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Garcinia madruno - (Kunth) Hammel.

Common Name Madruno, Charichuela, Madrono
Family Clusiaceae
USDA hardiness 10-12
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Dry forests with generally sandy soils[416 ]. Humid, secondary forests, principally in areas not subject to inundation, on sandy, well-drained soils[625 ]. Found at elevations below 1,200 metres[336 ].
Range S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama to Nicaragua.
Edibility Rating    (4 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Garcinia madruno Madruno, Charichuela, Madrono


Eric Bronson - wikimedia.org
Garcinia madruno Madruno, Charichuela, Madrono
Chris Hind - wikimedia.org

 

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Summary

Other common names include Charichuela, Madrono , and Lemon Drop Mangosteen. An evergreen, tropical, erect tree with a pyramidal or nearly rounded, dense crown that is commonly found in South America, Madruno or Garcinia madruno has edible fruits with juicy whitish pulp that can be consumed either raw or cooked. The bole of Madruno is cylindrical and can be up to 30 cm in diameter. The leaves are dark green and leathery. The tree yields yellow latex which is used to treat ulcers and other sores. It also yields greenish resin called ?Maria Balsam?. The wood is pinkish, coarse-textured, hard, and heavy. It is used for making furniture, in flooring, general carpentry, and heavy construction.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of cone
Garcinia madruno is an evergreen Tree growing to 10 m (32ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Rheedia madruno (Kunth) Planch. & Triana.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses: Drink

Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit has a translucent whitish pulp that is juicy, slightly aromatic and pleasantly subacid[46 , 301 ]. Usually eaten raw, it is also used for making jams, preserves and drinks[301 ]. The yellow, oval to elliptic fruits are 6 - 7.5cm long[46 ].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


The yellow latex of the tree is used to treat ulcers and other sores[336 , 469 ].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Fuel  Furniture  Resin  Wood

Other Uses: A greenish resin, called 'Maria Balsam', is obtained from the tree[46 ]. The pinkish wood is coarse-textured, irregular-grained, hard and heavy. It is not commonly used, mainly being employed locally in construction and as a fuel[336 , 625 ]. We do not have any more information on the wood of this species, but a general description of the wood for trees in the Americas which were formerly considered to be in the genus Rheedia is as follows:- The heartwood is dark yellow-brown, grayish- or pinkish-brown, merging gradually into the sapwood; surfaces are sometimes specked with resinous exudations. The texture is medium to coarse; the grain straight to irregular and roey; luster medium to rather low; it is free from discernible odour or taste. Species in Surinam are rated durable to attack by decay fungi and fairly resistant to dry wood termites. Species in Colombia are resistant to a brown-rot fungus but not the white-rot in a laboratory assay. Under field conditions the wood was susceptible to decay and attack by insects. It dries rapidly, but is reported to be moderately difficult to air season, tending to warp and check. Reports on workability vary with species from moderate to high resistance to cutting to machining fairly well; reports on ease of finishing are also variable. The wood is used for purposes such as furniture, flooring (quarter sawn), heavy construction, and general carpentry[316 ].

Special Uses

Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

A plant of the hot, humid tropical lowlands[335 ]. Succeeds in full sun or light shade[625 ]. Plants are tolerant of occasional inundation[625 ]. Newly planted young trees establish well and grow away fairly quickly[625 ]. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required. Spacing: 15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m).

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Plant Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a semi-shaded position in a nursery seedbed. Germination rates in excess of 70% are usually achieved, with the seed sprouting within 60 - 70 days[625 ].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Bacuri-verdadeiro, Bacuri, Cozoiba, Madrone rheedia, Madruno, Trobo,

Native Range

SOUTHERN AMERICA: Costa Rica, Nicaragua (southeast), Panama, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Brazil, Acre, Amazonas, Bahia, Mato Grosso, Pará, Tocantins, Bolivia, El Beni, La Paz, Santa Cruz, Colombia, Ecuador, Carchi, Esmeraldas, Napo, Pastaza, Peru,

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Garcinia brasiliensisBacupariTree6.0 10-12 SLMHSNM422
Garcinia gardnerianaBacupari, achachaTree8.0 10-12 SLMHSNM402
Garcinia hanburyiSiam gamboge. Hanbury's garciniaTree15.0 10-12 MLMHSNM012
Garcinia kolaBitter KolaTree12.0 10-12 MLMHSNMWe343
Garcinia mangostanaMangosteen, ManggisTree12.0 11-12 SMHSNM522
Garcinia xanthochymusMysore Gamboge. Gamboge, Himalayan garciniaTree12.0 11-12 SLMHSNM202

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

(Kunth) Hammel.

Botanical References

1

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

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