In place of the stalk there are four stiff oval sepals, at the other end a decorative scar star. The shiny red to purple-brown skin (sometimes coloured to black) is very thick (about 8 mm) and firm. The flesh inside is white or pinkish, soft and juicy, slippery on the surface, similar in shape to a tangerine, divided into 4-8 segments, with several seeds that can be eaten after roasting. In taste and texture, it resembles a peach with a slight hint of citrus or grapes and a very delicate, caramel-like or buttery aroma. It also smells slightly of geraniums and roses. There is a relatively small amount of pulp in the fruit, but it is very delicious and pleasantly aromatic.
It is stored in a cool place. The peeled pulp immediately turns brown in case of blisters. Fruits with damaged skin spoil very quickly. After a few days of storage outside a cool place, the pulp can spoil without any external manifestations on the skin being visible. However, if the skin is pliable and elastic, the contents are usually fresh and tasty.

It is most often served fresh, as a delicate dessert. However, it is also used to make juices, it is canned and frozen, and it gives a very interesting aroma to sorbets. It is very effective when served chilled in a half-cut skin.

Mangosteen is attributed with many medicinal effects, especially due to its high content of xanthone (a yellow crystalline substance that acts against bacteria and inflammation), and it is even the largest source of them in the world – out of 200 known xanthones, mangosteen contains 40. Mangosteen is nicknamed the queen of fruits in Southeast Asia. It is native to Indonesia, but it is grown in all tropical regions, especially in Thailand. There is a legend about Queen Victoria of England, who offered a high reward to anyone who brought her a mangosteen. The purple juice from the peel can stain the skin or textiles, from which it is difficult to remove.