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lycheeluva

online source for mangosteen plants?

lycheeluva
16 years ago

can the mangosteen plant be purchased online?

has anyone gotten one to fruit?

Comments (13)

  • ohiojay
    16 years ago

    There are some Ebay folks that may be selling them, Bryan at Montoso Gardens, Sadhu at Govardhan Gardens, Ong's Nursery on San Diego. That's where I got my last seedlings.

    As for fruiting? Bill Whitman and Fairchild Gardens in Florida are the only ones I know of besides Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Most of us trying these are mainly struggling to keep them alive, let alone fruit! They are not the most "gardner-friendly" plant out there. You can do a search of past threads on mangosteen and you'll be able to see how much fun some of us have had with these plants. But you might as well volunteer and join the quest.

    Where are you growing now?

  • lycheeluva
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    thanks ohio- im in NY- yes i know im completely crazy to even say the word mangosteen, much less, think of trying to grow one. i have a super spectrum grow light that i hooked up in a basement room in my house 3 weeks ago, and merely because my citrus trees have burst forth with blossoms, and my lychee tree that i bought in the spring has not yet keeled over, i now feel i can grow anything.

    well, i know im crazy, but gardening, and in particular fruit gardening is a magical obsession for me- no other way to describe the elation i get from mere vegatation.

  • ohiojay
    16 years ago

    Welcome to the funny farm.

  • lycheeluva
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Welcome to the funny farm.

    what does that mean ohio (new yorkers r not that quick on the uptake)

  • ohiojay
    16 years ago

    Here's your quote from your earlier post:

    "well, i know im crazy, but gardening, and in particular fruit gardening is a magical obsession for me- no other way to describe the elation i get from mere vegatation."

    Probably everyone here feels the same. It is magical, it is an obsession, and it is CRAZY!. You have to be a little mental doing all we do to grow some of these more rare fruit trees. So you're not alone...there's a whole funny farm of us!

    Anyway...back to the mangosteens. If you have not made contact to some of the above sources before, they are really good people and have always been quite helpful. They usually have a lot of rare and unusual plants.

  • lycheeluva
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    gotcha ohio-

    speaking of gardening crazies- i highly recommend Bill Alexander's autobiopgraphy- the "64 dollar tomato" - i totally understood where he was coming from and his amusing book recounts many of the tribulations that we have all gone thru- the squirrels, the midnight jaunts into the snow to tenderly warm a sapling, the insane amounts of money spent to grow a particular variety of produce etc.

    ohio- what made you choose the ONG for your mangosteen over the other soruces you listed (and thanks for the sources by the way- i will almost def buy one in the spring)

  • ohiojay
    16 years ago

    I believe at the time I was wanting the plants, he was the only one that had any plants larger than tiny seedlings. He was promised a shipment of mangosteens for a couple of months and finally got them. He was kind enough to remember that I wanted some. These plants are terribly difficult for us to obtain. As soon as anyone gets any, they are gone faster than you can blink. That is also the reason why we seldom ever find any larger than a small seedling. The only chance of obtaining larger specimens would be from say...Hawaii or Puerto Rico where they can be grown out...but again they are sold too fast. They cannot be shipped in from Thailand or Philippines as a larger plant because of the USDA rules.

    Lycheeluva...do you mind sharing where you are living and what zone?

  • lycheeluva
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    i live in bklyn ny - depending on the year, its zone 6 or 7

  • ohiojay
    16 years ago

    You'll need to take some extra measures to keep the mangosteens going then.

  • lycheeluva
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    right now i am using a basement room with superspectrum lighting as an artificial greenhouse- i use this room for the winter months and then take my plants outdoors for the spring, summer and fall. i am thinking of buying this greenhouse for next winter (see link at bottom) -
    ohio, other than keeping the mangosteen lit and warm during the winter months, are there any other "extra measures" i would need to take to keep the mangosteen alive

    Here is a link that might be useful: greenhouse

  • ohiojay
    16 years ago

    All kidding aside...NY will be as much of a challenge as I have in Ohio. Hell, it's a challenge anywhere.

    The first step would be to do searches on all the forums for any mention of mangosteen and see what all has been said there. Next, do internet searches. Since you are getting interested in this hobby, getting Bill Whitman's book would be a good resource to have.

    You have all winter to research. A luxery I'm sad to say that I didn't always do. You'll need to make sure you can keep the humidity around the plant very high at all times and keep it warm. The greenhouse you have listed will be fine for fall and early spring but will not work well for our winters. Trying to heat that will most likely be very inefficient at the most. Humidity and heat are the killers for our area. You'll have to bring the plant inside during winter at least. Unless your area is always very humid, it will be very difficult to keep the plant alive. I'm talking 80% and above. Before I finished the greenhouse, I used one of those plastic-lined, 4-tier greenhouses. I had the plant in this with one of those ultrasonic humidifiers.

    The last step will be to find a couple of large seedling plants. The larger the better. Starting off with good plants is important. These plants can be dead for several months...you and the plant just don't know it yet! Once they start to decline, there's generally no bringing them back. I've lost more than I care to admit. I'm just not smart enough to know when to quit!

    I don't want to come across as to discourage you from trying this. I believe everyone should try whatever they want to try. I just want you to understand that this plant can be very frustrating and difficult to care for even in the best of circumstances.

    Another thought on mangosteen care... I wonder if anyone has ever tried to grow a plant with hydroponics? The solution's PH can be maintained, the plant is always subjected to supplements and oxygenated water. I may risk my neck and post this question on the "other" forum!

  • pjvee_live_com
    12 years ago

    I am in Hawaii now until the 17th of April. I am getting married 4/23 and Mangosteen plants would be the perfect wedding gift for my fiance who is a plant pathologist. This man has been talking about mangosteens since I met him. Is it possible to buy mangosteen plants in Hawaii and have them shipped to the mainland??? Can anyone help me out here?

  • hmhausman
    12 years ago
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