Weird growths on my garcinia...

[happyisland]

About a year and a half ago I imported a small garcinia intermedia from Florida, planting it in the shade under a big ficus tree in the back yard. In that time it has barely grown - only one leaf flush in 18 months... Pic:


A couple of days ago I noticed some strange round growths on the tree - and now there are 5 in total!

[Ethan]

Very nice, it looks like it bloomed while you weren't looking and set some fruits.

[Tim]

lol
Congrats on the weird looking bumps

[eduardo_98]

what kind of garcinia is it?

[Tim]

what kind of garcinia is it?

About a year and a half ago I imported a small garcinia intermedia from Florida...

[happyisland]

Very nice, it looks like it bloomed while you weren't looking and set some fruits.

I noticed the flowers, but they're so unassuming, and the tree is so little (and I've never seen a garcinia intermedia before), that I didn't expect anything to come from it. Now I'm pretty impressed that it has fruited (as advertised) in almost total shade.

[fruitlovers]

There is a lemon drop tree here at the arboretum that is totally in the shade under a giant mango tree. Yes it fruits, and made decent amount of fruits too! But i'm sure the tree would be happier and more fruitful if it got some occasional sunlight.

[happyisland]

There is a lemon drop tree here at the arboretum that is totally in the shade under a giant mango tree. Yes it fruits, and made decent amount of fruits too! But i'm sure the tree would be happier and more fruitful if it got some occasional sunlight.

Have you ever tried the fruit? Because I haven't, but that whole "Bolivian Mangosteen" name has got my expectations sky high!

[Jsvand5]

There is a lemon drop tree here at the arboretum that is totally in the shade under a giant mango tree. Yes it fruits, and made decent amount of fruits too! But i'm sure the tree would be happier and more fruitful if it got some occasional sunlight.

Have you ever tried the fruit? Because I haven't, but that whole "Bolivian Mangosteen" name has got my expectations sky high!

It's definitely not comparable to mangosteen. I like the fruit though. Pretty sour with a small amount of flesh but it does have good flavor (to me at least).

[cbss_daviefl]

Is it grafted?  I don't know when they normally start fruiting but that tree seems pretty small. 

I have tasted the fruit and I like it but it is a second tier fruit in my book.

I have read some classify "Bolivian Mangosteen" as Garcinia laterfolia or Garcinia humilis or not identified (Garcinia sp.) but never as Garcinia intermedia.

[happyisland]

There is a lemon drop tree here at the arboretum that is totally in the shade under a giant mango tree. Yes it fruits, and made decent amount of fruits too! But i'm sure the tree would be happier and more fruitful if it got some occasional sunlight.

Have you ever tried the fruit? Because I haven't, but that whole "Bolivian Mangosteen" name has got my expectations sky high!

It's definitely not comparable to mangosteen. I like the fruit though. Pretty sour with a small amount of flesh but it does have good flavor (to me at least).

That kind of sounds like kinepa, which is currently in season down here in Aruba.

[HMHausman]

Have you ever tried the fruit? Because I haven't, but that whole "Bolivian Mangosteen" name has got my expectations sky high!
That kind of sounds like kinepa, which is currently in season down here in Aruba.

Kinepa (Momoncillo a/k/a Spanish Lime is sort of similar in terms of level of fruit eating quality for me....except I think the garcinia has better flavor.  Kinepa is a more effective child choker and has much more mucilaginous clingy flesh.

[fruitlovers]

There is a lemon drop tree here at the arboretum that is totally in the shade under a giant mango tree. Yes it fruits, and made decent amount of fruits too! But i'm sure the tree would be happier and more fruitful if it got some occasional sunlight.

Have you ever tried the fruit? Because I haven't, but that whole "Bolivian Mangosteen" name has got my expectations sky high!

Yes, i'm munching big piles of lemon drops now. But you're confused, Bolivian mangosteen (achachairu) is a different fruit than lemon drop mangosteen. The lemon drop is much smaller and tarter than the achachairu. Lemon drop is round and yellow and achachairu is elongated and orange colored.

[Sanddollarmoon]

There is a lemon drop tree here at the arboretum that is totally in the shade under a giant mango tree. Yes it fruits, and made decent amount of fruits too! But i'm sure the tree would be happier and more fruitful if it got some occasional sunlight.

Have you ever tried the fruit? Because I haven't, but that whole "Bolivian Mangosteen" name has got my expectations sky high!

Yes, i'm munching big piles of lemon drops now. But you're confused, Bolivian mangosteen (achachairu) is a different fruit than lemon drop mangosteen. The lemon drop is much smaller and tarter than the achachairu. Lemon drop is round and yellow and achachairu is elongated and orange colored.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=R60nPyU24-E&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DR60nPyU24-E%26feature%3Dyoutu.be

I wonder if it was worth it. How are the fruits of achachairu really? I would really like to grow some, and your "smaller and tarter" makes this one sound even better. But I am worried, currently packed up, but germinating, in the seeds I'm moving to Tennessee, are a few seeds for lemon drops, are they worth growing, also?

[fruitlovers]

There is a lemon drop tree here at the arboretum that is totally in the shade under a giant mango tree. Yes it fruits, and made decent amount of fruits too! But i'm sure the tree would be happier and more fruitful if it got some occasional sunlight.

Have you ever tried the fruit? Because I haven't, but that whole "Bolivian Mangosteen" name has got my expectations sky high!

Yes, i'm munching big piles of lemon drops now. But you're confused, Bolivian mangosteen (achachairu) is a different fruit than lemon drop mangosteen. The lemon drop is much smaller and tarter than the achachairu. Lemon drop is round and yellow and achachairu is elongated and orange colored.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=R60nPyU24-E&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DR60nPyU24-E%26feature%3Dyoutu.be

I wonder if it was worth it. How are the fruits of achachairu really? I would really like to grow some, and your "smaller and tarter" makes this one sound even better. But I am worried, currently packed up, but germinating, in the seeds I'm moving to Tennessee, are a few seeds for lemon drops, are they worth growing, also?

Both are worth growing, but i'd say the achachairu is a higher quality fruit than lemon drop.

[happyisland]

I just tasted my first lemon drop from my yard, and it (unsurprisingly) was just like Harry described: a more interesting and tasty version of a kinepa. The eating experience is decent, and the fact that the little shrub fruited in almost 100% shade, under a huge ficus, is a huge plus.

Question: will achachairu similarly fruit in shade?

[fruitlovers]

I just tasted my first lemon drop from my yard, and it (unsurprisingly) was just like Harry described: a more interesting and tasty version of a kinepa. The eating experience is decent, and the fact that the little shrub fruited in almost 100% shade, under a huge ficus, is a huge plus.

Question: will achachairu similarly fruit in shade?

Achachairu can fruit in a lot of shade. Don't know about 100% shade, but worth trying.

[CoPlantNut]

So far I've found achachairu to be graft-compatible with G. intermedia, so perhaps all you need to do is graft on an achachairu branch to your already-fruiting plant.

I've also had success grafting Luc's Mexican Garcinia onto G. intermedia rootstock, so you could go for a cocktail tree- I have one with G. sp. 'achachairu', G. intermedia and G. sp. "Luc's Mexican Garcinia" all happily growing so far (I'm hoping there won't be long-term incompatibilities).

   Kevin

[happyisland]

Awesome info! When my tiny g. intermedia grows up a tad I'll start hitting you people up for scion wood and grafting tips. Or maybe I'd be better off just buying a potted achachairu - they sound good!

So far I've found achachairu to be graft-compatible with G. intermedia, so perhaps all you need to do is graft on an achachairu branch to your already-fruiting plant.

I've also had success grafting Luc's Mexican Garcinia onto G. intermedia rootstock, so you could go for a cocktail tree- I have one with G. sp. 'achachairu', G. intermedia and G. sp. "Luc's Mexican Garcinia" all happily growing so far (I'm hoping there won't be long-term incompatibilities).

   Kevin