Carrotwood
About this species.
Carrotwood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) is another Florida Category I invasive — a compact upright tree with distinctive bright orange-and-black fruit that spreads aggressively from old residential ornamental plantings into natural areas. Originally sold as an ornamental in the 1960s–80s; now state-prohibited from planting.
Identification
- Pinnately compound evergreen leaves with 4–12 narrow oblong glossy dark-green leaflets each 3–5 inches long arranged ALTERNATELY (NOT opposite like Brazilian pepper — the alternate vs. opposite pattern is one ID tell).
- Smooth grayish bark.
- Distinctive winter-spring clusters of small bright-orange to yellow-orange 3-lobed woody capsule fruits that split open revealing shiny black seeds with an orange-red fleshy aril.
- The bright orange-and-black fruit is the most diagnostic feature — striking and unmistakable.
- Upright dense rounded crown.
- Slim straight trunk.
- 30–40 ft typical mature.
Origin and why it's a problem
Carrotwood was widely sold as an ornamental tree in Florida from the 1960s through the 1980s — many older residential landscapes still have carrotwoods planted intentionally during that era. The species turned out to be aggressively invasive, with bird-dispersed seeds spreading the orange-and-black fruit across long distances into natural areas. By the 1990s it was clearly damaging Florida ecosystems; today it's a state-prohibited Category I invasive.
- Listed Category I invasive by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council.
- Prohibited from planting, sale, or transport under state law.
- Bird-dispersed via the showy fruit — spreads far beyond the original planting.
- Particularly damaging to coastal hammock and mangrove-edge ecosystems.
- Mid-tier wind score (2/5) — also storm-vulnerable.
Removal
If you have Carrotwood on your property — especially if it was an inherited ornamental from a previous owner — removal is recommended. Like other Florida invasives, proper removal includes cut + cambium herbicide treatment to prevent stump resprout, and proper disposal of cuttings.
What to know.
- Listed as a Category I invasive by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council — actively displaces native species.
- Cuttings cannot be composted or burned in residential yards. Specialized disposal required.
- Lower wind-resistance score — particularly vulnerable in hurricane-force winds. Pre-storm inspection recommended.
Frequently asked.
Was Carrotwood really sold as an ornamental?
Yes — heavily, through the 1960s–80s. Florida nurseries marketed it as a fast-growing compact shade tree. Many older residential landscapes have carrotwoods planted intentionally during that era; the homeowners often don't realize the tree is now a state-prohibited invasive. State and federal land managers spent decades removing the species from public lands once the invasive status was clear.
Why is the fruit so striking?
Bright orange capsules splitting to reveal glossy black seeds with red arils — the color combination is unmistakable. The bird-attractant fruit display is also why the species spreads so aggressively: birds eat the arils and carry the seeds long distances before dispersal.
How can I tell Carrotwood from Brazilian Pepper?
Leaf arrangement is the easiest: Carrotwood has leaflets arranged alternately along the rachis; Brazilian Pepper has leaflets arranged opposite each other. Also, Brazilian Pepper has a narrow winged rachis between leaflets (carrotwood doesn't), and Brazilian Pepper has red berries (carrotwood has orange-and-black capsules). Different families, different look on close inspection — but easy to confuse from a distance.
Services for carrotwoods.
The work we do on carrotwoods most often. Each card links straight to the service detail.