Bloomipedia
Autograph tree (Clusia rosea)
Photo: David Anderson via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Autograph tree

Clusia rosea

Not native to Hawaii

Autograph tree is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

2states
2,007HI sightings*
2,276U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Hawaii

Quick look

Clusia rosea, the autograph tree, copey, cupey, balsam apple, pitch-apple, and Scotch attorney, is an evergreen, tropical and sub-tropical flowering plant species in the family Clusiaceae. The name Clusia major is sometimes misapplied to this species.

  • It belongs to the Clusiaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 2 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as not native to Hawaii. NatureServe
  • iNaturalist has 2,007 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #16 among the 105 flowers on our Hawaii list. iNaturalist

Autograph tree gift ideas

Handmade autograph tree gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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    Autograph tree art print

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    Autograph tree greeting card

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    Autograph tree mug

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    Autograph tree earrings

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    Autograph tree embroidery pattern

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    Autograph tree sticker

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (13 records)

There are only a handful of Hawaii flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
Hawaii
Not listed Not on Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Hawaii. HAR 13-107
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Clusia major (“Clusia Rosea”), as toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records autograph tree in 2 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Florida, Hawaii.

Hawaii counties with USDA records: Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai.

More Hawaii flowers

ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha)

ʻōhiʻa lehua

Metrosideros polymorpha

Native

🌼 Blooms in HI: January–December
Beach naupaka (Scaevola taccada)

Beach naupaka

Scaevola taccada

Native

🌼 Blooms in HI: January–December
Pūkiawe (Leptecophylla tameiameiae)

Pūkiawe

Leptecophylla tameiameiae

🌼 Blooms in HI: January–December

Sources