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Tuckeroo

Cupaniopsis anacardioides · Sapindaceae
12m
Mature height
1
Councils: no permit needed
0
Councils: exempt under a height limit
19
Councils: permit required
Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) growing in Sydney
Tuckeroo · typical mature form

Do you need a permit?

Tuckeroo is a protected tree in effectively every council Pro Climbing Tree Services covers. Expect to need a tree permit, or a development application where the property is heritage listed or in a heritage conservation area.

How to identify it

A neat rounded tree with compound leaves made of four to ten leathery rounded leaflets. Small greenish flowers followed by distinctive three lobed yellow orange capsules that split to show glossy black seeds in an orange aril.

Where it grows in Sydney

A standard coastal street tree across the Northern Beaches, Waverley, Randwick, Bayside and City of Sydney, valued for salt tolerance and a compact root system.

Common problems

  • Fruit drop that stains paving and attracts birds
  • Frequently a council street tree
  • Suckering from roots in some situations
  • Dense low canopy that blocks sightlines at driveways

What removal involves

Easy physical removal. Check ownership first because so many are verge trees. Like the Flame Tree it appears on the Northern Beaches exempt species list, but is protected elsewhere on this list.

Council permit rules, council by council

Status below is for a tree on private land that has passed the council’s size threshold. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas, significant tree registers, biodiversity mapping and conditions of development consent override every exemption shown here.

Council
Status
What it means
Northern Beaches
No permit needed
On Council's exempt species list, so no permit is required for removal. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and significant tree register listings still override the exemption. Official rules
Ku-ring-gai
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Hornsby Shire
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
The Hills Shire
Confirm with Council
Council holds its species exemptions in a document rather than on its website, so confirm this species with Council before treating removal as exempt. Size thresholds apply in the meantime. Official rules
Blacktown City
Permit required
Council does not run a species exemption list. A permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold, and each tree is assessed on its own merits. Official rules
North Sydney
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Willoughby
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Lane Cove
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
City of Ryde
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Hunters Hill
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
City of Sydney
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Inner West
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Woollahra
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Waverley
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Randwick
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Bayside
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Georges River
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Strathfield
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules
Burwood
Confirm with Council
Council holds its species exemptions in a document rather than on its website, so confirm this species with Council before treating removal as exempt. Size thresholds apply in the meantime. Official rules
Canterbury-Bankstown
Permit required
Not on Council's exempt species list, so a tree permit is required once the tree passes the size threshold. Official rules

Frequently asked questions

Is Tuckeroo exempt?

On the Northern Beaches, yes, it appears on the exempt tree species list. In the other 19 councils covered here it is treated as a protected tree once it passes the size threshold.

Commonly confused with

Lilly Pilly
Both neat coastal natives used for screening and street planting

Related species

Lilly Pilly (Syzygium smithii) growing in Sydney
Lilly Pilly
Syzygium smithii
Illawarra Flame Tree (Brachychiton acerifolius) growing in Sydney
Illawarra Flame Tree
Brachychiton acerifolius
Bangalow Palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana) growing in Sydney
Bangalow Palm
Archontophoenix cunninghamiana
Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) growing in Sydney
Blackbutt
Eucalyptus pilularis

Important note on council rules

This encyclopedia is a practical guide for Sydney property owners, not legal advice. Council tree rules change, and exemptions are frequently overridden by heritage listings, heritage conservation areas, significant tree registers, biodiversity mapping, endangered ecological communities and conditions attached to development consent. Always confirm the current rules with your council for your specific address before any tree work begins, or ask us to check it for you.
Photo by Forest and Kim Starr via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 us

Quick facts

Botanical name
Cupaniopsis anacardioides
Also known as
Carrotwood
Family
Sapindaceae
Origin
Native to the eastern Australian coast
Mature height
8m to 12m
Canopy spread
6m to 10m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Evergreen, compound, leathery
Typical lifespan
80 years plus
Root habit
Compact and non invasive
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Need council approval? We handle the application.

Most councils will not accept a removal application without species identification, photographs and a stated reason. We prepare and lodge the lot, then carry out the work once it is approved. One call, one invoice, no forms to work out yourself.
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