Chapter 1
The anatomy of the queen
Chapter 2
The royal rumor and the border patrol
Chapter 3
Yin, yang, and the ultimate fruit fights
Chapter 4
Growing the ungrowable
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret life of the mangosteen
Ch 4 · Growing the ungrowable
alicecooks Growing the Ungrowable
Clone of the Queen! Clone of the Queen! Growing with no dad in between.
alicecooks Unlike bananas or avocados, non-climacteric mangosteens immediately degrade after harvest, requiring expensive air freight to reach global markets.
alicecooks A bright tropical mangosteen tree displays its ripe purple fruit under intense sunlight.
Fun Fact
The slow starter: A mangosteen tree takes up to twelve years to produce its first fruit, but can live and bear fruit for over a century.
Glossary
taproot (noun)
A straight, tapering primary root that grows vertically downward into the soil. The mangosteen's long, fragile taproot lacks lateral root hairs, making the tropical tree notoriously difficult to transplant.
A straight, tapering primary root that grows vertically downward into the soil. The mangosteen's long, fragile taproot lacks lateral root hairs, making the tropical tree notoriously difficult to transplant.
Quiz
What is the term for fruits like the mangosteen that stop ripening once they are picked?
Quiz
At full maturity (around 30 to 45 years), how many fruits can a single mangosteen tree produce per season?
Quiz
Why is shipping fresh mangosteens globally such an extreme logistical challenge?