Clusia by Container Size: 3, 7, 15, and 25 Gallon

The single biggest decision when you buy Clusia is not the plant, it is the container size. A 3-gallon and a 25-gallon Clusia are the same species, but they arrive at completely different sizes, go in the ground at different spacing, and reach a finished hedge on very different timelines. Picking the right size is how you match the hedge to your yard, your patience, and your budget.

This is the size-by-size breakdown from a South Florida installer who plants all of them every week across Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.

Ready to order Clusia? For delivery and pricing across every size, see Clusia Plants for Sale. For the full install, see the Clusia Hedges pillar.

The Short Answer

Here is what each common Clusia container size gets you:

• 3-gallon: about 2 to 3 ft tall. Lowest upfront cost, most plants per run, longest wait (12 to 18 months to a finished look). Best for patient, budget-first, or DIY installs.
• 7-gallon: about 3 to 5 ft tall. The most common residential size. Near-finished in 6 to 9 months. The value pick.
• 15-gallon: about 4 to 6 ft tall. Reads as a finished hedge on install day. The standard premium residential choice.
• 25-gallon: about 5 to 7 ft tall. Estate-grade density and immediate height. For highly visible runs that must look done from day one.

For most sunny South Florida yards where you want a real hedge without a long wait, 7-gallon or 15-gallon is the sweet spot.

How Container Size Changes Everything

Container size drives three things at once: how tall the plant is on delivery day, how far apart it gets planted, and how long until the line reads as one continuous hedge. They move together, so you cannot look at one in isolation.

A key point that trips buyers up: spacing follows plant size. Smaller plants are narrower, so they go on tighter centers to close the line; larger plants are wider, so they sit on wider centers and still touch. That is why a 3-gallon run needs many more plants than a 25-gallon run over the same distance.

Container	Height at install	On-center spacing	Fills in to finished
3-gallon	2 to 3 ft	1 to 1.5 ft	12 to 18 months
7-gallon	3 to 5 ft	1.5 to 2 ft	6 to 9 months
15-gallon	4 to 6 ft	2 to 2.5 ft	Finished on install day
25-gallon	5 to 7 ft	3 to 3.5 ft	Finished on install day, premium
45-gallon+	7 ft and up	3.5 to 4 ft	Tall, estate finish on install day

The spacing numbers above are the corrected on-center centers we install at. Our full hedge spacing guide walks through why smaller plants need tighter spacing and how to count plants for your run.

3-Gallon Clusia

A 3-gallon Clusia stands about 2 to 3 feet tall with a bushy base. It is the entry size: lowest cost per plant, easy to carry and plant yourself, and the reason it shows up in “3 gallon clusia” and “3 gallon clusia near me” searches from DIY buyers.

The trade-off is time and plant count. Because the plants are small, they go on tight 1 to 1.5-foot centers, so a run needs a lot of them, and it takes roughly 12 to 18 months of growth before the line reads as a solid wall. Set them too far apart to save on plant count and they never fully close. If you have patience and want to plant it yourself, 3-gallon is a legitimate path to a great hedge.

7-Gallon Clusia

A 7-gallon Clusia is about 3 to 5 feet tall with a fuller body. This is the size we install most often on residential jobs, and the answer to most “7 gallon clusia height” and “7 gallon clusia near me” questions.

It hits the value sweet spot: big enough to read as a hedge within a few months, small enough to stay affordable and manageable. Planted at 1.5 to 2-foot centers, a 7-gallon run closes up laterally in about 6 to 9 months. For a homeowner who wants a real hedge soon without paying for instant maturity, this is usually the recommendation.

15-Gallon Clusia

A 15-gallon Clusia stands about 4 to 6 feet tall with hedge-grade density on delivery day. This is the standard premium residential size: planted at 2 to 2.5-foot centers, adjacent plants nearly touch when they go in, so the hedge reads as a finished privacy wall on install day.

If your priority is privacy now rather than in a year, 15-gallon is where most premium installs land. For a deeper look at 15-gallon and larger, including field-dug specimens, see our large Clusia buyer’s guide.

25-Gallon Clusia

A 25-gallon Clusia is about 5 to 7 feet tall with substantial body width. It delivers estate-grade density and immediate height, planted a little wider at 3 to 3.5-foot centers because each plant is already broad. This is the size for highly visible runs, tall screens, and properties where the finished result cannot wait.

Above 25-gallon, field-dug specimens (45-gallon and up) exist for estate features and instant tall screens. Those are quoted project by project.

Which Size Should You Buy?

Match the size to your timeline and how the yard is used:

• Budget-first or DIY, and you can wait: 3-gallon or 7-gallon.
• Want a real hedge soon, best overall value: 7-gallon.
• Want privacy finished on install day: 15-gallon.
• Highly visible or tall run that must look done now: 25-gallon.

On cost: smaller plants cost less each but you need more of them at tighter spacing, while larger plants cost more each but you need fewer. The total per running foot lands closer together than most people expect, and the real difference is how long you wait for a finished look. We put the exact per-plant and per-project numbers in your quote rather than online, because they move with size, run length, and site conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall is a 7-gallon Clusia? A 7-gallon Clusia is roughly 3 to 5 feet tall on delivery day, with a full enough body to read as a hedge within a few months of planting. It is the most common residential size in South Florida because it balances price, handling, and speed to a finished look.

How far apart do you plant Clusia by container size? Spacing follows plant size: about 1 to 1.5 feet on center for 3-gallon, 1.5 to 2 feet for 7-gallon, 2 to 2.5 feet for 15-gallon, and 3 to 3.5 feet for 25-gallon. Smaller plants go tighter so the row closes; larger plants sit wider and still touch.

How tall is a 25-gallon Clusia? A 25-gallon Clusia stands about 5 to 7 feet tall with substantial width, delivering an estate-grade, finished hedge on install day. It is the size to choose for tall screens and highly visible runs that need to look complete immediately.

What is the best Clusia size for a privacy hedge? For privacy finished on install day, 15-gallon is the standard premium pick. For a strong hedge within months at better value, 7-gallon is the most common choice. 3-gallon works if you are patient and budget-focused. The right size depends on how quickly you need full privacy.

Is a bigger Clusia container always better? No. Bigger containers give instant height and density but cost more per plant. Smaller containers cost less and grow into an excellent hedge over time. The best size is the one that matches your timeline and budget, not simply the largest.

How many 3-gallon Clusia do I need per 100 feet? At 1 to 1.5-foot centers, roughly 68 to 101 plants for a 100-foot run. Smaller containers need tighter spacing and therefore more plants than larger sizes. Our spacing guide has the full plant-count math by container size.

See also: Clusia Plants for Sale to order any size for delivery, and Clusia Hedges for the full install overview.

Order the Right Size for Your Yard

The fastest way to pick a size is to tell us your run length and how soon you want it finished. We will recommend the container size, spacing, and plant count that fit, and put a clear quote in front of you. We deliver and install across Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Delray Beach.

Request a free quote or call us at 305-222-7171.