Mangifera indica

Mango fruits, whole and halved; cultivated in Brazil.
Mango (Mangifera indica)
Scientific name	Mangifera indica L.
Common names	Mango, mangga, mamuang, manguier
Genus	Mangifera
Family	Anacardiaceae
Order	Sapindales
Native range	Indo-Burma, India, and Southeast Asia
Growth form	Evergreen tree
Mature size	About 9–30 m unpruned; cultivar and pruning dependent
Climate and site	Tropical to subtropical lowlands; a relatively dry period before and during flowering is favorable
Soil	Adapted to many soils, but not persistent poor drainage
Sun and humidity	Full sun; foliage, flowers, and fruit should dry promptly after rain
Propagation	Grafting for named varieties; seed for rootstocks and polyembryonic types
Years to fruit	About 3–5 years after planting for grafted trees; seedling timing varies
Fruit	Drupe; size, color, fiber, and flavor vary by cultivar
Harvest	Variety and climate dependent; May–September in the UF/IFAS Florida example

Mango (Mangifera indica) is a long-lived evergreen tree cultivated for its fleshy drupe. The species originated in the Indo-Burma region and is indigenous to India and Southeast Asia; it is now grown through tropical and subtropical lowlands.^[1]

Description

Mango is an evergreen tree with a rounded canopy that may become large when left unpruned. Leaves are alternate, leathery, and lance-shaped; new leaves may be pinkish, amber, or pale green before becoming dark green. Flowers are borne in branched terminal panicles and are mostly staminate, with a smaller proportion of perfect flowers.[1]

The fruit is a drupe with smooth, leathery skin, edible yellow to deep-orange flesh, and one large, flattened, kidney-shaped seed enclosed in a woody husk. Fruit shape, skin color, size, fiber, and flavor vary substantially among cultivars.[1]

Cultivation

Mango tree carrying fruit in Antigua.

Mango is a warm-season tree of tropical and subtropical lowlands in a monsoonal climate. The natural rhythm combines warm, often humid vegetative growth with a comparatively dry interval that favors flowering; in cultivation, excessive wetness or cool weather during bloom can reduce fruit set.[1]

Soil and water

Mango tolerates many soil types. The UF/IFAS home-landscape guidance documents satisfactory production in light sand and limestone soils, but warns that trees perform poorly in poorly drained ground. Where a site floods or remains wet, plant on a raised mound rather than leaving the root zone saturated.[1]

Sun and humidity

Use full sun for growth and fruit production. In humid climates, select an open site where leaves, panicles, and fruit dry quickly after rainfall; avoid overhead irrigation during flowering and fruiting because wet surfaces increase disease pressure.[1]

Seasonal changes

Mango growth and cropping follow local temperature, rainfall, cultivar, and rootstock. Dry weather before and during flowering is favorable in the UF/IFAS production example, while fruit development commonly takes about 100–150 days. In Florida, most cultivars mature from May through September, with the main crop often in June and July; those months should not be transferred unchanged to other climates.[1]

Young trees need regular establishment watering, followed by less frequent irrigation once roots are established. UF/IFAS recommends reducing or stopping irrigation when the rainy season arrives and notes that trees four years and older generally benefit from watering only during prolonged spring or summer drought; little or no irrigation is normally needed in fall and winter in that regional example.[1]

Propagation

Named mango cultivars are normally propagated vegetatively, most often by grafting onto vigorous seedling rootstocks. Polyembryonic seeds generally produce seedlings close to the mother type, while monoembryonic seeds do not reliably reproduce the named variety and are therefore used mainly for rootstocks or breeding. Veneer grafting, cleft grafting, and chip budding are documented methods; their timing and success depend on active growth and local conditions.[1]

Flowering, fruiting, and harvest

Grafted trees in the UF/IFAS Florida guidance begin bearing about three to five years after planting, but the interval is cultivar-, rootstock-, climate-, and management-dependent. Flowering and young fruit are vulnerable to cool temperatures; anthracnose and powdery mildew can also reduce fruit set. Harvest is commonly by hand or with a picking pole, and post-harvest pruning can keep fruit within reach.[1]

Historical botanical illustration showing a mango branch with flowers, leaves, fruit, and fruit cross-section.

Fruit and uses

The edible portion is the aromatic fleshy pulp. Cultivars differ markedly in sweetness, acidity, fiber, skin color, maturity season, and eating texture; ripe fruit is commonly eaten fresh, while immature fruit is used in regional culinary preparations. The species-level page does not treat any one cultivar's flavor or harvest date as universal.

Pests and diseases

Anthracnose and powdery mildew are important problems around panicles, flowers, and young fruit in the UF/IFAS production example. Full sun, airflow, rapid drying after rain, and avoiding irrigation onto foliage and flowers reduce favorable conditions; cultivar resistance and local extension recommendations should guide any control program.[1]

Photos

References

• ↑ [1] Crane, Wasielewski, Balerdi & Maguire, Mango Growing in the Florida Home Landscape, UF/IFAS Extension, accessed 2026-08-24.

Image credits

• Mangos - single and halved.jpg — Ivar Leidus; CC BY-SA 4.0. The file description identifies the subject as mango fruits grown in Brazil.
• Mangifera indica - Mango IMG 0529 C.JPG — Anneli Salo; CC BY-SA 3.0. The file description identifies a mango tree with fruits in Antigua.
• Mango (Mangifera indica L.); branch with flowers, fruit and Wellcome V0042598.jpg — Wellcome Collection; CC BY 4.0. The file description identifies a historical botanical illustration of branch, flowers, leaves, fruit, and cross-sections.
• Mango (433686277).jpg — Dinesh Valke; CC BY-SA 2.0. The file description identifies mango fruit photographed in India.