Is anyone growing Mangaba (Hancornia speciosa)?

[jez251]

Hi,

Is anyone growing Mangaba (Hancornia speciosa)? If so, please let me know if you want to sell or trade seeds or cuttings.

Thanks,
Jaime

[Gouralata]

I got once some seeds than a friend got back from Belem, but after germination they died. Now I know they need a sandy soil.

Gouralata (Reunion Island)

[Berto]

I am experimenting with both varieties: Mangaba da Restinga (hancornia speciosa) and Mangaba do Cerrado (hancornia speciosa var. pubescens).  Both of them are very hard to keep alive.  They need to be in sand and preferably "sugar sand".  In Northeast Brasil, I have seen  mangaba da restinga (harcornia speciosa) growing  in white sugar sand.  Their root system cannot take standing moisture.  It needs excellent drainage.

[jez251]

Hi Berto,

Let us know how it goes for you. What type of sand are you using? Store-bought, beach sand?

Jaime

[Berto]

Jaime,
I have them in store bought sand.  I am not sure if it's worth experimenting with mangaba here in Southwest Florida.  The one that may succeed is the var. pubescen which is from the Cerrado area.  It gets cold in the Cerrado area while the mangaba da restinga comes from the year around ultra tropical part of the country.

[fruitlovers]

I guess the one i had and is in the photo was Hancornia speciosa because it was for sale in the Amazon area. Can you tell from the photo Berto? Do the 2 species look any different?

[Berto]

Oscar,
The plants, I cannot tell them apart.  They look alike to me.  The fruits, yes,  I can tell the difference.

[fruitlovers]

Oscar,
The plants, I cannot tell them apart.  They look alike to me.  The fruits, yes,  I can tell the difference.

Please look Berto at photo of mangaba i posted earlier in this thread and tell me which of 2 species you think it is?

[Berto]

Oscar,
I would bet that your photo is hancornia speciosa or mangaba da restinga.  I have small seedling of both species, hancornia speciosa and hancornia speciosa var. pubescens.  I am coming to a conclusion that my best bet is to enjoy mangaba in Aracaju, Sergipe, once a year, when I go visit my relatives.