pencil to open a hole in the soil and place the cutting in it. Lightly press more soil around the stem so it can stand independently. ^{[16]
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Clusias grow best in humid environments around 65 to 80 °F (18 to 27 °C). Wrap a clear plant bag or a plastic cover around the tray to trap humidity. Set the tray in a warm spot with bright, indirect sunlight to encourage growth. ^{[17]
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Check the soil daily and keep it moist. It should take 2 weeks for new growth to start to sprout. Once it does, you can remove the plastic cover and prepare it for planting. ^{[18]
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Section 4 of 5:

How to Plant Autograph Trees

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1
Fill a 18 to 20 in (46 to 51 cm) pot with sandy, well-draining potting soil. Your clusia plant prefers soil that absorbs water but doesn’t get soaked. Look for potting soil made with sand that says “well-draining,” then use a pot with a drainage hole at the bottom. ^{[19]
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- If the soil absorbs too much water, it could cause the roots to rot.
- Each cutting needs its own pot, so grab a couple.
2
Cover the roots in soil, gently pressing down the dirt. Use your pointer finger to dig a hole in the dirt gently. Place 1 cutting in the pot and cover the roots in dirt, then press down on the top of the soil. ^{[20]
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- Don’t press down too hard! You want to leave some air pockets in the soil so that water can still drain through.
3
Water the soil to moisten it and establish the roots. This is especially important when you first plant your cuttings! Give the soil a nice soak so the plant can start establishing itself. ^{[21]
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- Keeping a watering can near your plant pots might be helpful since they’ll need daily watering.
4
Set the pot in an area that gets partial sunlight. Clusia plants grow well in partial sunlight and shady areas, so they don’t need to be in front of a window. Keep your pot indoors in a spot that gets constant but filtered sunlight, like through blinds or curtains. ^{[22]
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- It may take the Clusia roots a few days to switch from water roots to soil roots. You might see their leaves get a little droopy or wilted, but they should spring back up in a day or two.
5
Water your plant every day to keep the soil moist. Clusia plants don’t need a lot of maintenance, but they do require daily watering. Ensure the soil feels moist but not soaking to keep your plant happy.
- Clusia plants are drought-tolerant, so they can survive if you accidentally skip a few watering days.

Section 5 of 5:

Caring for Clusias

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If you’re looking for a way to make your clusia grow faster, use a 5-10-10 blend or 10-10-10 fertilizer diluted to a quarter of its strength. ^{[23]
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Research source} This will help stimulate early growth, improve hardiness, and increase resistance to pests and diseases, which is especially important if you plan to put your clusia outdoors.
2
Gently mist the leaves regularly to increase humidity. If you’re struggling with maintaining humidity, gently mist the leaves with water. Avoid oversaturating the foliage to prevent fungal diseases. However, you can also try placing the pot on a humidity tray , like a pebble tray. Or, place the clusia near other plants. ^{[24]
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- Plus, misting it also keeps the leaves shiny and clean!
Clusias can grow two to three inches a year, so cutting off old growth can keep the plant growing neatly while encouraging more growth. Think of it like getting a haircut—getting rid of dead ends is the best way to speed up hair growth! Avoid pruning more than a third of the plant at each pruning. Use sterilized pruning sheers and clip damaged or dead branches. ^{[25]
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Clusias love to grow, so when you don’t repot the autograph tree, you could risk it becoming pot-bound, restricting its natural growth and hindering its health. Use a fresh mix of aerated, well-draining potting soil and sand. Select pots that are 2 in (5.1 cm) than the previous one you were using. ^{[26]
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Most Clusia plants will grow to a height of 4 to 8 ft (1.2 to 2.4 m) tall. ^{[27]
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How to Grow Clusia from Cuttings

Simple Way to Propagate a Clusia

Steps

Taking a Clusia Cutting

Propagating Clusia in Water

Propagating Clusia in Soil

How to Plant Autograph Trees

Caring for Clusias

Expert Q&A

Video

Tips

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