Imbes are Gorgeous!

[Sir Graftalot]

I just can't get over how gorgeous these Imbe plants are. Been standing there marveling at their beautiful leaves and branch structure for more than half an hour. I hear my neighbors muttering "look at that idiot standing there watching trees grow!" All good People up here don't know a thing about tropical fruits. I can understand their lack of appreciation.

[SplorKeLZ]

might have to hop on the imbe train....

[Sir Graftalot]

might have to hop on the imbe train....

You definitely should, it's a great ride.

[SHV]

Imbe is alright. Personally, I’m ogling that potted fruiting gauva. 

[Sir Graftalot]

Imbe is alright. Personally, I’m ogling that potted fruiting gauva.

The guava is a default of any tropical fruit grower

[Epicatt2]

Sir G,

Your imbes look great.  I have several but they seem to be very slow-growing.

Any suggestions for jump-starting them?

And one question aside:  What is a good white marking pencil for writing on our
black plastic nursery pots?  (You'd think I'd know by now.)

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

[Sir Graftalot]

Sir G,

Your imbes look great.  I have several but they seem to be very slow-growing.

Any suggestions for jump-starting them?

And one question aside:  What is a good white marking pencil for writing on our
black plastic nursery pots?  (You'd think I'd know by now.)

Cheers!

Paul M.
==

Hey Paul, these are the white pens that I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Permanent-Paint-Pens-White-Markers/dp/B09MRY2JV5/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?crid=3AP1X5R6JQYMV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5T0ZTQZQS9w1T4O_kHZz32wOFc11lmlfKj21NPdCqLS7aTE732VXuFZbxUJsfypo7FnZt3svtr-2ZvOTiIDRRhAKdQ5-jwiDahTjSoHU1ID19Uxa3cB3fCHMjD94YE3C_0WzS1XlmDBTZCJXK405rqfPevziH74y0sJ5oVASdSZjGwiruaHo-TeDnfrNBKh1N9VJYqZOadLVa3NSWxnGRA.sSu-DmECh0je_wrxJglOkQ7gXzWBetamvWngsYLma9Y&dib_tag=se&keywords=white+paint+pen&qid=1725139645&sprefix=white+paint%2Caps%2C1254&sr=8-8

As for secret to getting my Imbes looking so good - sorry, gonna have to ask the nurseries. I just received them a week ago: the larger plant was from Sow Exotic and the other was from a seller on Etsy. My own personal mix is made of peat, perlite, sand, clay pallets, pumice, charcoal, azomite, worm casting, and pine bark.

[K-Rimes]

They are real lookers. I was going to follow your lead and buy some bigger plants, but I finally got some seedlings to take off and look ok, so I will just be patient. 5-6 years later, perhaps I'll get to enjoy some at home.

[Sir Graftalot]

They are real lookers. I was going to follow your lead and buy some bigger plants, but I finally got some seedlings to take off and look ok, so I will just be patient. 5-6 years later, perhaps I'll get to enjoy some at home.

It's probably going to be 5 to 6 for me as well for being in zone 7, ha...

[Epicatt2]

. . . these are the white pens that I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Permanent-Paint-Pens-White-Markers/dp/B09MRY2JV5/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?crid=3AP1X5R6JQYMV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5T0ZTQZQS9w1T4O_kHZz32wOFc11lmlfKj21NPdCqLS7aTE732VXuFZbxUJsfypo7FnZt3svtr-2ZvOTiIDRRhAKdQ5-jwiDahTjSoHU1ID19Uxa3cB3fCHMjD94YE3C_0WzS1XlmDBTZCJXK405rqfPevziH74y0sJ5oVASdSZjGwiruaHo-TeDnfrNBKh1N9VJYqZOadLVa3NSWxnGRA.sSu-DmECh0je_wrxJglOkQ7gXzWBetamvWngsYLma9Y&dib_tag=se&keywords=white+paint+pen&qid=1725139645&sprefix=white+paint%2Caps%2C1254&sr=8-8

Thanx for that; I'll check it out!

Paul M.
==

[Rob From Sydney]

I just can't get over how gorgeous these Imbe plants are. Been standing there marveling at their beautiful leaves and branch structure for more than half an hour. I hear my neighbors muttering "look at that idiot standing there watching trees grow!" All good People up here don't know a thing about tropical fruits. I can understand their lack of appreciation.

Relatable. I can easily spend 30mins looking at my potted (soon to go in the ground) stonefruit & apples. Just wondering where I will prune them, admiring the cute new growth. Gosh, growing fruit is great.

[Rob From Sydney]

A question - I don't have any garcinia yet, and I have been looking into the best species - what is so good about Imbe?
Why is it better than other species?

[Sir Graftalot]

I just can't get over how gorgeous these Imbe plants are. Been standing there marveling at their beautiful leaves and branch structure for more than half an hour. I hear my neighbors muttering "look at that idiot standing there watching trees grow!" All good People up here don't know a thing about tropical fruits. I can understand their lack of appreciation.

Relatable. I can easily spend 30mins looking at my potted (soon to go in the ground) stonefruit & apples. Just wondering where I will prune them, admiring the cute new growth. Gosh, growing fruit is great.

It's great to be among fellow enthusiasts!

[Sir Graftalot]

A question - I don't have any garcinia yet, and I have been looking into the best species - what is so good about Imbe?
Why is it better than other species?

I have and have owned Luc's, lindero (dead), brasiliensia, dulcis, Russell's, I like the look of imbe the most. Haven't tasted any of them yet so this is a purely based on aesthetics. There's just something about those thick beautiful turquoise-ish leaves and those almost perfectly perpendicular growths.

[Jaboticaba45]

My imbe is about 8' now, and is pushing some flowers!
They actually can flower pretty soon.
Even seen grafted 1 gallons flowering.
It's a good fruit if you can get a good selection, and one of the easier garcinias to grow up north in suboptimal climates.

[BloomAndSprout]

I don't understand why people don't also just get plants like these as houseplants, maybe put them outdoors in the warm seasons, and have an aesthetically pleasing plant that can produce some fruits a year, and just prune them as necessary? Everyone collects begonias and monsteras and such and while a lot of them are pretty, I don't find most monsteras nearly as exciting looking as many of these fruiting plants.  Is it just custom and social inertia?

[Rob From Sydney]

A question - I don't have any garcinia yet, and I have been looking into the best species - what is so good about Imbe?
Why is it better than other species?

I have and have owned Luc's, lindero (dead), brasiliensia, dulcis, Russell's, I like the look of imbe the most. Haven't tasted any of them yet so this is a purely based on aesthetics. There's just something about those thick beautiful turquoise-ish leaves and those almost perfectly perpendicular growths.

Okay. Well, I'll add Imbe to my collection come my chance. Shame it's dioecious. Oh well.

[Jaboticaba45]

A question - I don't have any garcinia yet, and I have been looking into the best species - what is so good about Imbe?
Why is it better than other species?

I have and have owned Luc's, lindero (dead), brasiliensia, dulcis, Russell's, I like the look of imbe the most. Haven't tasted any of them yet so this is a purely based on aesthetics. There's just something about those thick beautiful turquoise-ish leaves and those almost perfectly perpendicular growths.

Okay. Well, I'll add Imbe to my collection come my chance. Shame it's dioecious. Oh well.

Not always. There's self fruitful ones too.
And it's easy to graft if you can find quality budwood.

[Bush2Beach]

Why is it better than other Garcinia species is a great question. Because it looks better appears to be the answer you’re getting.
They are the 1 African Garcinia species and are quite different in a couple ways.
1. Appearance
2. Drought tolerance
3. Can be kept as a small hedge

Flavor wise and flesh to seed I don’t think they rank in the top 10 personally but I believe some people have tried sweeter and less sour kinds then I have.
I still like the flavor and grow them, but in a relatively dryer climate where other Garcinia are not thriving but the Imbe’s always look great.
I think 5-7 years to fruit in a marginal climate is hopeful thinking but maybe not impossible.

A question - I don't have any garcinia yet, and I have been looking into the best species - what is so good about Imbe?
Why is it better than other species?

[Sir Graftalot]

A question - I don't have any garcinia yet, and I have been looking into the best species - what is so good about Imbe?
Why is it better than other species?

I have and have owned Luc's, lindero (dead), brasiliensia, dulcis, Russell's, I like the look of imbe the most. Haven't tasted any of them yet so this is a purely based on aesthetics. There's just something about those thick beautiful turquoise-ish leaves and those almost perfectly perpendicular growths.

Okay. Well, I'll add Imbe to my collection come my chance. Shame it's dioecious. Oh well.

Beg for scions like I have been doing Just kidding...I sometimes see them being offered here. I'm still waiting to get some decent woods.

[Sir Graftalot]

I don't understand why people don't also just get plants like these as houseplants, maybe put them outdoors in the warm seasons, and have an aesthetically pleasing plant that can produce some fruits a year, and just prune them as necessary? Everyone collects begonias and monsteras and such and while a lot of them are pretty, I don't find most monsteras nearly as exciting looking as many of these fruiting plants.  Is it just custom and social inertia?

I totally second that.

[Bush2Beach]

Umm Monstera’s are delicious fruiting plants.
 
People don’t grow Garcinia’s as house plants in cold climates because they are hard to keep alive and they die for even experienced growers .

I don't understand why people don't also just get plants like these as houseplants, maybe put them outdoors in the warm seasons, and have an aesthetically pleasing plant that can produce some fruits a year, and just prune them as necessary? Everyone collects begonias and monsteras and such and while a lot of them are pretty, I don't find most monsteras nearly as exciting looking as many of these fruiting plants.  Is it just custom and social inertia?

I totally second that.

[Maypop]

People don’t grow Garcinia’s as house plants in cold climates because they are hard to keep alive and they die for even experienced growers .

Covid kicked off such a revolution in houseplants as a hobby, I think there are a lot of talented people who'd more than be up to the challenge these days if a Garcinia caught their eye. (Well, I'm trying to grow them too, but I'm not on those people's level )
Imbe's general look would probably have a pretty broad appeal even without ever bearing fruit, going by op's lovely plants! I'll never grow it, but I'd be happy seeing it all the time...

[fliptop]

The new growth on my seedlings is beautiful





(Sorry for the blurry pic)

[BloomAndSprout]

Umm Monstera’s are delicious fruiting plants.
 
People don’t grow Garcinia’s as house plants in cold climates because they are hard to keep alive and they die for even experienced growers .

I don't understand why people don't also just get plants like these as houseplants, maybe put them outdoors in the warm seasons, and have an aesthetically pleasing plant that can produce some fruits a year, and just prune them as necessary? Everyone collects begonias and monsteras and such and while a lot of them are pretty, I don't find most monsteras nearly as exciting looking as many of these fruiting plants.  Is it just custom and social inertia?

I totally second that.

Not a potted garcinia indoors, they do alright in my experience.    Yeah, monsteras do produce fruit, but it's not common people can get them.  Then you have potted plinias, other smaller species, and perhaps even certain annonacae can be grown this way.