Tuckeroo Tree

The Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) is one of the best small shade trees for a tough Australian site. This eastern Australian native settles at around 8m tall with a dense rounded canopy about 5m across, giving real shade without the scale of a gum. Its roots are non invasive, so it can go near paving, pipes and driveways.

Why you'll love it

• Shade at a suburban scale. A rounded 5m canopy at about 8m tall covers a courtyard or a seating area without swallowing the yard.
• Safe near hard surfaces. The non invasive root system is why councils use it in verges and car parks. Paving and pipes are not at risk.
• Made for the coast. Salt and wind tolerant, so it holds its shape on an exposed foreshore block where most shade trees burn off.
• Native and bird attracting. Cream and green flowers give way to orange capsules that split to red arils, drawing in currawongs and honeyeaters.
• Genuinely low maintenance. Drought tolerant, poor soil tolerant, evergreen and self shaping.

Where it works best

Coastal gardens. The signature use. Tuckeroo is often the first tree that survives on a beachfront block, and once it is up it shelters everything planted behind it.

Shade tree. A single tree over a patio, sandpit or outdoor table. The glossy compound leaves cast dense shade and stay on all year.

Avenues, screening and windbreaks. Plant 4m apart. In an avenue the canopies meet overhead within several seasons; in a staggered row the same spacing filters salt wind rather than blocking it.

Growing the Tuckeroo in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with the best canopy in full sun. This is a tree for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, from Cairns down through Brisbane, Sydney and coastal Perth. It takes light frost only, so hard frosting inland districts and cold southern gardens are marginal.

Soil and water. Sand, clay loam or shallow soil all work provided water can get away, and it is genuinely at home in coastal sand. Mulch 75mm deep out to the drip line, kept off the trunk. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer and weekly through the second.

Feeding. A controlled release native fertiliser, low in phosphorus, in early spring for the first few years. Established trees rarely need feeding.

Pruning. Very little. Lift the lower branches over the first few years to set the clearance you want, then leave it alone. It forms a neat rounded head on its own.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in twelve sizes, from tube and 140mm through 200mm, 250mm, 300mm and 400mm pots to 25L, 45L, 75L, 100L, 200L and 400L. Tube and the small pot packs are the value choice for a windbreak or a long avenue. The 25L to 100L sizes are the practical middle ground for a single shade tree, and the 200L and 400L need machinery to place.

Trees travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet first month while the roots move out, then steady growth through the warm season. Every tree is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing plants for a coastal garden
• Browse more Australian native trees
• Salt tolerant plants for seaside blocks
• Trees suited to lining a driveway

Common questions

How close to the house or driveway can I plant it?

Closer than most trees. Allow room for the 5m canopy rather than worrying about roots.

Does it drop a lot of mess?

It is evergreen, so there is no autumn dump. Female trees drop orange seed capsules over a few weeks in summer, worth considering directly above a pool or paved area.

Will it grow in Melbourne or Adelaide?

It takes light frost only, so it is marginal in cold southern gardens. Plant it in a warm sheltered position near a north facing wall, or choose a frost hardier native shade tree.