Mango
Mangifera indica
Wants a dry spell before bloom and heat to ripen.
Hardiness: zones 10 to 12
Light: full sun
Size: about 40 ft tall, 30 ft wide
Harvest: May to August
From: South Asia
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food, pollinators.
Native to: South & Southeast Asian tropics. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.
The story
Mangoes have been grown in India for 4,000 years and are woven through its poetry and festivals; the Buddha was given a mango grove to rest in. Portuguese traders carried them from Goa to Africa and Brazil, and they reached Florida in the 1800s.
Planting
Full sun, drained soil, and a frost-free spot or a big pot you can shelter. Plant a grafted dwarf variety for a yard; seedlings are huge and slow.
Growing
Water through the dry season while the fruit forms, but keep the tree dry during bloom to limit fungus. Prune after harvest to keep it low and open.
Harvest and use
Pick when the shoulders fill out and the first fruit on the tree softens; ripen indoors. The sap at the stem can burn skin, so cut with a long stem and let it drain.
What to watch for
Anthracnose in humid bloom seasons, fruit fly, and cold below about 30°F.
See if Mango fits your yard
Free planner: enter your ZIP for frost dates, climate fit and a sowing calendar. No account, no ads, no tracking cookies.
More tropical and subtropical food plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home