South Florida's dominant privacy hedge — wholesale Clusia guttifera for landscape contractors.
Clusia guttifera
If there's one plant that defines South Florida's residential and commercial landscape over the last decade, it's Clusia. Its thick, wayy leaves create a dense, impenetrable hedge that blocks noise, wind, and sight lines — and it does it with almost no care once it's in the ground. No whitefly issues, no constant trimming, no irrigation dependence after establishment. That's why landscape contractors keep coming back to it.
At Heritage Farms, Clusia is one of our highest-volume products. We stock it in a range of sizes to support everything from small residential hedges to large-scale commercial screening projects across Palm Beach County.
| Scientific Name | Clusia guttifera |
| Common Names | Small Leaf Clusia, Clusia Guttifera |
| Growth Rate | Moderate to fast |
| Mature Height | 8–15 feet (maintainable lower) |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun to part shade |
| Salt Tolerance | Excellent |
| Drought Tolerance | High once established |
| Whitefly Resistance | Excellent |
| USDA Zones | 10–11 |
| Availability | Call for sizes & current stock |
Trade accounts only. Contact us for current Clusia inventory, available sizes, and volume pricing.
Our in-depth guide covers installation spacing, maintenance schedules, and how to get maximum density from Clusia hedges.
Read the GuideClusia (Clusia guttifera) is a moderate-to-fast grower in South Florida — expect 1–2 feet of new growth per year under good conditions. Consistent irrigation, fertilization 2–3 times per year, and periodic shaping to encourage dense lateral branching will push growth toward the faster end. Clusia typically reaches a usable privacy height of 6–8 feet within 2–3 years from a 3-gallon start.
For a solid privacy hedge, space Clusia 3–4 feet apart center-to-center. Tighter spacing (2.5–3 feet) gives faster fill but costs more at install. If budget allows, 3-foot spacing is the standard for a clean, professional result. For a less formal, naturalistic screen, 4–5 foot spacing works well with some patience.
Clusia tolerates partial shade but performs best in full sun to light partial shade. In heavy shade, growth slows significantly and the plant becomes leggy rather than dense — undermining its function as a privacy screen. For shaded locations, consider Green Island Ficus or Podocarpus as alternatives.
Both are excellent South Florida privacy plants, but they serve different aesthetics. Clusia has broad, rounded leaves and a natural, rounded form — it looks lush and tropical. Podocarpus has fine, linear foliage and shears into a formal, precise hedge with sharper definition. Clusia is lower maintenance (needs less frequent trimming), while Podocarpus gives you more control over shape and a more formal look.
Yes — Clusia is highly salt-tolerant and is one of the better privacy hedge plants for coastal and near-coastal properties in Palm Beach County. It handles salt spray well and is commonly specified on oceanfront and Intracoastal properties where many other hedge plants struggle. This salt tolerance is one of the key reasons it's a top choice for coastal landscape contractors.