Woody > Garcinia > Garcinia mangostana > Garcinia mangostana var. mangostana
Garcinia mangostana
var. mangostana
Purple Mangosteen
Origin: G. mangostana var. mangostana is a plant that has a deep history of use and cultivation dating back to ancient times, which makes its exact origins difficult to discern. G. mangostana var. mangostana is thought to have originated in the peninsula of Malaysia, it is considered a domesticated tree that does not exist in the wild. Multiple theories exist surrounding the trees complicated origins.
Mike's
Opinion
"
G. mangostana var. mangostana is a tree with a lush green appearance. The fruits of this tree are incredibly delicious for those who don’t mind the delicate juicy texture of the fruit. Its flavour is difficult to compare to more popular fruits due to its tender texture and uniquely sweet and tropical flavour. Certain grocery stores in Canada that carry exotic fruits now sell Mangosteen fruits.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Clusiaceae |
| Genus |
| Garcinia |
| Species |
| mangostana |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| Variety |
| mangostana |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 11 - 12 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| Greater than 9a |
| Temperature (°C) |
| 4 - 38 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 40 - 100 |
| Height |
| 6 - 25 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| G. mangostana var. mangostana is an attractive, very slow growing tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia that grows leathery, dark-green leaves with a glossy appearance. The tree is abundant in yellow, bitter latex sap. Primarily grown for its deliciously tart-sweet fruit that has a purple rind and snow-white, delicate flesh. Thrives in the hot and humid environments of Southeast Asia in areas protected from harsh winds. The fruits are a valuable commodity with a short shelf life. They also have some historical significance due to the old rumour during the late 19th century that Queen Victoria was prepared to grant knighthood to whoever could bring her a fresh fruit. That, along with its incredibly choice flavour is what earns mangosteens the nickname The Queen of the Fruits. |
| Landscape |
| The use of G. mangostana var. mangostana in the landscape is rather limited due to the trees sensitive and unforgiving requirements. Most of the landscape value for G. mangostana var. mangostana exists in its fruit, it is seldom planted for in any other purpose, likely due to its reputation as being an incredibly slow and sensitive plant. Although not popular in the landscape, the tree could be an interesting specimen for exotic fruit tree collectors who have the chops to meet this tree’s incredibly high standards. |
| Cultivation |
| In order to successfully cultivate G. mangostana var. mangostana it is critical to understand the tree’s specific and challenging needs. The tree is sometimes described as being ultra-tropical do to its desired environmental conditions which includes being kept in a warm and humid location protected from cold air currents. G. mangostana var. mangostana prefers being cultivated in full sun to light shade in a location protected from wind and salt, ideally graduating from a spot protected from harsh sun to one in full sun when it matures. Soil must be deep, rich in organic material, preferably silty clay soils that drain well. Acidic soil is ideal, pH should range from 5 to 6, avoid planting in limestone rich soil. The trees are not drought tolerant and require consistently moist soil that doesn’t stay constantly wet, in cultivation they benefit from drip irrigation systems. Due to their unforgiving nature these trees must be frequently monitored and pre-emptively cared for; stressed trees are rarely able to be rehabilitated. It is seen as an effective practice to companion plant banana crops on the perimeter of G. mangostana var. mangostana trees as a way of both providing wind protection as well as mulch and compost from the felled banana plants. In preparation of transplanting established trees, holes must be dug about 30 days in advance and top-dressed with a balanced slow-release fertilizer, typically the NPK ratio is 15:15:15 is applied. |
| Shape |
| Trees are erect with a broadly pyramidal crown structure; they typically grow to a height of 12-15 m (40-50 feet) and a width of 9-12 m (30-40 ft) but as mentioned earlier may grow even larger in favourable conditions. Pruning is essential to maintain healthy vigorous trees. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| G. mangostana var. mangostana is incredibly rare outside of the ultratropical regions it's typically grown in. Trees are primarily identified by their sought-after purple mangosteens which often arrive in abundant fruit sets. Foliage is a rich green and has a thick lush texture. |
| Pests |
| Noted pests include Bactrocera carambolae (carambola fruit fly), Bactrocera dorsalis (oriental fruit fly), Bactrocera passiflorae (Fijian fruit fly), Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly), Ceroplastes stellifer (glossy scale), Selenothrips rubrocinctus (red-banded thrips), Scirtothrips dorsalis (assam thrips), Thrips hawaiiensis (Hawaiian flower thrips). A small ant (Myrmelachista ramulosum) is a common pest in Puerto Rico that tunnels in the trunks of trees and damages new growth; the tussock caterpillar (Eupterote favia) feeds on the leaves of G. mangostana var. mangostana in The Philippines; Longhorn grass-hopper (Onomarchus leuconotu) lay eggs on branches of trees in Malaysia that hatch into larvae that feed on the inner tissues of branches; yellow beetles (Hypomeces squamosus) attack the tender new growth of trees grown in Northern Malaysia; in Sri Lanka crows, bats, rats, squirrels and monkeys are considered serious pests that damage trees and their fruit. Diseases that infect G. mangostana var. mangostana include Brown root rot (Phellinus noxius), Red root rot (Ganoderma sp.), Thread blight (Corticium (Pellicularia) koleroga), and Stem canker (Zignoella garcinia). |
| Habitat |
| Although not found growing wild, G. mangostana var. mangostana is cultivated in incredibly humid and warm countries that rarely dip below 10°C. Typically grown between an altitude of 0-1500 m above sea-level, all attempts to establish trees North of 200 latitude have failed. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The bark is often dark brown or almost black, with a tendency to flake. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Buds of G. mangostana var. mangostana are tight and reveal pink petals that resemble the round buds of peonies on the ends of branches. |
| Leaf Description |
| The leaf blades, which have petioles 1.5-2.0 cm long, are ovate, oblong or elliptical and are 15-25cm long x 7-13 cm wide; they are shiny, thick and leathery, entire, acuminate at the apex and glabrous. They are olive-green above and yellow-green beneath with a pale green central nerve which is prominent on both sides. |
| Flower Description |
| Male trees are reported to carry clusters of 8-9 small flowers at the tips of branches. Female flowers are solitary, or occasionally in pairs, and develop at the extreme tips of young branches. |
| Fruit Description |
| The fruit are a bright lime green and mature to a brownish-purple. They are encased in a thick, smooth rind. |
| Texture Description |
| Smooth. |
| Propagation |
| G. mangostana var. mangostana is traditionally only propagated by seeds which grow into genetically identical trees. Seeds are recalcitrate and therefore retain their viability and vigour for 3 to 4 weeks while they are encased in mangosteens, removing the seeds for storage results in drastically reduced germination rates. |
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