Mangosteen unprotected in San Diego

[simon_grow]

I tried growing purple mangosteen about 15-20 years ago but killed a few trees and after doing a lot of research, I realized that it would be nearly impossible to grow and fruit it in San Diego unless I had a greenhouse.

Anyways, I gave up on growing it and whenever anyone asks me about growing mangosteen in San Diego, I tell them not to bother because it’s a waste of time and money. I told this to my friend that lives just a mile or two from my house and when I visited him today, I was shocked to see that he ignored my warnings and proved me wrong. I told him last year that the plant won’t last one Winter unprotected outdoors and he planted it into the ground last year anyways and I was surprised to see the plant was still alive and even looked relatively healthy.

He’s had this plant for 6 years and had been keeping it under his patio and overhang of his roof for the last several years and also slowly adapting it to the full sun/cold.

Last year, around late Summer or fall, he planted it into the ground and here’s what it looks like today. I still don’t think it will survive very long outdoors unprotected but it’s at least survived one Winter outside. On a side note, last year, our Winter was very mild and I did not get frost for the first time in many years.

The community I live in is made up of houses packed tightly together with relatively small yards. I believe the large amount of fruit trees in his yard along with his Koi Pond is bringing up his humidity. He also waters his trees with pond water and perhaps the mangosteen enjoys that, I don’t know.

All I know is that my mangosteen didn’t seem to like temperatures below around 65F-55F. Mine died the firstWinter I put it out. Perhaps the close proximity of all the homes is holding in the heat from the surrounding area? I have no idea.






Simon

[Mike T]

I have a prodigy that fruited at not much bigger than that. It is tougher than the others and thrives on neglect.

[roblack]

Impressive!

Does he do anything to up the humidity during drier times?

[SHV]

Really interesting Simon!  I’m sure all the stones surrounding the tree help radiate heat during the cold evenings as well.  I’ve been wondering with the rapid acceleration toward climate change comes a more ideal environment for subtropical/tropical plants near coastal SD.  It will be interesting to see how our winters start to change in the coming years. Or maybe the mangosteen loves all the ash in our air 
Would love an update on your friends mangosteen following this upcoming La Niña winter.

[simon_grow]

I highly doubt it will survive another Winter but he already proved me wrong once.

He said he did not protect it in any manner during the winter. I didn’t ask him if he recently protected inthe heatwave.  I’ll keep everyone updated.

Simon

[roblack]

protecting from prolonged dry/low humidity periods may be more essential than temp. they both matter obviously

[Triphal]

The most practical aspect of this subject is whether the tree will in later years capable of producing flowers and then ample good fruits! SHV's comment appears to be interesting and thought provoking not for just your zone but other subtropical and temperate areas round the Globe due to fast advancing climate changes.

[JF]

Roblack is correct. I had one for a full year, about the same size not as bushy, behind my 30’ avocado tree and under the eaves but it succumb to 2% humidity and Santa Ana winds in fall. Keep us updated next year see how it’s doing.

[Mike T]

Yes humidity and dry wind are key things to think about. Climate change isn't sweeping over us at that type of rate. You can look at meteorological maps that show tenths of a degree per decade and equate it to latitudes, or look at projected changes in heatwaves or whatever but it doesn't mean you will suddenly be able to grow durians in California.

[simon_grow]

Yeah, his Koi pond and all his other trees are definitely increasing the humidity. I’ll try to stop by in late Winter to see how it’s doing. I’ll keep everyone updated. If we get another warm Winter, it should survive.

Simon

[simon_grow]

Just a quick update with no pictures but I talked To my friend today and his Mangosteen tree is still alive! Damn him, lol! Sometimes it can be a good thing when someone proves me wrong. I’ll stop by and take a picture soon.

Simon

[Kuhyay]

Just a quick update with no pictures but I talked To my friend today and his Mangosteen tree is still alive! Damn him, lol! Sometimes it can be a good thing when someone proves me wrong. I’ll stop by and take a picture soon.

Simon

That's incredible! What part of town is he in? What type of expose/micro-climate does he have that tree planted in?

This is definitely something I want to try in our new property in Vista/Bonsall.

[cbss_daviefl]

The leaves do not look like typical garcinia mangostana to me. The leaves are too long and narrow. The lateral ribbing should be symmetrical and well defined.  The tip should extend to a point.

Here is a pic of genuine mangosteen.



Maybe your friend is growing Mexican mangosteen

[dwfl]

The leaves do not look like typical garcinia mangostana to me. The leaves are too long and narrow. The lateral ribbing should be symmetrical and well defined.  The tip should extend to a point.

Here is a pic of genuine mangosteen.



Maybe your friend is growing Mexican mangosteen

Agreed

[simon_grow]

You guys could be correct, words sometimes gets lost in translation and he, or I, could have heard one thing when it was something else. I’ll heck with him to make sure.

Simon

[fruitlovers]

Yes probably an impostor garcinia, and that explains why it over wintered so well. Mexican garcinia is a good guess, although the leaves look smaller than what i'm used to seeing with Mexican garcinia (Luc's).

[Finca La Isla]

Yes, there are so many garcinias with very similar foliage.  It can be a problem in my nursery and others.  To me it doesn’t look like Luc's.  If not mangosteen then some other Asian garcinia...
Peter

[fruitlovers]

This is a common mistake, even by botanical gardens. For a very long time the Fullerton arboretum in southern California had their false mangsoteen (G. xanthochymus) labeled as mangsoteen (G. mangostana), and a lot of people fell for it.

[Kuhyay]

Here is an interesting datapoint...

In 1990 Bill Whitman was apparently inquiring about techniques to fruit mangosteen. In response, the article's author, John Marshall, cites a tree that fruited at 10 years old and was grown in-ground in a “sub-tropical climate where winter temperatures fall to as low as 3°C (37°F)”. Presumably this is not referring to his family farm in Kuranda, QLD, which is zone 12a.



Source: https://rfcarchives.org.au/Next/Fruits/Mangosteen/MangosteenSecrets7-90.htm

I’ve reached out to Mr. Marshall in the hope that he can shed some light on the growing conditions of that tree, and will post back with his response.

In the meantime, what does this mean for the conventional wisdom that this tree can't be fruited in climates that get as cold as 10a/b?

[Mike T]

He is pretty reliable and his place at Kuranda would have experienced 3c in 1984, when Mission Beach had 3c and Tully had 1c with Cairns suburbs below 5c. These are extraordinary temps for these places and there were some equally extreme dips in the 60s and 40s I understand.He may have referred to this event in places loaded with mangosteen trees. Doubt he was talking about SEQ or even south of Ingham.He is still around by the way.

[fruitlovers]

Here is an interesting datapoint...

In 1990 Bill Whitman was apparently inquiring about techniques to fruit mangosteen. In response, the article's author, John Marshall, cites a tree that fruited at 10 years old and was grown in-ground in a “sub-tropical climate where winter temperatures fall to as low as 3°C (37°F)”. Presumably this is not referring to his family farm in Kuranda, QLD, which is zone 12a.



Source: https://rfcarchives.org.au/Next/Fruits/Mangosteen/MangosteenSecrets7-90.htm

I’ve reached out to Mr. Marshall in the hope that he can shed some light on the growing conditions of that tree, and will post back with his response.

In the meantime, what does this mean for the conventional wisdom that this tree can't be fruited in climates that get as cold as 10a/b?

Perhaps 37F didn't kill mangosteens that are mature trees. But you wouldn't want to expose them to those temperatures on a regular basis, especially when they are small plants, because you will definitely stunt them. When small mangosteens are stunted they rarely bounce back.