Garcinia gummi-gutta
| Garcinia gummi-gutta | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific name | Garcinia gummi-gutta [1] |
| Common names | Malabar tamarind; brindle berry; garcinia |
| Genus | Garcinia |
| Family | Clusiaceae |
| Order | Malpighiales |
| Growth form | Evergreen, dioecious understorey tree [3] |
| Native range | Western India [2] |
| Mature size | 5–20 m [4] |
| Climate and site | 15–30 °C mean annual temperature; 1500–4000 mm annual rainfall; 50–1800 m altitude [3] |
| Fruit | Grooved berry about 5 cm across, ripening yellow or red [3][4] |
| Propagation | Seed; grafted trees may bear from year 3 [3] |
| Flowering and harvest | Flowering January–March and fruit maturity July in India [3] |
Garcinia gummi-gutta, known as Malabar tamarind and brindle berry, is an evergreen tropical tree native to western India. It is a dioecious understorey species grown for its sour fruit rind and suited to warm, humid conditions. [1][2]
Description[edit | edit source]
Garcinia gummi-gutta forms an evergreen tree about 5–20 m tall. The fruit is a green, ovoid, grooved berry approximately 5 cm across, turning yellow or red as it ripens. [4] The species is dioecious, so male and female flowers occur on separate trees. [3]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
Garcinia gummi-gutta is associated with moist tropical sites and performs well on riverbanks and in valleys. It is reported to tolerate dry soils as well as soils that are occasionally waterlogged or flooded. Its documented climate range is 15–30 °C mean annual temperature with 1500–4000 mm annual rainfall, across about 50–1800 m altitude. [3]
For Indian production, planting is carried out from July to October in pits about 1 m² apart at 10 m spacing. Mulch and regular weed control are part of the documented tree-management pattern. [3]
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
The understorey habit and moist evergreen-forest association support beginning with filtered light or gentle morning sun in a humid tropical setting, rather than assuming that exposed, dry heat is suitable. This is a habitat-based cultivation inference; the cited climate range gives the species-specific temperature and rainfall context. [2][3]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
The species occurs in a seasonally dry tropical biome, while Indian records place flowering in January–March and fruit maturity in July. During establishment, irrigation should be adjusted through the local dry season to prevent prolonged moisture stress, while the site's documented tolerance of occasional flooding argues against treating constant saturation as a requirement. In India, the July–October planting window coincides with the wetter part of the annual cycle. [2][3]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Collect seed from freshly harvested, fully ripe fruit and wash it before sowing or storage. The seed is recalcitrant; moist storage at 20 °C preserves viability for about 1–2 months. [3]
Seed-grown trees may begin bearing after 10–12 years, whereas grafted trees may bear from the third year. [3][4]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
Garcinia gummi-gutta is dioecious. Indian records place flowering in January–March and fruit maturity in July; the same population record gives approximately 50–60% male trees. The male proportion is a population observation from that production context, not a fixed ratio for every planting. [3]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The sour edible rind is used as a condiment in Indian cooking, including curries. Culinary use of the fruit should not be treated as equivalent to concentrated commercial extracts marketed under garcinia names. [3][5]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ [5] Garcinia gummi-gutta.
Image credits[edit | edit source]
- Garcinia gummi-gutta - കുടംപുളി 03.jpg: Shijan Kaakkara, CC BY-SA 4.0. Individual file page. Attribution: Shijan Kaakkara, CC BY-SA 4.0.
