Where to buy a mango tree in Puna/Hilo area

[Patrick]

Hello everyone,

On our next visit to our lot in Leilani estates we have a few things on our list to plant for the future there. One of these items on our list is a mango tree. The big box stores, etc don't really carry these that we've seen thus far (not sure I'd want to support the 'big guy' if there are other options).

I was hoping some of you local folks could list a few reputable local businesses that we could visit to pick one up. We are looking for a 5 to 15 gallon size plant. We have lots of time to wait for things to grow. Thanks for the information!

We'll be out there in May and are looking forward to bustin' out the machetes!

[Kim]

Here's a list of Big Island Association of Nurseries (BIAN): http://hawaiiplants.org/PDF_Files/BIAN_Directory.pdf

I see "Andy Plantman" at the Maku'u Market all the time, and he can often procure items if you give him advance notice.

It's fun to go to the farmers markets when mangoes are in season and you can try so many different varieties of the fruit. I had no idea there were so many different flavors of mango.

[jdapalms]

Mango trees do not set fruit well in Leilani due to high rainfall and cooler conditions. They do better at lower elevation and less humidity. Kona side is more suitable for Fruit production. There are vendors at the Makuu market that sell grafted trees.

[Patrick]

Thank you Kim And Jerry, much appreciated!

Even if the trees do not fruit, I think my wife will want one "just because". It's good to note though. We will expect not too much. That's right, I forgot all about the market on the weekend (that's the Makuu market, correct?).

We will definitely head by there, it's always fun to wander around there anyways....

As far as varieties go, we will have to do a bit of research to see if there's one we prefer over another. That drive out the back entrance of Leilani is beautiful.

Thanks again and also to anyone else with more info.!

[empireo22]

Mangoes like a decent dry season for flowering and fruiting. but the Philippine varieties should be better suited to high humidity and rainfall then Indian varieties. Try Nam Doc Mai if available.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

You can get mangoes to fruit in the Puna district. The trick is to spray fungicide on the blossoms while they bloom.

[MattyB]

Maybe consider a California proven variety like Timotayo for fruiting in cooler areas. Just a thought, I have no direct experience. Jerry would know other good CA varieties.

[Patrick]

Great info, thanks all.

We asked another non-palm friend in Leilani and he has tried a variety called Glenn and given it positive reviews as well. We will have to see what we can come up with once we get over there and check availability.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Here is some added info. It's not the coolness that is an issue, it's anthracnose fungal attacks on the flowers from the constant rainy weather. Selecting a California cultivar is definitely not going to work, those are cultivars that grow well in dry conditions. You can select an anthracnose resistant variety, or a variety that flowers all year around so via hit and miss of dry weather sometimes during the year while blooming will provide a small yield. Either way, the fungal spray on the flowers does work very well. This discusses the problem in details: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/pd-48.pdf. This PDF paper also has a list of the mango cultivars that are resistant to anthracnose.

Keep in mind if you plant a cultivar that is not anthracnose resistant, you'll be fighting fungal attacks not just during flowering, but pretty much all the time.

[Xenon]

There are other Mangifera spp. with similar fruit, probably inferior to mango though. Wonder if mangoes will hybridize with the more equatorial species for a high rainfall resistant mango...

[Dr. George]

See the folks at Plant It Hawaii in Kurtistown: http://plantithawaii.com/

gmp