Called “the queen of fruits,” mangosteens were once considered "the most exquisite fruit of the tropics." While fresh mangosteens are highly-prized for their sweet and sour taste and nutritional benefits, they are quite expensive, costing $8 to $12 per pound at a market, and nearly three to five times that amount online.

Mangosteens are so expensive because they’re very difficult to grow, and the best place to grow them is within 20 degrees of the Equator. Even then, mangosteens are finicky about their environment, requiring temperatures between 40 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with just the right elevation, humidity, and rainfall.

Mangosteen trees also take a long time to mature, bearing fruit every six to eight years, with a good crop expected every other or third year. Additionally, all mangosteens imported from Southeast Asia to the U.S. need to be irradiated due to concerns about the Asian fruit fly, which only adds to the overall cost.