Madruno, Charichuela, Madrono
Garcinia madruno

Family: Clusiaceae

What it is like

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.

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.

Height (m): 10

Where it is found

Dry forests with generally sandy soils. Humid, secondary forests, principally in areas not subject to inundation, on sandy, well-drained soils. Found at elevations below 1,200 metres.

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama to Nicaragua.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Colombia; Bolivia, Plurinational State of; Ecuador; Peru; Panama; Costa Rica; Nicaragua; Brazil; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of; Guyana; Suriname; French Guiana, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil*, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Philippines, South America, Suriname, Venezuela,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

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

Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The yellow latex of the tree is used to treat ulcers and other sores.

Other

Rating: 2

Other Uses: A greenish resin, called 'Maria Balsam', is obtained from the tree. 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. 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.

Fuel: Usually wood, plant materials that have been mentioned as being a good fuel.

Furniture: A few miscellaneous uses that do not fit easily into other headings.

Resin: Used in perfumery, medicines, paints, soap making etc. This also includes turpentine, which is extracted from many resins and used as a preservative, water proofer etc,

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

A plant of the hot, humid tropical lowlands. Succeeds in full sun or light shade. Plants are tolerant of occasional inundation. Newly planted young trees establish well and grow away fairly quickly. 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).

Propagating it: 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.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

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

Synonyms

Rheedia madruno (Kunth) Planch. & Triana.