Rutaceae
How to identify a wampee tree
Clausena lansium · also called wampi, huangpi (Chinese)
Grape-like clusters of small, fuzzy yellow-green fruit with sweet-tart translucent pulp and a resinous, citrus-family aroma. An underused relative of citrus, uncommon outside Chinese and Southeast Asian home gardens.
Field marks
These features are typical of the genus Clausena, so they help confirm you are looking at the right group; the fruit and the details below separate the species.
- Leaves are pinnately compound and smell aromatic, citrus-like, when crushed. It is in the citrus family.
- Small, yellow-brown fruit hang in loose clusters.
Check a photo
Photograph one whole, mature leaf from above, or a flower or fruit, and the identifier will return ranked matches. If wampee is the top result, the field marks above are your second opinion.
Leaves, flowers, fruit, or bark — closer and sharper identifies better. Your photo is identified and discarded, never stored.
Where and when you will find it
- Origin / cultivation history
- Southern China
- USDA zones
- 9b-11
- Climate
- Subtropical to tropical — more cold-tolerant than most citrus relatives here.
- Fruiting season
- June and July (typical, Northern Hemisphere)
- How often grown
- Rare in cultivation
Fruit is the most reliable way to confirm an identification, so June and July is the easiest window. Outside it, rely on the leaves and the overall habit. A tree growing well outside the climate above is more likely to be a look-alike.
Growing it: seedling or grafted?
A young tree with no fruit is harder to identify and easy to mislabel, so it helps to know how long it takes to reach fruiting age and how it is usually propagated.
- Years to first fruit
- Seedling 4-6 yrs; grafted 2-3 yrs
- Propagation
- Grafting, seed.
Relatives in the Rutaceae family
Close relatives share many features, so these are the most likely mix-ups.
Map your wampee trees
CanopyTwin keeps every tree on a map with its species, cultivar, photos and history, and counts flowers and fruit from survey photos. It is built for orchards, nurseries and collectors of tropical and rare fruit.
More identification guides: free plant identifier · tropical fruit tree identifier · fruit tree identifier · all species guides