Clusiaceae
How to identify an imbe tree
Garcinia livingstonei · also called African mangosteen
An orange-yellow, tart-sweet fruit with a large seed and thin flesh layer. Notably more sun-, heat-, and drought-tolerant than its Asian Garcinia relatives, making it easier in marginal climates.
Field marks
These features are typical of the genus Garcinia, so they help confirm you are looking at the right group; the fruit and the details below separate the species.
- Leaves are simple and opposite (in pairs), usually thick, leathery and glossy.
- Cut twigs, bark or unripe fruit of many species ooze a yellow latex, a strong clue for the genus.
- Fruit usually keeps a persistent calyx (the green cap at the stem end); mangosteen's is a round, dark purple berry.
Check a photo
Photograph one whole, mature leaf from above, or a flower or fruit, and the identifier will return ranked matches. If imbe is the top result, the field marks above are your second opinion.
Leaves, flowers, fruit, or bark — closer and sharper identifies better. Your photo is identified and discarded, never stored.
Where and when you will find it
- Origin / cultivation history
- East and Southern Africa
- USDA zones
- 9b-11
- Climate
- Subtropical to tropical; more heat- and drought-tolerant than Southeast Asian Garcinia species.
- Fruiting season
- Season not documented; check local sources
- How often grown
- Rare in cultivation
A tree growing well outside the climate above is more likely to be a look-alike.
Growing it: seedling or grafted?
A young tree with no fruit is harder to identify and easy to mislabel, so it helps to know how long it takes to reach fruiting age and how it is usually propagated.
- Years to first fruit
- Seedling ~4-6 yrs
- Propagation
- Seed; dioecious, so both sexes are needed for fruit.
Relatives in the Clusiaceae family
Close relatives share many features, so these are the most likely mix-ups.
- MangosteenGarcinia mangostana
- MunduGarcinia dulcis
- Lemon drop mangosteenGarcinia intermedia
- False mangosteenGarcinia xanthochymus
- Button mangosteenGarcinia prainiana
- BacupariGarcinia gardneriana
Map your imbe trees
CanopyTwin keeps every tree on a map with its species, cultivar, photos and history, and counts flowers and fruit from survey photos. It is built for orchards, nurseries and collectors of tropical and rare fruit.
More identification guides: free plant identifier · tropical fruit tree identifier · fruit tree identifier · all species guides