Closest garcinia to purple mangosteen I can grow in subtropics?

[starling]

Ok, so I'm a Garcinia guy. Yet to meet one I don't like.

What's the closest thing I can grow in the subtropics to purple mangosteen, taste-wise?

[DurianLover]

Could it be Garcinia intermedia (lemon drop)? Looks like it fruits in high elevations. Also somebody is fruiting this in South Florida if I remember correctly where mangosteen can't really grow unprotected.
I tasted this one few weeks ago straight from the tree. My first reaction: wow, almost like mangosteen (with distinctive lemon flavor).  Another advantage tree is small, and prolific producer.

[adiel]

How about Garcinia Limoncillo (Luc's Limoncillo)? 

[kimi]

Hi starling

I can't speak from experience but was once told by a gentleman that g. forbesii is very nice - his exact words "nicer than mangosteen". 

[HMHausman]

I've tasted a number of garcinias, including intermedia.  I haven't had Luc's garcinia.  I also haven't had what the Austrailians are calling Achacha.  But, I have had what was called Achachairu in Puerto Rico. Not sure about how the Puerto Rican Achachairu is is the same/different from the Australian Achacha or Luc's garcinia. For me, what they were calling Achachairu in Puerto Rico was the closest in overall eating experience to mangosteen. 

[Sanddollarmoon]

How about Garcinia Limoncillo (Luc's Limoncillo)? 

I hear Luc's Limoncillo (garcinia vleerackerii) is one of the hardiest garcinias, and should grow well in a subtropical climate, if you posted what zone you were in that would certainly help.

[luc]

Luc's Mexican Garcinia is very sweet with a slight lemony flavor , WHEN VERY RIPE !!!!! Even the skin can be eaten . Here it can stand temperatures close to freezing . At my elevation ( 300 meters ) the temperature at night during the winternights goes down to 7 Celsius . Higher up it is even colder and the wild trees are doing very well .

[simon_grow]

I haven't tasted any of these but like others have mentioned, Lucs Garcinia and Achachairu are compared to purple mangosteen very often, I believe Luc may have said he prefers it over the purple mangosteen.
Simon

[fruitlovers]

No other garcinia i've tasted really tastes like mangosteen. But the closest in terms of good taste quality that will do well in sub tropical climate are achacha and Luc's mystery garcinia.
Harry, the achachairu from PR is same as achacha from Australia.
I've eaten lots of achachairu, but have yet to taste Luc's garcinia. I trust Luc, and also another friend that got to taste it, that the garcinia from Mexico is bigger and better quality than the achachairu. I think it's good to plant both if possible as who is to know which one of the 2 will fruit better in your location and soil?

[HMHausman]

I think it's good to plant both if possible as who is to know which one of the 2 will fruit better in your location and soil?

Done already.  Thanks for the confirming flavor analysis.

[fruitlovers]

I think it's good to plant both if possible as who is to know which one of the 2 will fruit better in your location and soil?

Done already.  Thanks for the confirming flavor analysis.

They might, or probably have, different fruiting times, so with both you will get longer fruiting season, another bonus. As usual for us plant fanatics: the more plants the merrier! 

[starling]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I have one achacha which is about 1m high (37 C today and 40c tomorrow, I hope it survives) G. Forbessi, and two seedlings of Luc's Garcinia.I don't have the lemon drop mangosteen, I'll have to try and get one. Pretty sure there is a guy on ebay Aus who sells them.

Luc if you are confused by this, I recently traded some fig cuttings for some of yours here in Aus. I still have to send that package to you, there will be some alstonville fingerlime seeds in there as well now 

Those Davidson plum seeds have already germinated in the bag, but I'm assured that they will be fine in transit using express international post.

[luc]

I haven't tasted any of these but like others have mentioned, Lucs Garcinia and Achachairu are compared to purple mangosteen very often, I believe Luc may have said he prefers it over the purple mangosteen.
Simon

No Simon , I never said that , the purple mangosteen is and stays the queen of fruits , or the King of the Garcinias . I have 4 mangosteen in the ground and I must say they are very easy plants , never a problem , they handle my low winter-temperatures very well .

[starling]

I haven't tasted any of these but like others have mentioned, Lucs Garcinia and Achachairu are compared to purple mangosteen very often, I believe Luc may have said he prefers it over the purple mangosteen.
Simon

No Simon , I never said that , the purple mangosteen is and stays the queen of fruits , or the King of the Garcinias . I have 4 mangosteen in the ground and I must say they are very easy plants , never a problem , they handle my low winter-temperatures very well .

I'm yet to encounter anything as good as purple mangosteen. It's a perfect 10 fruit, for me. Luckily they pop up occasionally in local fruit markets, but they don't come cheap.

I'm going to try growing one again here in the subtropics, I managed to get a seedling going but it died.

[kimi]

starling - I think some people are of the opinion the "madrono" (currently in production at Daleys) is the popular lemon drop mangosteen. 

[starling]

If Daleys want more of my money, they are going to have to do some fence mending. The last three trees I've received from them have been of shocking quality. Not a nice way to repay somebody who gave them around 1k for the 2013 period.

[EvilFruit]

I can confirm that Garcinia vleerackerii and Garcinia intermedia seedlings, survived our hot summer (up to 45c) in shade. I guess there might be a hope for me to grow these little beauties. 

Mohd

[emegar]

I can confirm that Garcinia vleerackerii and Garcinia intermedia seedlings, survived our hot summer (up to 45c) in shade. I guess there might be a hope for me to grow these little beauties. 

Mohd

Mohd,

Am I correct in suspecting you experience low humidity, as well as high summer  temperatures? My plants struggle this time of year with dry, dessicating winds. My garcinias are all in the greenhouse for the time being, but they will outgrow that space eventually.

[simon_grow]

I haven't tasted any of these but like others have mentioned, Lucs Garcinia and Achachairu are compared to purple mangosteen very often, I believe Luc may have said he prefers it over the purple mangosteen.
Simon

No Simon , I never said that , the purple mangosteen is and stays the queen of fruits , or the King of the Garcinias . I have 4 mangosteen in the ground and I must say they are very easy plants , never a problem , they handle my low winter-temperatures very well .

I apologize for the misquote Luc, thanks for the clarification. My memory is not so good anymore. I still can't wait to try a fruit from the Lucs Garcinia. Cheers,
Simon

[FloridaGreenMan]

Garcinia magnifolia is a real nice fruit that I tried in Puerto Rico and I highly recommend it. It's much larger than Achachairu.

[HMHausman]

Garcinia magnifolia is a real nice fruit that I tried in Puerto Rico and I highly recommend it. It's much larger than Achachairu.

Larger fruit, but scant flesh is the killer for magnifolia for me, anyway.  What's there tastes decent, but not enough flesh to hold my attention.

[kimi]

what about brasiliensis? I've been told that they are very nice when fully ripe.

[luc]

what about brasiliensis? I've been told that they are very nice when fully ripe.

Yes they are very nice Kimi , the other nice thing about the G. brasiliensis is that they fruit several times a year , they are kinda small but the enormous quantity of fruit makes up for the small size ( 3 cm )

[kimi]

Thanks to you Luc, I now have five little seedlings.   

[EvilFruit]

I can confirm that Garcinia vleerackerii and Garcinia intermedia seedlings, survived our hot summer (up to 45c) in shade. I guess there might be a hope for me to grow these little beauties. 

Mohd

Mohd,

Am I correct in suspecting you experience low humidity, as well as high summer  temperatures? My plants struggle this time of year with dry, dessicating winds. My garcinias are all in the greenhouse for the time being, but they will outgrow that space eventually.

Sorry for my late response.

Yes you are correct but,I live a few kilometers away from the seashore so, the humidity in the summer is usually between 60% to 80%. The weather in here is similar to some parts of California but without the frost.

Mohd