Skip to content
sintropia.club
PT EN

Plants

achacha

Garcinia humilis (Vahl) C.D.Adams

Family: Clusiaceae · Genus: Garcinia

achachairú

Secondary II Medium No biomass production
Ivar Leidus · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons

Amazonian fruit tree of Bolivian origin, related to bacuri and mangosteen. Medium small tree (4–8 m), dense columnar canopy, glossy leaves. Orange fruits with creamy white pulp, refreshing sweet-tart flavor. Adapting in Brazil — promising for shaded lowland syntropic systems in the western Amazon and Atlantic Forest.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Rheedia laterifolia

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary II
Ecological role
Late secondary
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, Low
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Partial shade
Water requirement
High
Drought tolerance
Low
Soil pH range
5–7
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Clayey
Hardiness zones
11–13
Frost tolerance
-1.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
4–8 m
Recommended spacing
4–6 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Slow
Lifespan
30–50 years
Time to first harvest
60 months
Productive lifespan
30 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Achacha takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

Design my guild

Free account — and the catalog stays open, no sign-up needed.

Emergent High Medium · ≈8 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Prefers deep (>60 cm), well-drained soils of medium to clayey texture, slightly acidic to neutral (pH 5.5–7.0) and rich in organic matter. Humid tropical and subtropical climate, optimum 22–32 °C; frost-sensitive (tolerates ~-1 °C for short periods). Suited to shaded, humid sites.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: September, October, November, December

Fruiting months: January, February, March, April

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of achacha?

The first harvest of achacha comes around 60 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for achacha?

The recommended spacing for achacha is 4–6 m.

How tall does achacha grow?

At maturity, achacha reaches 4–8 m tall.

When does achacha fruit?

Fruiting of achacha occurs in January, February, March, April.

When does achacha flower?

Flowering of achacha occurs in September, October, November, December.

What stage and stratum does achacha occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, achacha belongs to the secondary ii stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit

Propagation

Seed, Grafting

Citations

  1. UF/IFAS EDIS HS1480 — Achachairu (Garcinia humilis): Botany and Commercial Cultivation in South Florida (ph_min, ph_max, root_depth, soil_texture_preference, frost_tolerance_c, cultivation_notes)
  2. greg.app — Achachairu Hardiness Zones (hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max)
  3. Plantiary — Garcinia humilis (Wild Mammee) care (light_need, water_need, height_min_m, height_max_m)

External references

Continue exploring

Related plants