Purple mangosteen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Purple mangosteen |
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| Mangosteen fruit | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Clusiaceae
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| Genus: |
Garcinia
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| Binomial name | |
| Garcinia mangostana |
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The purple mangosteen is a super tasty fruit that comes from the rainforests of Southeast Asia. It grows on evergreen trees, which means the trees keep their leaves all year round. Many people think it's one of the most delicious tropical fruits because it has a sweet, juicy, and slightly acidic flavor.
It has a hard, deep purple shell on the outside. But don't worry, inside that shell, you'll find soft, white segments. They look a lot like the segments you'd find inside an orange.
What is a Mangosteen?
The mangosteen fruit is about the size of a small apple. When you open its thick purple skin, you'll see several white, juicy sections. These sections are the part you eat. They are often described as having a mix of flavors, like strawberry, peach, grape, and pineapple. It's a unique taste that many people love!
Where Does the Mangosteen Grow?
Mangosteens are very special because they only grow in warm, wet places. They need temperatures that stay above 40 °F (4 °C) all the time. If it gets colder than that, the trees can't survive. This is why you'll find them growing naturally in tropical areas like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The trees can take a long time to grow, sometimes up to 10 years before they start producing fruit.
Images for kids
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Flowers and fruit of the mangosteen, and Singapore monkey, by Marianne North, before 1890
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A mangosteen tree
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A basket full of fresh mangosteens
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A young mangosteen fruit growing on the tree
See also
In Spanish: Mangostino para niños
