cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/35051103

Most trees grow up to their mature size and then stay that size, or at least greatly reduce their rate of growth so as to only compensate for damaged parts that need replacing; like (most?) animals, they don't continue to grow larger and larger until they die.

But what if mangosteen is different?

Mangosteen trees are slow. Notoriously slow. They are also extremely delicate. Yet I've heard of a 200-year-old tree in the Philippines that was at least 20 metres wide. Could it be that mangosteen trees simply never stop growing, as most of them don't survive long enough for it to become an issue? Or is it that people who plant mangosteen trees never see them reach maturity (due to either the tree or the grower dying before then)? If the latter is the case, then it makes sense what they say: You don't plant a mangosteen tree for yourself; you plant it for your grandchildren.

Just a train of thought that I had recently.

Oh! I've never heard of that plant but it looks delicious! :D

😂 At first glance, I thought Mangosteen was a creative nickname for Trump (his color + Epstein)

Btw there are species that never stop growing. But typically not vertically, but horizontally instead. Because vertical growth is difficult due to gravity not allowing the water to rise too high, winds causing trees to fall down, etc.

Lots of plants grow indefinitely horizontally, by creating roots that then make a new body/surface structure on a nearby place. In fact, it happens so often, both large areas of grassland and i think the entire canadian forest(?) are basically a single living being created that way.

It looks like garlic cloves inside of a plum. But very tasty looking none the less.