Identified as the "Queen of Tropical Fruits" the Mangosteen is one of the most popular tropical fruits. Mangosteen shouldn't be mixed with mango, an altogether different plant. Mangosteen it is part of a group of plants known as the Guttiferae, a family of chiefly tropical trees and bushes that release an acrid yellow adhesive juice.

The peel of partly ripe fruits yields a polyhydroxy-xanthone derivative called mangostin, also beta-mangostin. The white flesh tastes really sweet and juicy, with lemon tanginess. Fruit drinks made from mangosteen are healthful beverages.

The mangosteen fruit trees will do well in a broad range of soil types provided drainage is satisfactory. Propagation is by seed with grafted plants display no evidence of quicker development. Numerous species are accessible with Purple Mangosteen being the most accepted. It takes seven to ten years to produce fruit but some trees never yield fruit!

Mangosteen is highly desired as fresh fruit. Two harvests a year are picked, in February and October. Fruit are picked at an early phase of maturity, when reddish-pink and prior to the dark purple develops. Fruit harvested at late maturity go bad quick.

The mangosteen fruit is the size of a small apple, purple colored, with a hard skin. In the Interior there are commonly five to seven seeds enclosed by a sweet, juicy aril (cover). The flesh, which is said to resemble a pineapple or peach in taste, is regarded as a very scrumptious food