Achachairu is one of those trees where the name alone was enough to sell me on it before I even knew what the fruit tasted like.
The Basics
Achachairu, Garcinia humilis, sometimes just called achacha, is native to the Bolivian Amazon basin and is a close relative of mangosteen, same genus and everything.
Origin and Habitat
It comes out of the Bolivian Amazon, warm and humid lowland rainforest, the same general conditions that mangosteen wants.
What It Looks Like
Similar in general habit to mangosteen, since they’re close relatives, though ours is still too young to say much firsthand.
Uses and Flavor
The native name achachairu translates to something like ‘honey kiss,’ which is a pretty good sales pitch. Haven’t tried one myself yet, but from what I’ve read it tastes similar to mangosteen, just tarter and a bit sour, closer to lilikoi or lychee. Unlike mangosteen, the rind isn’t bitter, so people blend the whole thing in water and strain it into a refreshing drink.
Growing It Here
Got this one from Dash, and planted three of them in the understory alongside the cacao. In hindsight a sunnier spot probably would have suited them better, but all three still look healthy, currently somewhere between three and seven feet tall with no fruit yet. They’re in good genus company here either way, we’re also growing lemon drop mangosteen, seashore mangosteen, and gourka, all fellow Garcinia species running the same slow and steady growth pattern. The trees grow slowly, same as mangosteen, but the payoff comes faster, fruiting in 4 to 5 years instead of the decade mangosteen usually makes you wait.
Pests and Diseases to Watch For
Nothing to report yet, still establishing.
Kenta’s Take
A mangosteen relative that fruits in under half the time is hard to argue with. Still small and still shaded more than it probably wants, but if it’s even half as good as the real thing, this was worth the ground space.