45 Carrotwood Tree Facts: Lifespan, Problems, Habitat And More

Several tree growers agree that carrotwood is easy to care for.

This invasive species does not need any kind of fertilizer to support its growth. If your tree seems weak or grows slowly, then you can sprinkle a small amount of fertilizer around the root.

Carrotwood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) is also called green-leaved tamarind, beach tamarind, and tuckeroo. It is a flowering-tree species of Sapindaceae, a soapberry family, native to northern and eastern Australia.

Littoral rainforests close to estuaries or on the sand are the natural habitats of this species. Its range extends from New Guinea and Queensland in northern Australia to Seven Mile Beach in New South Wales. Carrotwood is an invasive species in some regions of the United States, mainly in Hawaii and Florida.

Genus Cupaniopsis consists of shrub and tree species. Several species are under the threat of extinction nationally or globally, as recognized by IUCN and other state and national governments.

Carrotwood Tree Facts

Carrotwood trees have gray outer bark consisting of raised horizontal lines. Their fruits have a yellow-orange capsule that has three lobes.

• Inside the lobes of the fruit are dark brown carrotwood seeds.
• The inner bark of the tree is orange, and the brown-gray twigs are thin.
• The tree can grow to a stem diameter of 20 in (50 cm).
• The height of the carrotwood tree is around 33 ft (10 m).
• The dark green leaves have a glossy look and a leathery texture.
• The leaf of the tree looks weak, however, it is pinnate and strong.
• The leaf is 3 in (7.6 cm) wide and 4 in (10 cm) long.
• On each of the leaf compounds, 4-13 leaflets are found.
• The leaf tip is rounded, whereas the sides are smooth.
• The flowers grow as 14 in (35.5 cm) long branching clusters with six to eight stamens and five petals.
• The leaves have visible veins on both sides, and these veins are commonly raised underneath.

Carrotwood Tree's Problems

Carrotwood tree is found in its native range around Cypress Swamps, Rocky Beaches, mangroves, beach dunes, and marshes in Florida. This evergreen tree is salt tolerant and threatens vital mangrove ecosystems.

• Although this tree can be a threat to native species in many communities, it can also be a high threat to coastal ecosystems such as tropical hammocks and mangrove swamps.
• The coastal ecosystem provides good water quality, shelter and food for wildlife, and erosion control.
• Introducing invasive carrotwood into this ecosystem will cause dense monocultures and take away nutrients and light from the native plants and trees.
• Effects of this tree can be far-reaching and serious in mangroves, which provide nursing space for crustaceans, crabs, and fishes, and major habitat for species of special concern, such as diving, and wading birds.
• The habitats in mangroves and coastal hammocks are already facing threats from hurricanes, storms, and deforestation.
• If there is competition from this invasive species around these regions, it can increase stress in the rest of the hammocks.
• Carrotwood's bright-colored fruits are also attractive to birds, which is the major dispersal method of its seeds.
• Currently, there is no biological control available for carrotwood.
• The most effective and common control for carrotwood trees is chemical control.
• For cut stump and basal bark treatment, Triclopyr has been effective.
• Glyphosate has shown marginal success and commonly needs retreatment.
• You can make use of heavy equipment or chemicals to avoid the impacts of these trees on the fauna and flora of wetland and mangrove regions.
• Some municipalities and counties have ordinances that restrict the use of carrotwood plants or trees as a preventative measure.
• Carrotwood trees are rich producers of seeds too, making it easier for dispersal.
• If there is a small infestation, then removal of the whole plant with the root by hand-pulling is also done.

Ideal Growing Conditions Of Carrotwood Tree

Carrotwood trees can be grown on the streets of a city or around your garden. It has a slow growth rate and takes less space.

• You can plant this tree easily near your house for shade, and it is highly adaptable to many habitats.
• In regions with no rain, this plant will need to be watered only once a week.
• You can increase the amount of water given to the plant once it gets hardy and can absorb more nutrients or if the weather gets dry.
• Two varieties of this tree are multi-trunked and single-trunked species.
• The multiple-trunk species naturally divides its branches, needing a lot more space.
• If you have a single-trunked species then you can trim out the extra branches and leave the main one.
• The soil pH for this tree must be a little acidic to very alkaline.
• The carrotwood tree produces flowers between May and July (late winter and early spring).
• The fruit of this tree ripens between October and December, attracting birds like pied currawong, olive-backed oriole, and Australian figbird.
• The tree can grow anywhere with a little shade to full sunlight.
• The tree thrives in clay, sand, or loamy soil textures.
• This tree is also deer-resistant. The branch strength is anywhere from medium to weak.
• You can plant this tree by digging out the soil as big as the root of the tree.

The Carrotwood Tree's Lifespan

Carrotwood trees grow year-round and can be pruned at any time of the year. These evergreen mature trees have a growth rate of 12-24 in (30-61 cm) per year.

• In 1955, the carrotwood tree was first found in Florida in St. Lucy County.
• It was only in 1968 that the carrotwood plant was introduced into the commercial market.
• Around the '70s and '80s, this species became a famous landscape tree across the south of Florida.
• In its native habitats, bees are the major pollinating factor, which means they likely occur around Florida.
• Seedlings of this tree established themselves after 22 years in many different habitats on the coast of Florida.
• If you have a carrotwood tree in your garden, you can go out and prune the tree at any time of year.
• You can make the internal canopy thin by trimming the branches of this tree.
• Trimming allows sunlight to reach the soil on the ground for other plants to have a healthy growth.
• You can get rid of branches that are crossing, growing toward one another, or the tree trunk.
• You can also get rid of densely branched parts of the canopy which causes a congestion point.
• Either to stop entanglement with other plants or for aesthetic purposes, you can reduce the spread of the canopy.
• The terminal tip of the branch can be trimmed back to an appropriate size.
• You can also get rid of limbs or branches that are cracked, dead, broken, or weak.
• Carrotwood trees live for many years and can provide shade and be used for decorative purposes.