Description: AFRICAN MANGOSTEEN IS BELIEVED TO ORIGINATE FROM MALAYSIA MAKING IT'S WAY TO THE PHILIPPINES, BURMA, INDIA AND EVENTUALLY MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. IN THE LATE 1780'S THE PLANT WAS INTRODUCED TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS, THE ANTILES AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. ENGLAND WAS INTRODUCED TO THE AFRICAN MANGOSTEEN IN 1789. SRI LANKA IN 1800. MANGOSTEEN SEEDLINGS WERE INTRODUCED TO AUSTRALIA IN 1854. AFRICAN MANGOSTEEN IS A SLOW GROWING, EVERGREEN PLANT THAT HAS A PYRAMIDAL SHAPED HABIT WHEN YOUNG BUT WILL LATER SPREAD OUT INTO AN ERECT, THICK, TREE WITH WOODY YOUNG BRANCHES AS THE PLANT MATURES. MANGOSTEEN CAN GROW FROM 15 FT UP TO 20 FT UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS. BECAUSE IT IS A SLOW GROWING TREE IT CAN START OUT LOOKING MORE LIKE A BUSH THEN DEVELOP INTO A TREE. IMBE CAN GROW UP TO 45 FEET OR MORE, BUT DON'T WORRY, UNLESS YOU LIVE IN AFRICA, THIS IS UNLIKELY. SOIL: AFRICAN MANGOSTEEN PREFERS DEEP POROUS SOIL THAT IS RICH IN HUMUS WITH GOOD DRAINAGE. IT WILL ALSO THRIVE IN SOIL THAT IS RICH IN ORGANIC NUTRIENTS ESPECIALLY CLAY OR SANDY LOAM THAT CONTAINS COURSE MATERIAL. IMBE HAS BEEN FOUND GROWING ON COASTAL AREAS AND SOIL CAN VARY FROM DEEP SANDS TO HEAVY SOILS COMPOSED OF BOTH EARTH AND SAND ON AREAS THAT WERE ONCE FLOODED. DOES BEST IN SLIGHTLY ACIDIC SOIL (5.5 TO 7.5) BUT MAY DEVELOP ZINC DEFICIENCIES IN SOIL THAT IS HIGHLY ALKALINE. WATER: ALTHOUGH DROUGHT TOLERANT ONCE WELL ESTABLISHED, IRRIGATION SHOULD STILL BE DONE DURING DRY MONTHS. AFRICAN MANGOSTEEN IS ALSO TOLERANT OF HEAVY RAINFALL, BUT STANDING WATER SHOULD BE AVOIDED WHILE TREES ARE IMMATURE. OLDER WELL ESTABLISHED TREES CAN ACTUALLY THRIVE IN STANDING WATER. SUNLIGHT: FULL SUN IS BEST BUT IT IS TOLERANT OF PART SHADE. CLIMATE: COLD TOLERANT TO 26 F. TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL REGIONS WITH EITHER HUMID OR ARID CONDITIONS. TOLERANT OF WINDY CONDITIONS. SOME SALT TOLERANCE ALLOWS IMBE TO BE GROWN ALONG COASTAL AREAS. IMBE DOES BEST IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE AN ANNUAL RAINFALL OF 40 TO 50 INCHES. THE BEST TIME TO PLANT YOUR AFRICAN MANGOSTEEN IS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RAINY SEASON. THE TREE IS QUITE TOLERANT TO BOTH HEAVY RAINS AS WELL AS DROUGHTS LASTING UP TO 5 MONTHS. HARVESTING: IMBE IS READY FOR HARVESTING WHEN FRUIT IS SLIGHTLY SOFT WHEN GENTLY SQUEEZED AND WHEN THE FRUIT REACHES A FULL ORANGE COLOR. IT MAY BE PICKED SLIGHTLY LESS ORANGE WHEN THE FRUIT IS GREEN TO ORANGE IN COLOR, THEN ALLOWED TO SIT AND REACH PEAK RIPENESS. IMBE HAS A VERY DELICATE EDIBLE SKIN THAT WILL BRUISE EASILY SO YOU SHOULD NOT ALLOW YOUR FRUIT TO DROP. FOR THIS REASON, HAND PICKING OR THE USE OF A POLE WITH A CATCH-BAG SHOULD BE USED TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE FRUIT. FERTILIZER: CONTAINER GROWN YOUNG TREES MAY BE FERTILIZED EVERY OTHER MONTH TO IMPROVE GROWTH RATE SINCE IMBE IS TYPICALLY SLOW GROWING. MORE MATURE TREES THAT ARE IN THE GROUND MAY BE FERTILIZED EVERY 3 TO 4 MONTHS. FERTILIZE USING A COMPLETE TREE FERTILIZER. THERE IS NO NEED FOR ANY SPECIAL NPK COMBINATIONS. FOR BEST RESULTS, IMBE SHOULD BE CONTAINER GROWN FOR AT LEAST 2 YEARS THEN TRANSPLANTED TO YOUR GARDEN LOCATION OF CHOICE. HARVESTING: IMBE IS READY FOR HARVESTING WHEN FRUIT IS SLIGHTLY SOFT WHEN GENTLY SQUEEZED AND WHEN THE FRUIT REACHES A FULL ORANGE COLOR. IT MAY BE PICKED SLIGHTLY LESS ORANGE WHEN THE FRUIT IS GREEN TO ORANGE IN COLOR, THEN ALLOWED TO SIT AND REACH PEAK RIPENESS. IMBE HAS A VERY DELICATE EDIBLE SKIN THAT WILL BRUISE EASILY SO YOU SHOULD NOT ALLOW YOUR FRUIT TO DROP. FOR THIS REASON, HAND PICKING OR THE USE OF A POLE WITH A CATCH-BAG SHOULD BE USED TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE FRUIT. I make every effort to ship plants as soon as payment is received. I do not provide hot packs so be mindful of cold temperatures in your area. This evergreen perennial tolerates mild temperatures when it is young preferably no lower than 40 F. For this reason you may need to be present when the post man delivers your package or have someone collect it from your mail box and bring it indoors to warmer temperatures before it gets damaged. I ship all of my plants via USPS FIRST CLASS 2 to 3 day delivery or Fed Ex Home delivery/GROUND/SMART POST with tracking that is available upon request but unfortunately, sometimes the postal service does not deliver on time and packages do sometimes get lost. Please try to understand, this is something that is out of my control. If your plant arrives damaged beyond saving, please message me with pictures of both your package and plant (STILL SECURED TO THE BOX) immediately so that I may correct the problem as soon as possible. There is no need to leave negative feedback as I always try to answer questions or concerns on a very timely basis, sometimes within minutes of being messaged. Your satisfaction is my greatest concern and I will do everything possible to make things right. GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY GARDENING :) PLEASE PLANT YOUR AFRICAN MANGOSTEEN SEEDLING TREE AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE IT. DO NOT REMOVE IT FROM THE BIODEGRADABLE CONTAINER OR YOU WILL RISK SHOCKING OR KILLING YOUR TENDER YOUNG PLANT. THE BIODEGRADABLE CONTAINER WILL BREAK DOWN OVER TIME AS THE ROOT SYSTEM OF YOUR PLANT DEVELOPS. ENSURE THAT THE SOIL/ROOT SYSTEM IS STILL MOIST/WET, PRIOR TO PLANTING. IF NOT PLEASE HYDRATE YOUR PLANT WITH DISTILLED, SPRING OR REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER. NEVER USE CHLORINATED WATER ON YOUNG PLANTS, SOME PLANTS DON'T TOLERATE IT WELL. PLEASE NOTE THAT I PREFER NOT TO SHIP TO HAWAII OR INTERNATIONALLY DUE TO THE RISK OF THE PLANT NOT SURVIVING THE JOURNEY. IF YOU WISH TO COVER THE COST OF EXPEDITED SHIPPING YOU CAN MESSAGE ME AND WE CAN DISCUSS OPTIONS BUT I CAN NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR LOSSES DUE TO USPS OR OTHER SHIPPING CARRIER SERVICES THAT DO NOT DELIVER ON TIME RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF YOUR SEEDLING(S)
Price: 32 USD
Location: Cape Coral, Florida
End Time: 2023-09-25T12:04:51.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Brand: SEEDLING
Type: EVERGREEN, Fruits & Fruit Trees
Growth Stage: SEEDLING
Climate: TROPICAL/SUB-TROPICAL, COLD TOLERANT TO 26 F WHEN MATURE, RELATIVELY DROUGHT TOLERANT, IRRIGATE FOR BEST FRUIT PRODUCTION, Humid Subtropical
Genus: GARCINIA
Common Name: IMBE/AFRICAN MANGOSTEEN
Features: DIOECIOUS/REQUIRES 2 TREES FOR BEST FRUIT PRODUCE, Edible, Evergreen
