The mangosteen¹ is a tropical evergreen tree. The term 'mangosteen' refers both to tree and fruit. It is often called 'The Queen of Fruits' in Asia. In most European languages the name is similar, but in the islands of the Malay archipelago, from where the fruit is thought to originate, it is called semetah, sementah or manggis. The tree is mostly found in south-east Asia but attempts (with mixed success) have been made to introduce it to Africa and the Caribbean. It is currently the subject of a massive marketing drive based on its supposed medicinal properties. A quick internet search will reveal hundreds of websites claiming the fruit to have all sorts of mystical powers. The Linnaean classification of the tree is as follows:

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Phylum: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Order: Malpighiales
• Family: Clusiaceae
• Genus: Garcinia
• Species: G. mangostana

The slow-growing tree grows from 7 to 25m tall. Its outer bark is a very dark brown and flakes easily, while the inner bark is yellow and full of latex. Its leaves are thick, leathery and dark green. The flowers are green with red spots on the outside, yellowish-red inside. The fruit is usually a darkish purple, 4 to 6 cm in diameter, with a hard outer shell topped by a number of petals. The number of petals corresponds directly to the number of segments inside. These segments are bright white and form the edible part of the fruit. Depending on the fruit's ripeness, there may be as many as one seed in each segment. The seeds are bitter and not good to eat unless cooked, but the white flesh of the segments is excellent, if a little sparse (the inner part of the fruit is 3 to 5cm across and once the seeds are removed there is only a little left). The taste is sweet, delicate and citrusy with a hint of peach, and has made it one of the most celebrated of the tropical fruits².

The fruit is fairly uniform, no matter where is it found. In fact, there are only two commonly recognised variations: the common one and that of the Sulu Islands, where the fruit is larger, with thicker rind and more acidic flesh with a less delicate flavour. There are other 'mangosteen' fruits, such as the button and lemon drop mangosteens.

Growing Mangosteen

The mangosteen can be a little fussy when it comes to where it likes to grow³. It needs temperatures between 4.5 and 38°C (around 40 to 100°F). It also requires a humid climate and rainfall of at least 127cm (50 inches) per year. 255cm (105 inches) is ideal. It needs a deep, rich, well-drained soil with a high organic content, and must be sheltered from strong winds and salt spray.

The seeds are not technically seeds. They are actually termed 'adventitious embryos', since there is no sexual fertilisation involved. This is one of the reasons why there is little variation across the species. Once planted, germination typically takes 43 days. The tree develops a very long taproot and by the time it is over 60cm (2 feet) tall, it may be longer than the plant is high, making it inadvisable to transplant it after this point. Thankfully, you will have plenty of time to think about transplanting since it takes at least two years for them to reach 30cm (1 foot) high. Fruiting may occur after seven years but it is more likely to be after ten or even twenty. When the fruit ripens varies considerably according to location, but in general they are harvested from July to September.

How To Find One

Once upon a time, it was pretty difficult to find a mangosteen (as the Queen Victoria story shows). In fact, up until fairly recently they could only be found in specialised shops in their fresh form. Canned mangosteen is more widely available but it is generally thought to mask the fruit's flavour. Along with other tropical fruit, they are becoming a more common sight in supermarkets and less specialised retailers. They are, however, still quite pricey.

When choosing the fruit, pick ones that are dark purple or reddish purple but not blue-black in colour. Yellowish blotches on the skin are latex from the inner skin and indicate bruising. Smaller ones are often nicer because the seeds are smaller (and sometimes non-existent) and the flesh is firmer.

What To Do With One

Mangosteens make excellent eating. It follows that one of the best things to do with one is to eat it.

Although the shell of the fruit looks tough, it can be surprisingly easy to open. It will often yield to simple pressure from the fingers. Press the fruit gently, with the thumbs on one side and the other fingers on the other. With any luck the shell will crack and you will be able to pull the halves apart. Alternatively you could cut it in half with a knife, or if you have a particularly stubborn fruit, cut nearer either end, which is slightly easier, and scoop out the flesh. No matter how you open the thing, beware the inky purple juice of the red part of the fruit. The white bit's good, but the red bit's fibrous and horrible and the juice stains fabric terribly. In fact, in countries where they are commonly available they are often banned from hotels to prevent this.

Eating raw is thought by many to be by far the best way to enjoy a mangosteen. It can, however, be used to make jams and sorbets or a fruit salad. In Malaysia the fruit is made into a savoury preserve called halwa manggis.

Other parts of the mangosteen tree can also be utilised. In Ghana, mangosteen twigs are chewed. The rind has enough tannin to be used for tanning leather in China. The inky juice which is such a nightmare for hoteliers everywhere can be used to make a black dye. The wood of the tree is used to make handles for spears, rice pounders, and is used in construction across south-east Asia.

Medicinal Uses

Mangosteens contain various xanthones, one of the most common of which is mangostin. They have been investigated for their anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. However, some research has claimed it's not all good news. Xanthones are thought to stop blood clotting properly, and can cause sedation in combination with other herbs or medicines. It could also be toxic at higher doses, but since few clinical trials have been carried out, information is hazy.

The fruit is highly regarded in many East Asian countries for its medicinal properties. In powdered form the fruit is used to treat diarrhoea and cystitis. Mangosteen ointment is applied to eczema and similar skin disorders, and there are a host of other folk remedies in which mangosteen plays a prominent part.

In the West there has recently been a rapid increase in the production of vitamin supplements and the like containing mangosteen. One of the most popular is the mangosteen-based juice drink, XanGo⁵. However, there is considerable controversy over the fruit's effectiveness. One cause of scepticism has been the sheer number of benefits claimed, such as this list from a brochure entitled 'Nature's Miracles':

• Maintains immune system health
• Protects from free radical damage
• Supports microbiological balance
• Provides positive mental support
• Promotes joint flexibility
• Anti-seborrheic (prevents skin disorders)
• Anti-lipidemic (lowers LDL)
• Anti-pyretic (lowers fevers)
• Anti-neuralgic (reduces nerve pain)
• Anti-vertigo (prevents dizziness)
• Anti-Alzheimerian/Parkinson
• Increases energy
• Anti-depressant
• Anti-diabetic
• Anti-microbial
• Anti-ulcer
• Anti-tumour
• Anti-viral
• Anti-ageing
• Antibiotic
• Anti-inflammatory

Some experts have touted titanic lists of 145 uses. Though there have been studies which claim to prove mangosteen's miraculous properties, many of these are considered to be unscientific - the results can easily be attributed to the placebo effect, among other reasons. It is therefore advisable to take such assertions with a pinch of salt.