Mysore Gamboge. Gamboge, Himalayan garcinia
Garcinia xanthochymus

Family: Clusiaceae

What it is like

Garcinia xanthochymus is an evergreen Tree growing to 12 m (39ft) by 12 m (39ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 12

Where it is found

Dense humid forests of valleys or on hills at elevations of 600 - 1,000 metres.

E. Asia - southern China, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand to Indo-China.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, China, Cook Islands, East Africa, Fiji, Ghana, Hawaii, Himalayas, India*, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, South America, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is edible but is rather sour. Aromatic. A pleasant, acid taste, it is mainly used as a breakfast fruit. It can be eaten fresh, used in sherbets, jams, curries and vinegars, or as a flavouring in other foods. The fruit is a rich source of citric acid. The mature berry is yellow, globose or ovoid, sometimes oblique, 3 - 5 cm in diameter.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 2

The seeds yield up to 17% oil. The juice of the fruit is used as a dye. Gamboge, a gum-resin obtained from the plant, is used as a yellow dye, as an illuminant and in varnishes, water colours etc. The dye is often used for dyeing the robes of Buddhist priests. Young plants are used as rootstocks for the mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana.

Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon: Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, rubber, biomass products gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, butane, propane, biogas. Plants are usually resprouting plants and saps.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon: Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, rubber, biomass products gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, butane, propane, biogas. Plants are usually resprouting plants and saps.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

How it is grown

A plant of the hot, humid tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 28°c, but can tolerate 16 - 36°c. Plants are tolerant of occasional light frosts. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 1,200 - 2,500mm. Tolerant of shade. Succeeds in most well-drained soils including poor soils and soils with a high pH. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7.5, tolerating 5.5 - 8. Seedling trees can commence fruit production when 7 - 8 years old. Flowering usually occurs after a spell of pronounced dry weather and can occur twice a year.

Propagating it: Seed - we have no specific information on this species, but the seed of most members of the genus can be slow to germinate, even if sown fresh, often taking 6 months or more.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 11-12

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Asam kandis, Chakhasa, Cochin-goraka, Da ye teng huang, Dampal, Daungyan, Dawyan-ban, Dephal, Dieng-soh-rynsan, Dongbei, False mangosteen, Gavei, Guomanda, Hmandaw, Hong Phap, Jevra memadie, Mada-luang, Mada, Madaw, Mysore gamboge, Pohon manggis asam, Tamala, Tempwr, Tepor tenga, Thesampreng, Tinctoria, Tuai-ha-bet, Yellow mangosteen

Synonyms

Garcinia pictoria (Roxb.) Engl. Garcinia tinctoria (DC.) W. Wight Xanthochymus pictorius Roxb. Xanthochymus tinctorius DC.