Mangosteen

Where does Mangosteen grow?

Found in: Africa, Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central America, China, Congo DR, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Fiji, Ghana, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North America, Pacific, Palau, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Pohnpei, Puerto Rico, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, United States, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia

Notes: There are about 300 Garcinia species. Correct name is probably Garcinia x mangostana L.

Status: It is a cultivated food plant. A few trees have been planted in lowland areas of Papua New Guinea. It is a very popular fruit. It is commercially cultivated.

Growing Mangosteen

Cultivation: Trees breed true from seed because they are produced asexually. This means trees are very uniform. As well some seeds can produce more than one seedling. They germinate between 10 and 54 days. Seeds need to be fresh (less than 5 days after extraction) and undamaged, and cleaned of pulp. They quickly lose their viability. Transplanting is done with care after 2 years. Long tap roots make this difficult. Young trees require shade during hot weather. The slow early growth is because the original roots of the seedling are replaced by new roots from the base of the stem. A spacing of 7 - 10 m suits. Grafting onto vigorous root stocks is difficult. It has been performed on Garcinia tinctoria. Budding, cuttings and layering have been unsuccessful.

Edible Uses: Fruit is best eaten fresh. It is the arillus or layer around the seeds which is eaten. They are also cooked and used in desserts. The seeds are eaten after boiling or roasting. They can be ground to produce a vegetable butter.

Production: Trees are slow growing and begin to bear after 8-20 years. Fruit are produced on shoots which are more than two years old so pruning is unnecessary. Fruiting is seasonal once or twice a year. Often more fruit are produced every second year. The main fruiting season is November to March. Fruit need to be harvested when mature and ripe. Fruit can only be transported with difficulty. They can be stored under refrigeration. (10°C for up to eight weeks). Between 500 to 1500 fruit are produced per tree. Fruit are best opened by cutting the skin around the middle to prevent tannins from the skin spoiling the flavour. Fruit can be stored for 3 weeks if undamaged.

Nutrition Info

Mangosteen Photos

References

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