Author Topic: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?  (Read 1378 times)

Johnp18261

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Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« on: March 24, 2023, 05:52:36 PM »
Hello Fruit experts, I really love eating mangosteen and wanted to grown a mangosteen tree here in Florida but  2 fruit farm experts have told me that mangosteen cannot be grown in Florida. Is that true? Please let me know? Thank you

tru

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2023, 06:02:12 PM »
Hello Fruit experts, I really love eating mangosteen and wanted to grown a mangosteen tree here in Florida but  2 fruit farm experts have told me that mangosteen cannot be grown in Florida. Is that true? Please let me know? Thank you

I'm not a florida grower but I've heard other florida growers on the forum say they don't have much luck with purple mangosteens, start dying at 40F. Maybe try a lemondrop or Imbe?

If the tree is potted I'm sure you could get away with moving it inside for the winter, they are notoriously good at dealing with low light conditions
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TropicalFruitHunters

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2023, 06:28:25 PM »
It's just "mangosteen".  I know of at least one person growing, and fruiting, a mangosteen in Florida and it is also outside.  Just has to be well protected, and lucky.  A greenhouse would help.  Whitman Pavilion always had fruiting mangosteens.

tru

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2023, 06:35:00 PM »
It's just "mangosteen".  I know of at least one person growing, and fruiting, a mangosteen in Florida and it is also outside.  Just has to be well protected, and lucky.  A greenhouse would help.  Whitman Pavilion always had fruiting mangosteens.

Well if they wanna grow a lemondrop mangosteen, african mangosteen, or mexican mangosteen that's my vote  ;D
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Fruitguy

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2023, 07:01:09 PM »
TFH is correct. The late William "Bill" Whitman of Bal Harbour (think North Miami Beach) had several fruiting trees outdoor, in the ground. His location between the Atlantic ocean and Biscayne Bay had a moderation effect on temperatures when compared to the mainland. It took 17 years to get the first fruit. Three trees grafted from Mr. Whitman's trees , further supported with nurse grafts, produced fruit somewhat quicker (guessing maybe 10 years?) in the Whitman Rare Fruit Pavillion at Fairchild Gardens, which had a 17 foot soil base of acidic sand. Ultimately 2 of the original trees, and numerous other rare fruit trees, were destroyed to make room for...and aroid garden. The current woman who has a fruiting tree has it growing in a large pot with potting soil. Her tree is growing outside, protected from the north winds, also took 17 years before it first fruited.

Bottom line....it can be fruited in South Florida if one is patient, and can provide a slightly acidic soil. As TFH also said, a greenhouse would be very helpful to lessen the time to first fruiting.

In contrast, I planted a 6-foot tall mangosteen in the ground, including amendments to lower the natural 8.2 pH soil of western Dade County, and it was dead within 6 months! 🙁

Finca La Isla

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2023, 07:51:53 PM »
It's just "mangosteen".  I know of at least one person growing, and fruiting, a mangosteen in Florida and it is also outside.  Just has to be well protected, and lucky.  A greenhouse would help.  Whitman Pavilion always had fruiting mangosteens.

Well if they wanna grow a lemondrop mangosteen, african mangosteen, or mexican mangosteen that's my vote  ;D

I really think it best that when we say mangosteen we are talking only about garcinia mangostan. Lemon drop, Luc’s garcinia, achachariu, etc. are not mangosteens.
Many thanks
Peter

tru

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2023, 09:00:40 PM »
I feel like y'all are being really picky for no reason but I concede :P

Still though, the question sounds like it's geared toward someone that doesn't have the luxury of a perfect microclimate, and with 1 or 2 odd people having success after waiting almost 2 decades, I'd side with the fruit growers on their answer, especially if they are picking a spot in the yard that isn't built for the health of the tree

FFF grows a ton of different garcinias and seems to have the most success with garcinia intermedia/brasiliensis, Imbe, and Luc's Garcinia. I don't watch his videos toooo often but he always seems to have those doing well or talking about/updating us on them. Maybe he has a mangosteen growing that I don't know about? I just figure he'd be allllllllll over it if it were possible.

That being said OP, If I were to ask growers in my area they'd tell me to rip out half of my yard. Have fun with it, making it survive when you know it shouldn't is part of the fun!

« Last Edit: March 24, 2023, 09:22:02 PM by tru »
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happyhana

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2023, 10:43:50 PM »
I’m not sure why people have started attaching “mangosteen” to every Garcinia. Power of association?

No one is being picky by stating this fact: Garcinia mangostana is the one and only Mangosteen.

Bush2Beach

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2023, 11:24:52 AM »
Using correct common names or better yet latin names is all we have to make sure we are are talking about the same species . There is only 1 mangosteen , the others have their own common names and species names.
Fff has the couple Garcinia growing that do okay in a snap freeze. There are probably 100 + different Garcinia cultivars to grow and a couple are suitable for florida and pretty much none are suitable for anywhere else in the lower 48 as CA is too cold and not humid enough .
Mis identification can prevail for many years and is a huge pet peeve and turn off for many.

As much as this question comes up the answer is always the same, not really.

tru

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2023, 11:59:47 AM »
When all the sellers call it the same thing it's pretty easy to learn it and know it as what you bought it under. Again, I'll call them the correct names in the future, but I think 9waters, growables, sowexotic, tradewinds, urban tropicals, maui seeds, and even wikipedia & iNaturalist all selling/list garcinia intermedia under "Lemondrop Mangosteen" and perpetuating the naming convention does not help your cause, especially combined with the argument going around that brasiliensis and intermedia are the same species of different cultivars, not 2 true different species.

Official South African research institutes naming Imbe the "African Mangosteen" in their papers also does not help.

I'll give you mexican mangosteen though, Luc's garcinia is pretty popular name as is. When are we going to classify it in latin? Who decides that stuff anyway?

I mean, the french still call potatoes "apple of the earth". If the naming convention works and everyone knows what I'm talking about, I really don't see an issue. The reason why they all have mangosteen next to it is the same reason it gets perpetuated... mangosteen sells  ;D
« Last Edit: March 26, 2023, 12:12:35 PM by tru »
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Vegan Potato Man

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #10 on: March 26, 2023, 01:09:02 PM »
Using correct common names or better yet latin names is all we have to make sure we are are talking about the same species . There is only 1 mangosteen , the others have their own common names and species names.
Fff has the couple Garcinia growing that do okay in a snap freeze. There are probably 100 + different Garcinia cultivars to grow and a couple are suitable for florida and pretty much none are suitable for anywhere else in the lower 48 as CA is too cold and not humid enough .
Mis identification can prevail for many years and is a huge pet peeve and turn off for many.

As much as this question comes up the answer is always the same, not really.

Seems like this argument is moot when we can and should just use the binomial, imo.

Pretty sure its the rule here that it needs to be in the post title anyway, though not sure if thats applied in the discussion forums.

My mom will call plants "apple" if its in the common name (mountain apple, mammee apple)

Drives me nuts

I’m not sure why people have started attaching “mangosteen” to every Garcinia. Power of association?

No one is being picky by stating this fact: Garcinia mangostana is the one and only Mangosteen.

People do what they want with very little rhyme or reason. Personally I'd say that if a plant is colloquially referred to as (blank) mangosteen, then it is "a mangosteen" for the people who refer to it as such.

This is the entire reason why taxonomy exists to begin with.

There's no reason to go the dogmatic route: "A mangosteen IS a mangosteen"

Just use the binomial

FWIW, I also call it "purple mangosteen" sometimes, like tru. Not really seeing the point of admonishing people for doing so, especially when any confusion can be cleared up with the binomial.

On the flip, just calling garcinia mangostana "mangosteen" may be confusing for the unsophisticated folks who apply "mangosteen" to other species.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2023, 01:15:56 PM by Vegan Potato Man »

tru

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2023, 01:56:17 PM »
so if garcinia mangostana doesn't grow, does anyone have some recommendations for what they should grow?

What is the best performing garcinia species in florida?
« Last Edit: March 26, 2023, 01:58:23 PM by tru »
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roblack

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2023, 02:59:38 PM »
g. mangostana does grow in FL. It needs some special care, but can be done.

skhan

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2023, 04:01:44 PM »
so if garcinia mangostana doesn't grow, does anyone have some recommendations for what they should grow?

What is the best performing garcinia species in florida?

Brasiliensis is the widely grown. Some others that are easy enough are imbe, madruno, cuban, seashore, dulcis, Mexican, and achacha.
The only two the seems harder in south Florida are mangosteen and cherupa.

Johnp18261

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #14 on: March 27, 2023, 07:58:33 PM »
Thank you for all the info and the inputs. Just to clear up, i am not sure if there is a different name or kind of mangosteens but I have attached a pic of the mangosteen I have asked 2 farmers. Your inputs are very value and welcome. thanks


roblack

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #15 on: March 27, 2023, 08:22:57 PM »
Thank you for all the info and the inputs. Just to clear up, i am not sure if there is a different name or kind of mangosteens but I have attached a pic of the mangosteen I have asked 2 farmers. Your inputs are very value and welcome. thanks


That is garcinia mangostana (mangosteen)

MarktLee

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Re: Can Mangosteen be Grown in Florida?
« Reply #16 on: March 27, 2023, 11:10:29 PM »
Using correct common names or better yet latin names is all we have to make sure we are are talking about the same species . There is only 1 mangosteen , the others have their own common names and species names.
Fff has the couple Garcinia growing that do okay in a snap freeze. There are probably 100 + different Garcinia cultivars to grow and a couple are suitable for florida and pretty much none are suitable for anywhere else in the lower 48 as CA is too cold and not humid enough .
Mis identification can prevail for many years and is a huge pet peeve and turn off for many.

As much as this question comes up the answer is always the same, not really.

I grow and fruit Lemon Drop, and Imbe with no problem outside here in South San Diego. My Lucs is grafted on to an outside Luc's and is 10 feet tall, it should flower anytime now. Also Fullerton grows and fruits G. Xanthochymus.