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Fruit tree

Mango

Mangifera indica

A big evergreen tree that crops best in the tropics and subtropics, with a dry spell before flowering. It can grow in sheltered, frost-free temperate spots but rarely fruits well there. In cool climates grow a dwarf grafted tree in a large pot and move it under cover in winter.

When to plant where you live

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Planting times for other areas

Varieties (4)

  • CalypsoCompact tree with sweet, low-fibre fruit; suits smaller yardsProtected variety (PBR): don't propagate it for sale.
  • KeittLate-season green-skinned fruit; less fibre
  • Kensington Pride (Bowen)Australia's classic mango; rich flavour; large tree
  • R2E2Large, round, red-blushed fruit; Australian bred

From seed to plate

  1. Plant

    800 cm apart. Full sun.

  2. Water

    Deep water while young and while fruit is setting; ease off in the dry season before flowering.

  3. Feed

    Organic fruit tree fertiliser in early and late summer, plus a little sulphate of potash.

  4. Pick

    Pick when the shoulders fill out and the flesh near the stem turns yellow; ripen at room temperature.

Good to know

  • Wear gloves and long sleeves when picking: the sap can burn and blister skin
  • Snap fruit with a stalk attached and hold it stem down so sap doesn't run onto the skin
  • Prune straight after harvest to keep the tree a manageable size
  • Buy a grafted tree: seedlings take longer to fruit and quality varies

Common problems

  • Anthracnose (black spots on flowers and fruit)start a copper fungicide program at flowering, following label directions
  • Fruit flypick fruit as it colours, bag fruit or use traps
  • No fruit after a warm, wet wintermangoes need a dry spell before flowering, so stop watering then
  • Frost kills young treesplant only in frost-free spots

If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.

Ask the garden helper about mangoAny question, answered from the plant libraryHow others are growing mangoQuestions, tips and harvests from the community

Wildlife

Good for: bees, insects.

Safety: Sap and skin contain urushiol-like compounds that can cause itchy dermatitis or blistering, sometimes days later; people allergic to poison ivy may react. The large seed is a choking and gut-blockage risk for dogs. Ripe flesh is an everyday food.

Where this information comes from

Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 29 Oct 2026. Version 1.