Mangosteen

• Luffa
• Fig
• Banana
• Sapote
• Date
• Melon Kiwano
• Durian
• Quince

Garcinia angostana: is a tropical evergreen tree, believed to have originated in the Sunda Islands and the Moluccas.

The plant does not start producing fruit until around 15 years old, which is somewhat an impediment to cultivation.

Although available in cans and frozen, mangosteens are rarely sold fresh in Western countries except in some Asian grocery stores. The XanGo company is mainly responsible for establishing a market for its mangosteen juice blend in the United States and Canada.

Planting: An ultra-tropical tree, the mangosteen must be grown in consistently warm conditions, as exposure to temperatures below 40°F (4°C) will generally kill a mature plant.

Maturity: Before ripening, the mangosteen shell is fibrous and firm, but becomes soft and easy to pry open when the fruit ripens. The rind (pericarp) of the edible fruit is deep reddish purple. Shaped like a peeled tangerine but brighter white in color, the fragrant flesh is sweet and creamy, citrusy with a touch of peach flavor. A ripen mangosteen is typically 4-6 cm in diameter

Areas of Harvest: Mangosteens are grown in Puerto Rico,Central Africa,particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it is a popular delicacy. Without fumigation or irradiation as whole fruit, mangosteens are illegal for importation in commercial volumes into the United States due to fears that they harbor the Asian fruit fly which would endanger US crops.

Nutritional Factors: It has made it's way into the holistic health market, because of its purported healthful benefits. It has a long history in folk medicine of being useful in the treatment of wounds, skin infections, and diarrhea. Mangosteen’s chemical make up does contain xanthones, which is a group of elements that are antioxidants.