The mangosteen fruit comes from of course a mangosteen tree that originate in the subtropical regions of South East Asia. Nowadays mangosteen fruit is grown all over the world including many countries across Asia, Africa and North and South America. Mangosteen trees are generally very tall and are shaped like a pyramid that enables them to best draw in heat from the sun and gather water when it rains. Most of these trees including the mangosteen fruit do not tolerate colder climates and will generally not last very long at all below 45'F.

This is one of the reasons why mangosteen fruit is so expensive to buy in America as most of it has to be imported from countries that can sustain natural growth for these trees, more so countries like Thailand and Indonesia. One other reason why mangosteen fruit is so expensive is because it is one of the hardest fruits on Earth to grow. Basically for a tree to spout their flowers, all conditions must be perfect. Many locals of Thailand believe that growing mangosteen is more of an art that anything and take their jobs very seriously. Mangosteen trees like the soil to be wet but not too wet, they hate the cold, salty air and high elevations. Also the soil they prefer is not sandy or silty. Most trees grow in Rainforests where the conditions are absolutely perfect and you may notice them growing like wildflower in the depths of the rainforests in South East Asia.

One other thing that most people don't know about is that it takes ten years before a tree is able to produce any mangosteen fruit. The fruits are normally 1 to 3 inches long and colored purple. The top of the fruit has a small blossom where the fruit was picked from and you will also notice that it is made up into 4 to 8 triangular segments.

Mangosteen fruits have two parts: the white center fruit, and the purple outer hull. The white center fruit is divided into segments, and there is one segment for each triangle in the blossom remnant. The white part of the fruit is prized for its flavor. Some people feel that it is the most delicious fruit in the world.

The outer rind of the mangosteen fruit is thick and purple. It contains bitter latex, and the purple juice is a permanent dye. This outer rind is also the richest source of healthful xanthones in the world. Mangosteen fruit has over 40 different xanthones.

Where Can I Get a Mangosteen Fruit?

Because mangosteen fruit is so expensive, it makes it hard to find especially if you live in a region of the world where it is not readily available. The fruit must be picked at a certain time and generally does not stay very long so you are going to have to make sure the fruit you pick isn't off already.

You can get mangosteen from any supermarket provided they stock it, which is many cases they don't. Most people choose to purchase the juice off the internet because it is cheaper and easier to find.