The Introduction of Mangosteen to the New World

The fruit has hand a long history of use dating back thousands of years. The mangosteen is presumed to have originated in South east Asia, possibly in the Malayan Peninsular and Indonesian region and was known in the western world as early as 1631.

The mangosteen was introduced into Trinidad from the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, England, between 1850 and 1860 and the first fruit was borne in 1875.

It reached the Panama Canal Zone and Puerto Rico in 1903 but there are only a few trees in these areas, in Jamaica, Dominica and Cuba, and some scattered around other parts of the West Indies.

By 1906, The United States Department of Agriculture received seeds from Java. A large test block of productive trees has been maintained at the Lancetilla Experimental Station at Tela, Honduras, for many years.

In 1939, 15,000 seeds were distributed by the Canal Zone Experiment Gardens to many areas of tropical America.

Only recently has knowledge of the benefits and delicious taste of mangosteen begun to sweep North America.

As more American learn of this healing food, interest continues to grow, and so the companies selling mangosteen products.
The Introduction of Mangosteen to the New World