| Mango, Mangifera indica. Growing Along Roadway, Chiapas, Mexico. |
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| Mango Fruit On Tree Along Roadway. |
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| Mango Tree Farm, Chiapas MX. Mountains Of Guatemala In Far Background. |
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| Stony Endocarp (Pit). Surrounding The Seed | Mango Seed. |
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| Mango Flowers. | Mango Flowers. |
| Mango Fruit On Tree. | Mango Fruit On Stand. |
| Mango Fruit On Tree In Belize. | Mango Fruit On Tree In Belize. |
| Mango, Fresh Sliced. | Photo: Mangos From Mexico. Packer and Exporter Association. |
Mango.
We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia. Mangifera indica is a species of mango in the Anacardiaceae family. It is found in the wild in India and cultivated varieties have been introduced to other warm regions of the world. It is the largest fruit-tree in the world, capable of a height of one-hundred feet. The species appears to have been domesticated about 4,000 years ago. The species was brought to East Asia around 400-500 BCE from India; next, in the 15th century to the Philippines; and then, in the 16th century to Africa and Brazil by the Portuguese. The species was described for science by Linnaeus in 1753. Mango in cultivated orchards are kept at about 20 - 30 feet. Most trees in orchards that we observed in Chiapas, Mexico, and in Guatemala were about 25 feet tall. There are two classes of Mango: Indochinese and Indian. The Indochinese group has flattened, kidney-shaped, somewhat elongated fruit with light green or yellow skin, and little or no red blush color. In contrast, the Indian Mango are more rounded and plump, and have a bright red blush to the skin. The kind we usually see in the US stores are hybrids of the Indian Mango. They are grown comercially in Florida as well as the other tropical countries of the world. The mango is known as the "apple of the tropics", and is as important there as are apples in the temperate zone. It is common to see mango trees in kitchen gardens, in pastures, or as street trees in the tropics since they are delicious and a good source of vitamins. The fruit is a drupe with an outer leathery skin (exocarp), a fleshy mesocarp and a hard, stony endocarp (pit) surrounding the seed. Good-quality mangoes will yield slightly to gentle pressure when ripe. The coloring will be deep red and/or rich yellow with only a blush of green at the most. (Very green mangoes are used in certain dishes) Medium to large mangoes are generally best. A ripe mango will smell fairly fruity on the stem end as long as it is not cold. We are showing this plant on our web page since it is grown by some gardeners in Arizona.
Quick Notes:
Height: Height 20 - 100 feet with slightly less spread.
Flowers: Tiny ( 1/8 ' - 1/4" ), red-yellow flowers are borne in large, terminal panicles. Self-fertile and do not require pollinizers.
Flowering Time: January - June.
Leaves: Lanceolate to linear, ( 4" - 16" long � 1-2" wide ), dark green, with prominent light colored veins and entire margins. Emerging leaves on new growth flushes are bronze-red.
Fruit: Large drupes. The large, flattened, kidney-shaped central stone contains one or more large, starchy embryos. Skin has a yellow or green background color, with a red/orange blush. Harvest from May to September.
Soil pH requirements: Best between 5.5 and 7.5.
Sun Exposure:
Elevation: Can be found from 0 - 3,937 Feet. Usually at low elevations.
Habitat: Found rarely in some Maricopa County gardens. They grow well in sandy, clay, as well as loam soil; but it is advisable to keep away from heavy and wet soils. The best soil for cultivating mango trees is a pH ranging between 5.5 and 7.5 as the trees can endure alkalinity to some extent. For better growth, the mango trees require deep soil so that they can accommodate their widespread root systems.
Miscellaneous: Tree Photos Taken; January 19, 2004. Chiapas, Mexico.
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