Garcinia intermedia: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 22:06, 27 August 2026

Lemon drop mangosteen (Garcinia intermedia )

Scientific name	Garcinia intermedia
Genus	Garcinia
Family	Clusiaceae
Order	Malpighiales
Fruit type	Berry
Growth form	Evergreen tree
Climate and hardiness	Humid tropical to warm subtropical
Mature height	Usually about 10 m; occasional reports up to 30 m
Mature width	N/A
Soil	Moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil; avoid prolonged saturation
Water	Regular moisture, especially during establishment and fruit fill
Sun	Full sun to partial shade; young trees benefit from protection
Germination	Fresh seed; germination is slow and seed is short-lived when dried
Years to fruit	N/A
Pollination	Flowers are insect-pollinated; compatibility is not well documented for all selections
Harvest	Regional harvest season N/A

Description[edit | edit source]

Garcinia intermedia is an evergreen Central American tree with a dense crown and copious yellow latex. It is associated with humid primary forest understories and can approach the canopy. The species is also treated in older literature under Rheedia; that synonym should not be confused with the true mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana.

The accepted genus, family, and order are Garcinia, Clusiaceae, and Malpighiales. Common names may cover related taxa; check the scientific name before transferring cultivation advice.

Cultivation[edit | edit source]

Garcinia intermedia is an understorey tree of humid, mainly primary forests from Ecuador through Central America to Mexico, recorded up to about 1,200 m. It is suited to warm, humid conditions and can grow in full sun or partial shade.

Soil and water[edit | edit source]

The native habitat evidence supports a humus-rich, moisture-retentive forest soil, but does not establish a universal pH or container-drainage number. Use an aerated medium and avoid prolonged saturation as a cultivation precaution.

Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]

Full sun or partial shade is reported. Young plants should be protected while establishing; humid air should be balanced with airflow, especially in wet climates.

Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]

A fixed flowering and harvest season is not established in the reviewed sources. Maintain regular moisture during active growth and fruit development, while adjusting irrigation to the local wet/dry cycle rather than keeping roots permanently saturated.

Propagation[edit | edit source]

Seed should be kept fresh and not allowed to dry. The available account says germination may be delayed for months, often until the rainy season. Species-specific evidence for grafting and other clonal methods is limited; preserve selected trees only when a compatible method has been demonstrated locally.

Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]

The species account describes androdioecious plants, with some trees producing male flowers and others hermaphrodite flowers. The available sources do not establish a universal years-to-fruit or harvest calendar; local observations should record tree sex, flowering, fruit set, and rainfall.

Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]

The fruit is eaten raw. Descriptions report white pulp with a sweet or acidic flavor, adhering to one or two seeds; fruit is also reported in jams and other small-scale preparations. It is principally a specialty or home-garden fruit in the reviewed sources.

Photos[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

Image credits[edit | edit source]

Garcinia intermedia.jpg — file page; creator and license verified there.
Garcinia intermedia 14.JPG — file page; creator and license verified there.
Garcinia intermedia 4zz.jpg — David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Garcinia intermedia 3zz.jpg — David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Lemon drop mangosteen''' ('''''Garcinia intermedia'''''; also achachairú; lemon drop mangosteen; ocoró) is a Clusiaceae fruit plant grown for its berry. This page treats the accepted species name as canonical and uses the common name as a navigational alias.
+{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 320px; margin-left: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
-{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 400px; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
 |-
+! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Lemon drop mangosteen (''Garcinia intermedia '')
 |-
-| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [[File:Garcinia intermedia.jpg|thumb|center|250px|Garcinia intermedia fruit, flower, or plant habit. Wikimedia Commons file page.]]
+| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [[File:Garcinia intermedia.jpg|250px|Garcinia intermedia fruit, flower, or plant habit. Wikimedia Commons file page.]]
-|-
-! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Lemon drop mangosteen (''Garcinia intermedia '')
 |-
 ! Scientific name
@@ Line 30: / Line 27: @@
 |-
 ! Mature height
-|| 5–15 m
+|| Usually about 10 m; occasional reports up to 30 m
 |-
 ! Mature width
-|| 4–10 m
+|| N/A
 |-
 ! Soil
@@ Line 48: / Line 45: @@
 |-
 ! Years to fruit
-|| Usually several years from seed; clonal timing varies
+|| N/A
 |-
 ! Pollination
@@ Line 54: / Line 51: @@
 |-
 ! Harvest
-|| Season varies by region, commonly during a warm wet-season crop
+|| Regional harvest season N/A
 |}
-== Identification and description ==
+== Description ==
-Garcinia intermedia is a small tropical Garcinia with yellow to orange, pleasantly tart-sweet fruit. It is distinct from the true mangosteen and is valued by collectors for manageable size and productive fruiting in warm climates.
+[[File:Garcinia intermedia 4zz.jpg|thumb|left|240px|Garcinia intermedia at Hotel Bougainvillea, San José, Costa Rica.]]
+Garcinia intermedia is an evergreen Central American tree with a dense crown and copious yellow latex. It is associated with humid primary forest understories and can approach the canopy. The species is also treated in older literature under ''Rheedia''; that synonym should not be confused with the true mangosteen, ''Garcinia mangostana''.
 The accepted genus, family, and order are [[Garcinia]], [[Clusiaceae]], and [[Malpighiales]]. Common names may cover related taxa; check the scientific name before transferring cultivation advice.
-== Growing ==
+== Cultivation ==
-Lemon-drop mangosteen is a humid tropical Garcinia of Central American forests. Give it warmth, filtered light while young, organic soil, and steady moisture with drainage rather than exposure to cold or drying winds.
+Garcinia intermedia is an understorey tree of humid, mainly primary forests from Ecuador through Central America to Mexico, recorded up to about 1,200 m. It is suited to warm, humid conditions and can grow in full sun or partial shade.
-The species is associated with humid tropical vegetation and benefits from organic matter, shelter, and steady soil moisture. It is less forgiving of cold, drying winds, and root disturbance than its compact size might suggest. Good airflow helps reduce fungal problems in wet climates.
-=== Soil ===
+=== Soil and water ===
-Moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil; avoid prolonged saturation.
+The native habitat evidence supports a humus-rich, moisture-retentive forest soil, but does not establish a universal pH or container-drainage number. Use an aerated medium and avoid prolonged saturation as a cultivation precaution.
 === Sun and humidity ===
-Full sun to partial shade; young trees benefit from protection. Native habitat and airflow matter as much as light intensity; avoid enclosing humid foliage without ventilation.
+Full sun or partial shade is reported. Young plants should be protected while establishing; humid air should be balanced with airflow, especially in wet climates.
 === Seasonal changes ===
-In seasonal tropical climates, flowering and fruiting track the transition from drier weather to renewed rain. Keep irrigation even while fruit is enlarging, but do not turn heavy clay into a waterlogged root zone. Cool subtropical winters can interrupt growth and delay the crop.
+A fixed flowering and harvest season is not established in the reviewed sources. Maintain regular moisture during active growth and fruit development, while adjusting irrigation to the local wet/dry cycle rather than keeping roots permanently saturated.
 == Propagation ==
-Fresh seed is the usual method; do not allow seed to dry. Selected trees may be propagated by grafting or other clonal methods where compatible material is available, but nursery practices are less standardized than for common Garcinia crops.
+Seed should be kept fresh and not allowed to dry. The available account says germination may be delayed for months, often until the rainy season. Species-specific evidence for grafting and other clonal methods is limited; preserve selected trees only when a compatible method has been demonstrated locally.
-[[File:Garcinia intermedia 14.JPG|thumb|right|280px|Field view or fruit detail of Garcinia intermedia. Wikimedia Commons file page.]]
 == Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==
-Season varies by region, commonly during a warm wet-season crop. Flowering and ripening are strongly affected by latitude, cultivar, rootstock, rainfall, and temperature; local records are more useful than a single universal calendar.
+The species account describes androdioecious plants, with some trees producing male flowers and others hermaphrodite flowers. The available sources do not establish a universal years-to-fruit or harvest calendar; local observations should record tree sex, flowering, fruit set, and rainfall.
 == Fruit and uses ==
-The ripe aril is eaten fresh and has a bright sweet-acid flavor. Fruit can be made into drinks, sauces, preserves, and desserts. The species is mainly a specialty and home-garden fruit rather than a large commercial crop.
+The fruit is eaten raw. Descriptions report white pulp with a sweet or acidic flavor, adhering to one or two seeds; fruit is also reported in jams and other small-scale preparations. It is principally a specialty or home-garden fruit in the reviewed sources.
-== Commentary ==
-Growers are invited to share observations about Lemon drop mangosteen on the [[Talk:Garcinia intermedia|talk page]], especially climate, provenance, propagation method, plant age, flowering season, and fruit quality.
 == Photos ==
+[[File:Garcinia intermedia 14.JPG|280px|Garcinia intermedia fruiting branch.]] [[File:Garcinia intermedia 3zz.jpg|240px|Garcinia intermedia at Hotel Bougainvillea, San José, Costa Rica.]]
-The images above show documented fruit, flower, or plant-habit views. See the individual Commons file pages in the image credits for authorship and license details.
+== References ==
-== Sources ==
 * [https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Garcinia+intermedia Useful Tropical Plants: Garcinia intermedia]
 * [https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mangosteen.html Purdue NewCROP: Tropical Garcinia overview]
@@ Line 101: / Line 90: @@
 == Image credits ==
+* [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Garcinia_intermedia.jpg Garcinia intermedia.jpg] — file page; creator and license verified there.
-* [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Garcinia_intermedia.jpg Garcinia intermedia.jpg] — Wikimedia Commons file page; creator and license are recorded on the source page.
+* [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Garcinia_intermedia_14.JPG Garcinia intermedia 14.JPG] — file page; creator and license verified there.
-* [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Garcinia_intermedia_14.JPG Garcinia intermedia 14.JPG] — Wikimedia Commons file page; creator and license are recorded on the source page.
+* [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Garcinia_intermedia_4zz.jpg Garcinia intermedia 4zz.jpg] — David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0.
+* [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Garcinia_intermedia_3zz.jpg Garcinia intermedia 3zz.jpg] — David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0.
 [[Category:Fruits]]
 [[Category:Clusiaceae]]
 [[Category:Garcinia]]