Mango TreeA genus Mangifera and a member of family Anacardiaceae, the mango tree is a fruit-bearing tree abundant in the tropical and sub-tropical regions such as the Philippines, India, China, and Pakistan. It has two other species, both of which are edible—the horse mango and the Indian mango. Of these two, the Indian mango is the common tree cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical areas. And their fruit, which is edible even when unripe and bears the shape of the heart, is distributed throughout the world. The first importation of the fruit to the American colonies occurred in 17th century. At that time, they had to be pickled because refrigeration was still not invented. 
Mango Description The Indian mango trees or Mangifera Indica in scientific language vary in height. However, they can grow to as tall as 130 ft or 40 meters with widespread branches. Its crown radius is 10 meters or 33 feet. It is one of the few trees having a long life as it can still bear fruits even after 300 years. Its trees are arranged alternately and are evergreen and broad. At its prime years, the leaves, which are lance-shaped, leathery in texture, and a foot long, are between the shades of orange and pink. The color changes from dark red to dark green as the tree matures. Right before mango trees start bearing fruits, they first bloom flowers in thousands in every tree—small and white with five petals. They also emit scent similar to that of the lily of the valley. The fruits themselves will take up 3 to 6 months to ripen. Their sizes, shape, and color vary according to their cultivars. Some are yellow; others are orange. A few are red. Still several are green. The sizes can range from 2 ˝ inches to 9 inches long and may weigh up to 2.2 pounds, while their shapes can take the form of oval, round, fist, or kidney. Mostly, they resemble the heart of an individual. Its skin is waxy. When peeled, the mango fruit has peach-like texture, and is rich in taste and flavor, and juicy especially when eaten ripe. Mango Fruit Propagation Mango can be cultivated from seeds or from saplings. However, the famed cultivars are propagated from budding and or grafting. Earlier in time, cultivation of mangoes began in South Asia and had reached East Asia in 4th centuries BC. In 10th century AD, mangoes were being cultivated in East Africa. By 14th century, propagation spread out to Brazil, the West Indies, and Mexico. In the modern times, cultivation is possible in tropical areas that are frost-free and in warmer sub-tropical regions. Even in Europe such as Spain, mango is not a strange fruit-bearing plant anymore as mangoes are cultivated in grafted saplings.
Seeds, Saplings, Seedlings Trees propagated from seeds will take awhile before they start bearing fruits, unless, if they are grafted. Saplings that are grown from a nursery are usually grafted and will start bearing fruits within 3 to 4 years. Meanwhile, seedlings may take from 5 to 8 years to bear fruits. However, these seedlings are known to be bigger and stronger. Their roots systems are especially indestructible. Choosing a Mango Tree From A Nursery More than its size and color, you must consider the taste of the fruit. Not all mango fruits are sweet, juicy, and rich in taste when ripe. It is better if you could taste the fruit from a certain cultivar before you choose to buy their seedlings or saplings. In some areas, where mango farming or cultivation becomes a source of livelihood, sellers of saplings and seedlings offer a free taste of the mango fruits harvested from the mango trees belonging to the cultivars they are selling. If you plan to cultivate more than one mango tree, it is better if each tree bears fruit in different season or period. This makes mangoes available all throughout the year or most of the year. Mangoes planted in cooler and subtropical areas should have great flowering capacity. Most mango trees have their flowering ability affected by the temperature despite the fact that all mango varieties thrive well in frost-free environment. Of course, cultivars that flower the least have the least number of fruits. In cooler regions, the mango trees may be susceptible to anthracnose, a kind of disease exclusive to mangoes. Thus, it is wise to choose the cultivar that has the most impressive resistance. Growing Mango Trees From A Seed The seed that grows into a seedling is the polyembryonic variety. This will result into sprouting several identical trees, known as clones. Summer is the best time to grow mangoes from seeds. You can also grow them in a season coming from a wet one. A mango is eaten of its flesh as much as possible. Then it is exposed outside to dry, at least for a day or two. To germinate a mango seed, you can place the whole of it in a warm and moist place and await its sprout. When it does, you cut off all seedlings, except, the smallest as it can provide the best fruit. Planting Planting a mango tree is similar to planting any other tree. What you need to consider is the season. Spring or Summer is the best time for mango planting. A location where the supposed mango tree will get full sun exposure is the best because a mango tree ought to be sun-hardened. If the tree is already planted in a shade or in a pot, transfer it to an area where it can have full sun exposure. After digging a large and deep hole, transfer the sapling or the seedling into it without disturbing the roots. Fill in the hole with soil, then water. Best Soil For Growing Mango When it comes to soil, these trees are not very choosy. They can thrive on almost any kind of soil. Nonetheless, trees that are still a seedling when planted prefer their soil to be enriched with fertilizers, manure, mulch, or compost. Overcaring can be unproductive. It does not require too much watering. If it is fed with too much nitrogen fertilizer, it will weaken. In fact, it will affect everything—the trees, the flowering, and the fruits. Similar Posts _________________________________________________________________ Top of Mango Tree Listed under Landscape Plants |
