That all sounds so tasty!
-Tropicaliste

Any update on the mangosteen? I am curious to see how much faster they grow for you in PR.

I'm growing two from seed, and want to show you my larget one.

I prefer cactus soil, and I keep the soil moist - but NEVER wet - and plant it in a styrofoam cup. Keep it warm, but not too hot, 75-85 constantly.

Here's what one sprouting seed it looked like after 3 weeks:

That was August 08. Fast forward six months:

I carefully make sure it gets about 1/4 cup of water about every two days - making sure it never drowns nor dries.

I haven't fed it yet, although I'm about to increase the light from fluorescent to natural bright shade.

When it's big, it likes a lot of sun, but tiny plants will cook!

That's some pretty good growth in only six months. I have one very small seedling that's about the same age as yours but it has only grown one set of true leaves. I am hoping it picks up the pace now though. I just did an approach graft to it with a Garcinia xanthochymus so if the graft takes it should grow a bit better. At least I hope so.

My plant is doing well. I will get a picture out soon.
It has grown about 1.5 ft since I got it (so it is abut 4.5 ft tall now). It gets a new set of leaves on a 6in growth every 6 months or so. I wish it grew faster!

I finally went out an got a picture of my mangosteen. It looks smaller than it is.

{{gwi:1326917}}

Hell...I wish mine were that size. Nice pic.

Good looking tree. I bet you get fruit before me and Jay and ours are grafted. Every time you post a pic it makes me wonder why I chose to live where I do.

Thanks- I can't take too much credit- PR seems to be perfect climate for them. I am still learning- hopefully I don't mess these things up too badly!
My mangosteen is also grafted. But I still bet I have at least a few years to wait before fruiting.

Sorry, when you said it was only $40 I just assumed it was a seedling. Now I am really jealous. Did you see Jay's pics from Thailand? He has a pic of one about a 1/4 the size of yours forming fruit so you might not have to wait as long as you think. Could you possibly get a pic of the graft site when you get a chance? I want to compare how healed over your graft is compared to mine.

wow, i am super jealous of your tree as well. mangosteen are absolutely delicious. one of my favorites.

RayandQwenn...did you ever get me email concerning your plant?

Looks like we will be visiting PR in July. Can't wait! J

Jay- no - I just checked again- never got an email- try again.

Jsvnad- I will try to get a pix soon. I looked at the graft site- it is totally healed- so it doesn't look like much more than a bumpy stem. The guy I bought it from gave our tropical fruit group a lecture and demonstration of grafting, so he was a pro at it. He had 2 plants for sale- the one I got was healed totally when I bought it, the other one didn't look as good. I was happy to get the one I got! But my friend bought the other and it is doing well also.

rayandgwenn, nice tree. What was the name of the farm where you got your mangosteen tree from?

Thanks,
Adiel

I got it a few years ago at a local guy's farm during a garden tour. He doesn't do gardening anymore and I haven't found anyone on the island that sells mangosteen trees since. And believe me, I have been looking!
Best bet is to try for seeds during fruit season.

Finally got some pictures taken of my Garcinias,

My small Garcinia mangostana

a large Garcinia xanthochymus in container:

And a small Garcinia xanthochymus, I started from seed.:

I put dates on pictures so I can keep a visual reference.

I may try that mangostana/xanthochymus graft someday.

TropicDude:

How old is your Garcinia xanthochymus and has it ever flowered for you?

Harry

@hmhausman the large xanthochymus I purchased from a nursery, and was only about 18" or so. I have had this tree about 2 years, so age is just an estimate. seems to be a fast grower, its flushes simultaneously on every branch giving it its pyramid shape.

This tree has not flowered yet. but have tried the fruit, the first time I tried it, I tasted one direct, it was sour and very acid. after that first taste, I thought about how it tasted like that frozen fruit concentrate, and ask my wife to prepare the fruit like she does passion fruit juice she makes, and presto, it made a delicious juice that everyone liked.

So I look forward to getting fruit from this tree, a little goes a long way. the tree is pretty, I would have liked to have planted it in the front yard but, we have a cistern and the house is rented, didn't want to risk root damage.

on another note, I was walking though the local "Jardin Botanico" and came across a tree that looks like a garcinia, had immature fruit that looked exactly like mangostana, I intend to go back take some pictures and put them up so people can give me their opinion. the only difference i could see is that the leaves were less pointy than those I have seen online for mangosteen trees, my seedlings look like those I have seen online also, so I am super curios as to what this tree at the botanical garden is.