The Mangosteen tree and its fruit, the mangosteen

The mangosteen tree (Garcinia mangostana) is a tree native to Southeast Asia that produces one of the best fruits in the world: the mangosteen.

This fruit is considered the queen of fruits in Asia, the king being the durian .

There are many unknown fruits in Thai markets, but if there is one you absolutely must try, it is this one.

Description of the Mangosteen Tree

It grows in tropical areas with abundant rainfall, in Thailand it is mainly the province of Chantaburi that produces fruits, but there are also some in the neighboring provinces of Sa Kaew, Trat, Rayong and Chonburi .

The mangosteen tree is a very slow-growing tree that can reach a height of 15 m.

The inner bark contains a large amount of yellow, gummy latex.

Its leaves are evergreen, opposite, oblong in shape, leathery, dark green and shiny on top, and matte underneath.

They can measure up to 25 cm in length, and have pale green veins.

The flowers of the mangosteen tree are yellow-green and red in color and are about 5 cm wide.

It is between its 7th and 10th year that the mangosteen tree begins to bear fruit.

A small mangosteen tree in Chantaburi

Things to know about Mangosteen (mang kout)

Mang kout are rounded, purplish, about the size of a mandarin, with a thick (very bitter) skin, called a pericarp, containing white flesh divided into 5 to 6 segments.

Normally, only the white segments are consumed (see final photo of the gallery below), but since researchers found more than 40 xanthones (very powerful antioxidants) in the pericarp of the fruit, many companies have started offering a very vitamin-rich juice containing all parts.

Mangosteen at the end of the season at 15 baht per kilo

Mangosteen prices in Thailand

The price is generally between 40 and 50 baht per kilo, the price is high at the beginning of the season and drops at the end.

Mangosteen season

Mangosteen season begins in May and generally ends in October.

How to choose mangosteens in a Thai market?

When you buy mangosteens in a market, squeeze them lightly, the skin should be a little soft, if the fruit is hard, it is inedible, overripe.

If you let the seller choose, they might put one or two inedible hard fruits in the bag, so you might as well do it yourself.

How to open a mangosteen?

To open the fruit, you can:

• Either use a knife and slide the blade around the base, pushing in for 5 minutes to cut the pericarp (skin) and then split it in two.
• Either just stick your fingers 5 minutes around the base and open it in two.

Anecdote

Queen Victoria of England is said to have made the mangosteen her favorite fruit, even offering a knighthood to anyone who could ensure a regular supply.

Medicinal properties of Mangosteen

Several parts of the mangosteen tree are used medicinally in traditional Asian pharmacopoeias (China, Thailand, India, in particular).

The fruit's skin, tree leaves and heartwood are, for example, used to relieve abdominal pain, treat diarrhea, infections, inflammation, allergies, depression and skin disorders.

Herbalists in these countries also use it to prevent cardiovascular disorders and cancer.

I was able to test the medicinal properties of Mangosteens in Madagascar, I had caught a terrible case of tourista with severe stomach pains and the infusion of pieces of dried skin got me back on my feet very quickly.

Unfortunately, I do not recommend eating the skin of mangosteens purchased in a Thai market, as the fruit undergoes numerous chemical treatments.

Photos: The birth of a mangosteen

Mangosteen flower bud

Mangosteen flower bud

Mangosteen flower bud

Mangosteen flower

Mangosteen flower

Young mangosteen

Young mangosteens

Young mangosteens

Young mangosteens

green fruits of the mangosteen tree

Green fruit of the mangosteen tree

Green fruit of the mangosteen tree

Almost ripe mangosteen fruit

Almost ripe mangosteen fruit

Ripe mangosteen

Inside of the mangosteen

Source: wikipedia.org ; Photos: Pierreto