Mangosteen

Garcinia mangostana L.

gar-SIN-ee-ah man-go-STAN-ah

Clusiaceae

Explanation of name:    The genus name honors botanist Laurent Garcin (1683-1751). The specific epithet comes from local names for the tree.

Natural range:   Tropical Asia

Recognition:   Tree with yellowish latex sap.  Opposite elliptic leaves having acute tips without stipules.  Flowers all female,  round, with 4 fleshy yellow and red (on the inside) petals.  Edible fruit between the size of a golf ball and tennis ball, maturing purplish, the elongate “seeds” (see below) with white arils (fleshy coverings).

Landscape uses:   Slow-growing potentially large tree with edible fruit.   Very cold-sensitive (according to author Julia Morton will not tolerate temperatures below 40 degrees).  Very challenging in Florida, and practical probably only in the very warmest southern tip of the state, and then protected and with much-enhanced soil as the Florida soils are not well matched to the tree (see discussion in Campbell reference below).  Grown under glass even as far south as Homestead. Needs water, and according to Morton can be most productive sited where the root can invade very wet soil.  Interestingly, the trees bear female flowers only, and the “seeds” are asexual embryos, clones of the parent (see Morton citation under Internet Sources below).  This is probably because the cultivated mangosteen is believed to be a hybrid between G. hombroniana and G. malaccensis (see last Internet source below).  The juice is available commercially and is high in antioxidants.

Propagation is challenging.  Grafting, cuttings, and layering are reportedly difficult.  Below is a quote from Morton on growth from seeds:

“Because of the long, delicate taproot and poor lateral root development, transplanting is notoriously difficult. It must not be attempted after the plants reach 2 ft (60 cm). At that time the depth of the taproot may exceed that height. There is greater seedling survival if seeds are planted directly in the nursery row than if first grown in containers and then transplanted to the nursery. The nursery soil should be 3 ft (1 m) deep, at least. The young plants take 2 years or more to reach a height of 12 in (30 cm), when they can be taken up with a deep ball of earth and set out. Fruiting may take place in 7 to 9 years from planting but usually not for 10 or even 20 years.”

Garcinia hombroniana, Seashore Mangosteen, has purplish or reddish fruits with yellow pulp, and acute to short-acuminate leaf tips; it serves as a rootstock for mangosteen.

Garcinia livingstonei is Imbe, with a single seed in orangish fruits; it is dioecious.  The leaf blades have mostly acute tips.

Garcinia tinctoria with yellow fruits is Gamboge Tree.  Its distinctive leaves have long-tapered sharply pointed tips.

Garcinia spicata, an ornamental species treated separately below, has orange fruits, and leaf tips predominantly rounded.

Internet sources:  http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mangosteen.html#Description

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3x_Mangosteen_Juice.asp

http://www.fshs.org/Proceedings/Password%20Protected/1966%20Vol.%2079/399-401%20(CAMPBELL).pdf

http://www.agroforestry.net/scps/Mangosteen_specialty_crop.pdf