the impossible mangosteen (garcinia mangostana)
My two new mangosteen trees arrived from Hawaii today, looking wonderful. I had pretty low expectations for the size and health of the plants after all my searching and researching. Not only are they nigh-impossible to grow in the US, it seems they’re also pretty hard to come by.
Most of the tropical fruit tree nurseries I’ve been dealing with don’t carry it. And I was nearly tempted by an ebay seller who ships them from Hawaii bare-root, but I bought a rambutan from him a couple weeks ago, and it now looks like death warmed over — I’m not even sure it’s alive — so I figured there was a better route and kept looking.
I finally found another grower, Hula Brothers in Hawaii, selling them for $100/ea. or two for $150, shipping included. I figured what the heck, I’ll most likely lose one, might as well get two, improve my odds. I kept checking the door all day today, and they finally came at five pm. They were the best-looking plants I’ve gotten in the mail yet.
That’s probably a five-year-old tree there. Which means just five or six more years until I have a chance at some fruit.
It takes ten years for a mangosteen tree to fruit in favorable conditions, favorable being ultra-tropical always moist and never-lower-than-eighty-degrees kinda weather, preferably on a riverbank. There’s only one known instance of anyone getting one to fruit above the 200th parallel. Some feller in S. Florida got lucky. But I’m going to mimic Thailand/Puerto Rico in a greenhouse, and I’m going to get it to fruit. Mark my words. Check back in six years re: deliciousness.
The fruit is a beaut is the reason for my mania. I have never seen anything so pretty that tastes so good.
Red
This seedling is very dificult to grow. I have two in my home but it’s growing very vey slowling!!!
Iskander Iteiago
Hey guys,
A few days ago I finally got my 2 three year old mangosteen plants, I’m new at this, I got mine from mercado libre in Mexico, which is like an e bay, but you can get shillings from and to Mexico.
This guy has been going them in Chiapas, but I got mine for Mexico city.
It gets colder than Chiapas, that’s for sure, but I don’t know if 12 degrees Celsius would bee enough for damaging he plants.
If you guys could share your experiences with me, it will bee of a lot of help for me.
I got recommended to use a fertilizer called triple 17, since it has 17 p 17n 17 k.
Take care and thank you for sharing.
Good luck
R.L.Avery
Bueno Suerte.
Wes
Just found this page and realized it’s been 6 years! How is the mangosteen? Any fruit?