Mangosteen
Garcinia mangostana L.
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is called the 'queen of fruits': its thick purple rind encloses moist, snow-white segments with a sweet-tart taste; the rind is rich in antioxidant xanthones used in cosmetics and supplements.
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Mangosteen fruitOverview
Mangosteen is a slow-growing evergreen tropical tree 10–25 m tall, yellow latex oozing from any cut. Its thick, glossy leaves are opposite, and the fleshy-petalled flowers are pink. The fruit is a sphere 4–8 cm across weighing 50–150 g; its thick dark-purple rind is rich in xanthones, enclosing 4–8 moist white segments (seed arils), some bearing flat seeds.
Mangosteen originated in Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia) and is widely grown in Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines; in Vietnam it is famous in Lâm Đồng, Bến Tre, Đồng Nai and the south. The fruit is eaten fresh when the rind turns dark purple; the rind's xanthones (alpha-, beta- and gamma-mangostin) are studied for antioxidant and antibacterial activity and used in cosmetics, while the wood is used for furniture.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- Thailand25%
- Vietnam20%
- Indonesia & Malaysia25%
- Others30%
Chemical composition
Relative content in agarwood resin- Xanthones (mangostin)Antioxidant in the rind45%
- Dietary fibreSupports digestion30%
- Vitamin CAntioxidant25%
Uses
- Ripe fruit eaten fresh
- Rind xanthones for cosmetics and supplements
- Wood used for furniture
Properties
- Taste
- Sweet-tart, refreshing
- Value
- Rind rich in antioxidant xanthones
Habitat & conservation
Humid tropics with heavy, stable rainfall; deep, humus-rich soil.
Conservation
Mainly cultivated; wild populations limited in Southeast Asia.
References
- 1Kew Science – Plants of the World Online: Garcinia mangostana — Kew (Plants of the World Online), 2026
- 2Wikipedia – Mangosteen — Wikipedia, 2026