Discover Mangosteen

Discover Mangosteen: The Queen of Fruits Tree

What is a Mangosteen?

Surprisingly, few people have had the opportunity to discover the mangosteen. For those who haven' t yet, it is important to discover mangosteen. The mangosteen tree is a type of tropical evergreen tree that is believed to have originated in the Sunda Islands and the Moluccas. The tree itself grows from seven to twenty-five meters tall, and the fruit produced from this tree is a deep reddish-purple color when ripe. Mangosteen fruit is known as the  Queen of Fruits in Asia.

The shell of this fruit is quite hard, and the fruit itself is shaped like a tangerine and bright white in color. While the shell of the mangosteen appears tough and hard, it is actually soft and easy to open. The mangosteen tree is ultra-tropical, and cannot tolerate temperatures below 40F or above 100F. It ordinarily requires high atmospheric humidity and an annual rainfall of at least 50 inches, as well as no long periods of drought.

In order to discover mangosteens, you must understand that the tree is not adapted to limestone and so it does best in deep and rich organic soil, especially that of sandy loam or laterite. Planting of the mangosteen is most preferable at the beginning of the rainy season, and the young tree should be put in place very carefully and given a heavy watering immediately.

Partial shading is important, especially for the first couple of years, and after this the tree can be grown fully in the sun. The mangosteen tree grows well in fertile clay or loam soils, and although good drainage is incredibly important, the tree seems to do quite well near lakes and streams.

The mangosteen is thought to be basically native to the Malay Peninsula and also to the Molucca and the Sunda Islands, and is extensively cultivated in the more humid parts of the Asiatic Tropics. Those who have yet to discover mangosteens will be happy when they do finally get to discover mangosteens, as no other tropical fruit has been so highly praised as the mangosteen fruit.

The mangosteen fruit has none of the insipid flavor which is ascribed to many tropical fruits, and is generally well-liked by everyone who tries it for the first time. The combination of an incredibly beautiful shape and color with that of a delicate and enticing flavor makes for a ranking high above all others for the mangosteen in the fruit world.

(c)  Mangosteen - Tyler's Articles 2006