So Who Here is Growing Mangos

[epicure3]

Mangos are just about my favorite fruit. I just purchased 2 new mango trees. A Nam Doc Mai variety and an Alphonso variety. One Indian and one Asian variety. I also have a Glenn which gives me about 30-40 fruits each year. What are you guys/gals growing and what are the challenges that you have, if any?

[Alan_Tampa]

I grow Nam Doc Mai and Bailey's Marvel. The Nam Doc Mai was in heavy flower when we had a cold snap in January, all the flowers and much of the tops was lost. (One fruit was formed after this freeze from that early flower, it was a panicle close to the ground, but the fruit split about half way to maturity. It now has two fruit from a subsequent flowering in April (I think). The only problem with it has been the occasional cold snap.

Here is a pic of the fruit from a few years ago:

The Bailey's Marvel was not damaged in the cold (it is rumored to be the most cold-hardy mango type when mature). It flowered some time ago, but like last year the fruit came off early and did not ripen. It has made only a few fruit with each flowering. It is a vigorous grower and so is the Nam Doc Mai.

My Nam Doc Mai is like a big bush as a result of the cold of 2003, it regrew above the graft many leaders which I left to grow as they will. It is about 10-12ft tall and about that wide.

Alan

[_Keith]

Do Mangos from seed produce decent fruit? If so, how long from seed does it take a Mango to reach fruiting size?

[epicure3]

Do Mangos from seed produce decent fruit? If so, how long from seed does it take a Mango to reach fruiting size?

Mangos from seed rarely produce good fruit. I don't know why....that's just what I have read. You want to have grafted trees.

[epicure3]

I grow Nam Doc Mai and Bailey's Marvel. The Nam Doc Mai was in heavy flower when we had a cold snap in January, all the flowers and much of the tops was lost. (One fruit was formed after this freeze from that early flower, it was a panicle close to the ground, but the fruit split about half way to maturity. It now has two fruit from a subsequent flowering in April (I think). The only problem with it has been the occasional cold snap.

Here is a pic of the fruit from a few years ago:

The Bailey's Marvel was not damaged in the cold (it is rumored to be the most cold-hardy mango type when mature). It flowered some time ago, but like last year the fruit came off early and did not ripen. It has made only a few fruit with each flowering. It is a vigorous grower and so is the Nam Doc Mai.

My Nam Doc Mai is like a big bush as a result of the cold of 2003, it regrew above the graft many leaders which I left to grow as they will. It is about 10-12ft tall and about that wide.

Alan

Nice looking fruit. How do you like the taste of the Nam Doc Mai vs the Bailey's Marvel?

My alphonso and NDM originally came from Pine Island Nursery in FLA. My Glenn was locally grown in Southern California.

[Alan_Tampa]

Mangoes are either monoembryonic or polyembryonic. The monoembryonic types do not come true from seed, while the polyembryonics will produce a seedling true to type, trouble is, as the name implies, they make more than one seedling per seed, and usually the less vigorous seedling is the one true to type, though with multiple (more than two in some cases) it can be hard to pick a winner. The easy answer is get a grafted tree.

Seedlings can produce in a few years (5 or so) but have been induced to fruit (using magic and incantations) to fruit in as little as two years.

As I said and epicure said, get a grafted tree, unless you have lots of time and room for trees to produce or not to produce quality fruit.

You could always top-work a tree of poor quality with a good type, I guess, if you find grafting a fun-time thing to do.

Alan

[Alan_Tampa]

My Bailey's Marvel came from Pine Island Nursery as well. It was Eric there who first told me that the BM was a good candidate for cold hardiness. The Nam Doc Mai is excellent, even still green. When green it is rather tangy, when fully ripe less tangy and sweet with low fiber.

As to the Bailey's, ate one and pretty good but can't remember any details except I liked it.

Alan

[Kris]

here is our kilimukku variety the tree is around 48 to 50 years old...it growing preety massive so every 2 to 3 years we keep trimming it ! and its around 3 floors tall ?

[epicure3]

here is our kilimukku variety the tree is around 48 to 50 years old...it growing preety massive so every 2 to 3 years we keep trimming it ! and its around 3 floors tall ?

Kris, that is a phenomenal looking tree and fruit. You are truly at the epicentre of the mango world. How is the fruit?

[_Keith]

here is our kilimukku variety the tree is around 48 to 50 years old...it growing preety massive so every 2 to 3 years we keep trimming it ! and its around 3 floors tall ?

Kris, is it true? Are those thumbnails I see in your post? Have you gone to thumbnails like the rest of us?

[bubba]

I misread this but will respond as a Tropic. The Mango wars start religiously in all Neighborhoods in South Florida around August.To the victor go the spoils.

[Really full garden]

I remember seeing an article about the mangos of Merrit Island Florida in the Aug/Sept 2000 issue of FLORIDA GARDENING MAGAZINE

These are some of the northern most growing mangos that regularly produce fruit.

[Kris]

Dear Epicure

this is basically grown for the unriped fruit,which is used exclusively to make jams & pickels..! but ripe fruit taste mat (not too sweet) this is a feature of all the kilimukku's. i was told that it was propogated through seed.

And 90 perecent of indian mangoes we propogate through seeds and very rearly we buy hybrids or grafted ones..

here our popular varities are banganapalli,malgova,AApuus_local alphonsa's,runami,he mamm,sendura,peethar,neelam...the line-up seen here is based on its fruit taste !

while keelimukku is out & out used for making jams & pickels only !

Dear Keith

i have used thumbnails to upload pictures here because those stills were beyond two thousand resoultion mark so i had to downsize it any way and uploading such huge stills of my mangoe tree in others topic might slow down the pages loading..in return would irriate the topic starter ? And the day when this forum bans uploading of hi-res plams stills in anyform,i will quit this forum..

since i always think big is beautiful,be it a car,a mansion,a tree or for that matter a well built person ! i simply admire them....

thanks & love,

Kris

[Central Floridave]

"mangos of Merrit Island Florida in the Aug/Sept 2000 issue of FLORIDA GARDENING MAGAZINE"

Hey, I wrote that article!

Here is a link to the text:

http://centralfloridapalms.com/archived/sep2003/mimango.htm

[bubba]

Dave, Great Article!

[Daryl]

OVer here, the most popular mango is Kensington Pride. Has a great flavour, really juicy, not too much fibre and is a tough plant. Has been around for many decades. I have tried a lot of the new introduced varieties, but this one still comes out a winner. It grows well from seed too.

The only trouble with seedlings is they can get quite large...here is one in Rockhampton.

regards,

Daryl

[Eric in Orlando]

We have 3 mango trees here, 'Carrie', 'Keitt', and 'Ice Cream'. All flowered heavily this year . 'Carrie' and 'Keitt' are holding some fruit but 'Ice Cream' aborted all of them when they were about grape-size.

'Carrie'

'Keitt'

'Ice Cream'

[epicure3]

OVer here, the most popular mango is Kensington Pride. Has a great flavour, really juicy, not too much fibre and is a tough plant. Has been around for many decades. I have tried a lot of the new introduced varieties, but this one still comes out a winner. It grows well from seed too.

The only trouble with seedlings is they can get quite large...here is one in Rockhampton.

regards,

Daryl

I've seen mango trees that large in Hawaii and I always wonder.....what the heck are you going to do with that thing? How do you get the fruit before it crashes to the ground? They are spectacular to look at....just not eater friendly I would think.

[Eric in Orlando]

This is the largest I have seen around Orlando. There are lots of young trees that are bearing and getting some size to them. Many places sell them and the last decade has been very kind temperature wise.

[Big Tex]

We have 3 growing. Looks like with a little tender care they will make it. I have no idea that species they are because my wife just throws seed out from the mangos we eat. We get all varieties here so it could be any one of them. These are the ones that have survived. We do have another one that is growing under several bananas.

[Big Tex]

OVer here, the most popular mango is Kensington Pride. Has a great flavour, really juicy, not too much fibre and is a tough plant. Has been around for many decades. I have tried a lot of the new introduced varieties, but this one still comes out a winner. It grows well from seed too.

The only trouble with seedlings is they can get quite large...here is one in Rockhampton.

regards,

Daryl

WOW! That is the biggest mango tree I have ever seen.

Here is one that is gowing on the bay in Kehma, Texas and it was loaded with young fruit when we took the picture in May.

[metalfan]

I have a small Nam Doc Mai in the greenhouse. This is probably a dumb question, but, if it flowers, why doesn't it always make mangos? Mine flowered (looked a lot like the photo Eric posted of Ice Cream) but the flowers just wilted and fell off. Instead of making fruit, the plant then made a new side shoot, kind of like plumerias do when the bloom and branch.

I live mangos, in fact I just had a Champagne mango about 30 minutes ago! Next to Guavas and Goji Berries they are my faves.

[doubravsky]

My wife loves mangoes.... I've been looking at planting a grafted tree soon.... I heard that "Keitt" was pretty hardy- 30 degrees young and 25 when established...and fruits within 4-5 years after planting.

Can anyone comment on which variety you would recommend for inland So Cal?

[MattyB]

I've got a Glenn. It seems like it's having trouble getting started. It's thrown many branches but they're all small and don't look to be anything structural. I assume it's growing roots though, so next year I'll try and prune and get some decent growth.

[paulgila]

mango tree in bali.

i think thats where they were invented.

[aussiearoids]

mangos need a dry spell when flowering for good fruit set .. so now my massive trees are flowering , the rains are falling !! thus no mangos for me .. They do best in the dry tropics , or up on the tablelands . I had a very large one in Childers . They do very well in the sub-tropics , and many are grown in NSW .

[ariscott]

It will be a good mango season this year.... We have way TOO DRY dry season. Yum.... I can see them all around the mango farm already. Mine are still a few years away yet.

Regards, Ari

[Palms1984]

Here is a 30' mango tree in Point Loma, San Diego, CA. I believe it is the variety Haden.

There are many mango trees grown in San Diego. I have many pictures.

[Tyrone]

There are many fruiting mangoes in the Perth area. Some have planted them as street trees. The biggest one I've seen over here, would have been 40ft tall and about 40ft wide. Kensington Pride is the variety of choice, and is available in many nurseries.

Best regards

Tyrone

[aussiearoids]

THey respond very well to pruning . Most commercial growers keep them very short and open to ensure ease of harvest .

They have a very deep root system so tolerate drought very well once established .

Great thick trunks and solid branches make for an easy tree to climb , so send up the little monkeys [children ] to harvest .

[MattyB]

Thanks for the pruning tip Michael. Good to know.

[Daryl]

It will be a good mango season this year.... We have way TOO DRY dry season. Yum.... I can see them all around the mango farm already. Mine are still a few years away yet.

Regards, Ari

Hi Ari, how about a photo of those Mango plantations???

The first mangoes of the season have just started hitting the stores now...you beauty!

Daryl

[aussiearoids]

There should be mangos on the trees along the road just before Ellis Beach . For some strange reason they are always super early . I have never stopped to try one , but when I drove the coast road frequently , I always saw people walking up and down the road with picking sticks and bags full of fruit .

[Carlo Morici]

Mango season started one week ago.

These are the old "gomera" mangos: rounded, yellow, fibrous, resinous, from hardy trees with stiff leaves.

[ariscott]

Mango has started really early this year... apparently even before mango pickers get to town . Actually my 2 mango trees produce fruit this year!!! I have Kengsington Pride & Nam Doc Mai. I might take photos later this afternoon.

Regards, Ari

[John in Andalucia]

I posted a "wants" earlier for mango seeds, and wouldn't mind discussing the virtues of a few varieties, since it's that time of year. I've decided to plant maybe 20 or 30 mango trees in the garden, and thought that Nam Doc Mai would be worth a shot. Why? Well, I'm not in a hurry, I don't have money for grafted seedlings, and I have plenty of space. Plus, it sounds like the best of the polyembryonic varieties if you are determined to go that route, as I am - although I'm welcome to any cautionary advice.

I'd like to container grow them in the ground, and wondered what sort of size they will reach before fruiting, hopefully within 5 years. Can they be pruned heavily in the years before setting fruit to create a dwarf tree? Looking for options, advice, and ultimately some seeds to work with.

[ariscott]

You have to make sure they have polyembryonic seeds, otherwise they won't grow true to type. I have been told Nam doc mai is one of them. You can be lucky and they might produce beautiful mango anyway, but you might have to wait a bit longer than if you buy grafted trees..

Unfortunately, I don't grow them from seeds, so I can't offer anymore information for you about seeds grown mango trees.

Regards, Ari

[John in Andalucia]

You have to make sure they have polyembryonic seeds, otherwise they won't grow true to type. I have been told Nam doc mai is one of them. You can be lucky and they might produce beautiful mango anyway, but you might have to wait a bit longer than if you buy grafted trees..

Unfortunately, I don't grow them from seeds, so I can't offer anymore information for you about seeds grown mango trees.

Regards, Ari

Thanks anyway, Ari. I'm interested to know where this species is sold - the fruit that is. Anyone who knows if they are available from their local market could be of enormous help! Also, a few members here are growing Nam Doc Mai, so I hope they might have some advice on growth rate, soil requirements, pruning etc. and container growing. It's irrelevant to me whether your mango was seed-grown or not, as I am talking about plant care 3-4 years down the line, and as you point out Ari, Nam Doc Mai is a polyembryonic variety.

[ariscott]

I haven't seen them at the market, yet... John, probably a bit early yet. But they are available here locally. My tree is a tiny one. It has 2 fruits last year, and I aborted both of them since I want the tree to have some height before producing any mangos.

Soil requirements?? Can't be too picky.... as our soil is not the greatest... I know the mango farm next to our place prune their trees every year, but I am not sure whether you can prune them before they fruits... Probably ok though, as they only flower & fruit on new wood. Someone hopefully will correct me if I am wrong.

Another variety to try from seeds are Kensington Pride. Very tasty too... I had 12 from my tree last year...

Regards, Ari

[John in Andalucia]

I haven't seen them at the market, yet... John, probably a bit early yet. But they are available here locally. My tree is a tiny one. It has 2 fruits last year, and I aborted both of them since I want the tree to have some height before producing any mangos.

Soil requirements?? Can't be too picky.... as our soil is not the greatest... I know the mango farm next to our place prune their trees every year, but I am not sure whether you can prune them before they fruits... Probably ok though, as they only flower & fruit on new wood. Someone hopefully will correct me if I am wrong.

Another variety to try from seeds are Kensington Pride. Very tasty too... I had 12 from my tree last year...

Regards, Ari

Ari, I had a look at the Kensington Pride on the website of the Queensland Government (http://www2.dpi.qld....lture/5359.html). It says this variety is prone to irregular fruit-bearing, with low to medium yields, despite being the No.1 grown variety in Australia. I guess it doesn't matter if you grow enough of them. Some of the nurseries here in Spain do cultivate this variety, which means I can probably find the fruit locally. I'd much prefer to find a variety that isn't grown here.

So it looks like mango season down in the southern hemisphere is still about a month away? If you want to cook up some mango recipies Ari, I will pay for the ingredients! Seriously, I'm really keen to sow some of these polyembryonic varieties. Nam Doc Mai would be my first choice, but on the whole I'd be interested to know how much your mangos cost, since they are not a cheap fruit here, whether imported or locally grown.