Tuckeroo Trees

How to choose a tuckeroo

The Tuckeroo Tree is the standard choice: an evergreen native that reaches about eight to ten metres in most gardens, with a spreading crown about six metres wide. Small greenish flowers in winter are followed by orange yellow seed capsules that split open in late spring and summer and bring in fruit eating birds. If you want shade from the first summer, the tuckeroo is also offered as an advanced, field grown tree that is dug to order.

The Small Leaf Tuckeroo, Cupaniopsis parvifolia, is a close relative from the rainforests of south east Queensland and northern New South Wales, with smaller leaflets and a finer look. The Fine Leaved Tuckeroo is a different tree altogether, Lepiderema pulchella, a small rainforest tree from the same region. It has glossy, wavy edged leaflets and soft, pale new growth, and it suits a courtyard or a small garden where the common tuckeroo would be too broad.

Where tuckeroos grow

The common tuckeroo grows from the tropics to the warm temperate zone, including Brisbane, Sydney and Perth, and in frost free or lightly frosted parts of the south. It is a first rate tree for coastal sites, taking salt laden wind and poor sandy soil, and it copes with clay as long as water drains away. Young trees need protection from frost.

The two rainforest species are happier with shelter from strong wind, richer soil and more regular moisture, and they are better kept back from the beachfront. All three take full sun or part shade. See also our Australian native trees, plants for coastal areas and evergreen trees.

Planting and spacing

Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and no deeper, set the tree at the level it grew in the pot, backfill with the soil you dug out and water in well. Stake only on windy sites, and loosely. As a street or driveway row, space common tuckeroos six to eight metres apart so the crowns just meet. For a tall evergreen screen, plant them three to four metres apart. Allow the tree several metres of clearance from buildings so the crown can spread.

Care basics

Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers. An established tuckeroo is drought hardy and needs water only in long dry periods; the rainforest species appreciate a drink in dry weather for longer. Mulch out to the edge of the canopy and keep the mulch off the trunk. Feed in spring with a native plant fertiliser.

Pruning is light. Remove lower branches gradually over a few years to lift the crown and form a clear trunk, and take out any crossing or damaged wood. Our tuckeroo care guide covers establishment and shaping in more depth.

Common questions

How big does a tuckeroo tree grow?

Usually eight to ten metres tall and about six metres wide in a garden. It can grow taller in ideal conditions over many years.

How fast do tuckeroos grow?

At a moderate pace. With regular water and mulch in the early years a young tree puts on steady growth and forms a useful canopy within several years.

Are tuckeroos good near the coast?

Yes. The common tuckeroo grows naturally on coastal dunes and headlands and handles salt wind and sandy soil well.

Do tuckeroos attract birds?

Yes. The orange capsules open to show seeds that fruit eating birds feed on, and the winter flowers bring bees and other insects.