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UF/IFAS Extension University of Florida

Mango

The king of fruit

Greenish-purple mango fruit hanging on a tree. Each fruit hangs from a single stem like an ornament.

Mango trees bear juicy, sweet fruits prized across the world. But these tropical fruits can also be enjoyed straight from your South Florida yard. In this area of the state, mango can be grown with great success and serves not only as a source of food but contributes much-needed shade.

Characteristics

Mango (Mangifera indica) is native to southern Asia and found in tropical and subtropical lowlands throughout the world. It has been cultivated in India for more than 4,000 years and made its way to Florida in 1833. Today, there are locally important mango crop industries in Florida, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.

This evergreen tree produces shiny, dark green leaves with a symmetrical, rounded canopy. It can grow quite large, reaching 30 to 60 feet tall and 30 to 50 feet wide, so regular pruning is necessary to make sure the fruits can be reached. The tree’s small, clustered flowers can be white, yellowish, pinkish or reddish. The blooms appear in late winter to early spring.

But the trees are most valued for their fruits, which vary in shape, size, taste and color depending on the variety. Mangos can be green, greenish-yellow, yellow, red, orange or purple. The delectable fruits usually are oval or kidney shaped and contain a single large, flat, seed that’s covered with a woody husk. The edible fruit flesh is pale yellow to deep orange.

You may have tasted mangos from the grocery store that were packaged and shipped long distances. These mangos were picked from the tree before maturity in order to survive the journey. The taste quality can be impacted by this premature picking. But growing them yourself opens up your options to sweeter, tastier fruits that can offer many different flavor profiles. Whether you want sweet, tart or zesty fruits, there is a variety for you.

Planting and Care

Mango tree’s preference for warm climates and intolerance for freezing temperatures make it an ideal candidate for the South Florida home. It grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 10A through 11; as these zones shift, more of Florida will be able to grow mango.

A bowl of green, paisley shaped mangos
Nam Doc Mai mangos. UF/IFAS Mango Research Project.

There are hundreds of mango cultivars available to Florida growers, each offering their own unique taste. Harvest times also vary, so if you choose multiple varieties whose fruits mature at different times, you can have fruit for many months. Popular cultivars in Florida include: ‘Pickering’, ‘Carrie’, ‘Coconut Cream’, ‘Sugarloaf’, ‘Nam Doc Mai’, ‘Orange Sherbert’, ‘Mallika’, ‘Maha Chanok’, ‘Keitt’, ‘Angie’, ‘Fairchild’ and ‘Valencia Pride’.

Buying a grafted tree will ensure quick and reliable fruit. Trees grown from seed can take 10 years to bear fruits that often end up being fibrous and bland. When planting, make sure to leave 20 to 30 feet of space between the mango tree and buildings, powerlines or other trees. Mango is well adapted to many soil types, as long as they are well-drained.

Mango needs full sun in order to produce a healthy harvest. Be sure to periodically fertilize throughout its life. However, excess fertilizer can reduce fruit quality or quantity. When targeting other plants, do not fertilize heavily in areas surrounding the tree, such as on a lawn; mango tree roots extend beyond its canopy.

Make sure to irrigate during tree establishment. Once it reaches four years old, the tree is drought tolerant and only needs to be watered during extreme dry spells. Overwatering can lead to poor quality fruit and lead to decline in tree health. Mulching around the tree will keep the soil moist, reduce weed problems and increase the quality of the soil.

Mango flowers are clusters of tight yellow blossoms on red tender stems.
Mango flowers. UF/IFAS.

In Florida, fruits of most mango varieties mature somewhere between May and September, with greatest production in June and July. The fruits will ripen on the tree, but you generally want to pick them when they are firm and mature. When their color changes (which varies depending on the variety) this is a good indication of maturity. Allow the mangos to sit at room temperature and they will ripen roughly three to eight days after harvest.

A mango tree can grow quite large, making it difficult to reach all the fruits. Pruning will help reduce the size, keep the structure strong and make the fruit more accessible. Pruning should be done within a month after the last fruits are harvested (before October) so as not to impact flowering the next year. Mangos can be picked by hand or using a long picking pole. A ladder might also be necessary, but if it’s unsafe to pick them yourself, call a professional.

While not serious threats, pests that attack mango trees include scale insects, thrips and mites. Two common diseases are powdery mildew and anthracnose, which can attack the flowers and young fruit. Management includes integrated pest management and growing disease-resistant varieties.

A mango tree makes an excellent addition to any food forest and can be a statement in the landscape. Its tasty, refreshing fruits can be a wonderful way to stay hydrated during the summer heat.

Three beautifully ripe peachy-orange mangos held by a pair of hands.
Mangos at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center

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