Clusia 'Princess'

Your pitch apple plant comes in a standard nursery pot. You can either pot up, using humus-rich potting compost, or stand it pot and all in an attractive planter. A saucer will also suffice. Extra drainage water may stand for a while – allow the plant time to absorb it. The water should all be gone before further watering.

Stand your Clusia rosea in the warm (preferably not below 16 degrees centigrade), out of direct sun. In cooler environments it will require less water.

Clusia rosea likes it humid so spray the leaves regularly with rainwater to keep the humidity high and the beautiful glossy look of the leaves preserved.

Feed regularly with plant food for indoor leafy plants and it will produce a bushier plant.

Allow to dry out a little in the winter and only start again with regular watering and feeding in the spring. The spectacular Clusia in water is not just any old house plant. This latest trend is a truly eye-catching interior design feature! It's certainly not a conventional windowsill houseplant. The DIY Clusia in water is new, surprising and original. Simply rinse the roots of the Clusia and put the plant in the glass vase with water. The Clusia in water will create a beautiful feature in your home for several months.

DIY: Clusia in water

You can make your own Clusia in water by following these simple steps:

1. Find a large bucket.
2. Take the plant out of the nursery pot and remove most of the soil from the roots. Hold the roots under the tap and gently rinse off the remaining soil.
3. Fill the glass vase with water (at room temperature) until the roots are just covered by the water.
4. Find a nice spot in your home for the vase. It's that easy!

Extra tip: To prevent scaling in the vase, use spring water instead of tap water. Spring water is also full of minerals that help the plant to grow.

Clusia is a tropical plant from the Caribbean.

New research has classified Clusia into its own family (Clusiaceae).