Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is African Mangosteen (Garcinia livingstonei)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called African Mangosteen, Imbe, Lowveld Mangosteen, Livingstone's Garcinia.

More about african mangosteen

About African Mangosteen

Garcinia livingstonei · also called African Mangosteen, Imbe · tropical

African Mangosteen (Imbe) is a resilient, drought-tolerant evergreen tree or large shrub native to tropical Africa, producing bright orange, tart-sweet fruits. Highly adaptable to sandy and saline soils and tolerant of both dry and wet periods, it is one of the hardier Garcinias and an excellent choice for warm subtropical gardens.

Cold limit: USDA 10-11 · RHS H1a (20–35°C)

Watch for — Cold damage: Despite greater drought tolerance, the tree is cold-sensitive. Temperatures below 2°C (35°F) can cause leaf drop and stem dieback. Protect with fleece or move container specimens indoors during cold snaps.

What african mangosteen's hardiness rating actually means

African Mangosteen is not cold hardy. It is a tropical houseplant that dies if it is left out through frost — there is no zone where it overwinters outdoors in a UK or cold-US climate. Its RHS rating of H1a means: Tropical — needs a heated room or greenhouse; no frost tolerance whatsoever. On the US scale that maps to USDA 10-11 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly above about 15 °C (warm, never cold). African Mangosteen has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

Concretely, for african mangosteen as it gets too cold:

Below about above about 15 °C, growth stalls and the leaves start to show cold stress — dark, water-soaked, or yellowing patches.
A single light frost blackens the foliage; a hard freeze kills the whole plant, roots included, and it does not recover.
Even a cold, draughty windowsill or an unheated porch in winter can be enough to damage it permanently.

Can african mangosteen go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above above 15 °C, in shade or dappled light, hardened off gradually.
Bring it back indoors well before the first autumn frost — do not wait for a frost warning, move it when nights drop toward 10-12 °C.
It will never overwinter outside in a temperate climate; the indoors is its winter home, full stop.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when african mangosteen can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H1a figure above.

African Mangosteen hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is african mangosteen cold hardy?

African Mangosteen is not cold hardy. It is a tropical houseplant that dies if it is left out through frost — there is no zone where it overwinters outdoors in a UK or cold-US climate. Indoor-only in almost every home. African Mangosteen can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 10-11); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature african mangosteen can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly above about 15 °C (warm, never cold). African Mangosteen has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

What hardiness zone is african mangosteen?

African Mangosteen is rated USDA 10-11 and RHS H1a — Tropical — needs a heated room or greenhouse; no frost tolerance whatsoever.

Can african mangosteen survive winter outside?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above above 15 °C, in shade or dappled light, hardened off gradually. Bring it back indoors well before the first autumn frost — do not wait for a frost warning, move it when nights drop toward 10-12 °C. It will never overwinter outside in a temperate climate; the indoors is its winter home, full stop.

What happens to african mangosteen below its minimum temperature?

Below about above about 15 °C, growth stalls and the leaves start to show cold stress — dark, water-soaked, or yellowing patches. A single light frost blackens the foliage; a hard freeze kills the whole plant, roots included, and it does not recover. Even a cold, draughty windowsill or an unheated porch in winter can be enough to damage it permanently.