The mango is a juicy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera,

consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees, cultivated mostly for edible

fruit. The majority of these species are found in nature as wild mangoes.
They all belong to the flowering plantfamily Anacardiaceae. The mango
is native to South and Southeast Asia, from where it has been distributed
worldwide to become one of the most cultivated fruits in thetropics.
The center of diversity of the Mangifera genus is in India.[1]
While other Mangifera species (e.g. horse mango, M. foetida) are also
grown on a more localized basis, Mangifera indicathe "common
mango" or "Indian mango"is the only mango tree commonly cultivated
in many tropical and subtropical regions. It originated in Indian
subcontinent (present day India and Pakistan) and Burma.[1][2]
It is the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, and
the national tree of Bangladesh.[3] In several cultures, its fruit and leaves
are ritually used as floral decorations at weddings, public celebrations,
and religious ceremonies.[citation needed]

Cross-section of an apple-mango fruit

Contents
[hide]

1 Description

2 Etymology

3 Cultivation

4 Food
o

4.1 Cuisine

4.2 Food constituents

4.2.1 Nutrients

4.2.2 Phytochemicals
4.3 Flavor

5 Potential for contact dermatitis

6 Cultural significance

7 Production and consumption

o

7.1 Cultivars

8 Gallery

9 See also

10 References

11 Further reading

12 External links

Description[edit]

A mango tree in full bloom in Kerala

A closeup shot of Mango Inflorescence

Mango trees grow up to 3540 m (115131 ft) tall, with a crown radius of
10 m (33 ft). The trees are long-lived, as some specimens still fruit after
300 years[citation needed]. In deep soil, the taproot descends to a depth of 6 m
(20 ft), with profuse, wide-spreading feeder roots; the tree also sends
down many anchor roots, which penetrate several feet of soil.
The leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, 1535 cm (5.913.8 in)
long, and 616 cm (2.46.3 in) broad; when the leaves are young they

are orange-pink, rapidly changing to a dark, glossy red, then dark green
as they mature. The flowers are produced in terminal panicles 1040 cm
(3.915.7 in) long; each flower is small and white with five petals 5
10 mm (0.200.39 in) long, with a mild, sweet odor suggestive of lily of
the valley. Over 400 varieties of mangoes are known, many of which
ripen in summer, while some give double crop.[4]The fruit takes three to
six months to ripen.
The ripe fruit varies in size and color. Cultivars are variously yellow,
orange, red, or green, and carry a single flat, oblong pit that can
be fibrous or hairy on the surface, and which does not separate easily
from the pulp. Ripe, unpeeled mangoes give off a distinctive resinous,
sweet smell. Inside the pit 12 mm (0.0390.079 in) thick is a thin lining
covering a single seed, 47 mm (0.160.28 in) long. The seed contains
the plant embryo. Mangos have recalcitrant seeds; they do not survive
freezing and drying.[5]

Etymology[edit]

Green mangoes

The English word "mango" (plural "mangoes" or "mangos") originated

from theMalayalam word ma via Portuguese (also manga) during
spice trade with Kerala in 1498.[6][7] The word's first recorded attestation in
a European language was a text by Ludovico di Varthema in Italian in
1510, as manga; the first recorded occurrences in languages such as
French and postclassical Latin appear to be translations from this Italian

text. The origin of the "-o" ending in English is unclear.[8] Mango is also
mentioned by Hendrik van Rheede, the Dutch commander of Malabar
(Northern Kerala) in his book Hortus Malabaricus, a compendium of the
plants of economic and medical value in the Malabar, published in 1678.
[9]

When mangoes were first imported to the American colonies in the

17th century, they had to be pickled due to lack of refrigeration. Other

fruits were also pickled and came to be called "mangoes", especially bell
peppers, and by the 18th century, the word "mango" became a verb
meaning "to pickle".[10]

Cultivation[edit]

Mango orchard in Multan, Pakistan

Mangoes have been cultivated in South Asia for thousands of

years[11] and reachedEast Asia between the fifth and fourth centuries BC.
By the 10th century AD, cultivation had begun in East Africa.[11] The 14thcentury Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta reported it at Mogadishu.
[12]

Cultivation came later to Brazil, the West Indies, and Mexico, where

an appropriate climate allows its growth.[11]

The mango is now cultivated in most frost-free tropical and warmer
subtropical climates; almost half of the world's mangoes are cultivated in
India alone, with the second-largest source being China.[13][14][15] Mangoes
are also grown in Andalusia, Spain (mainly in Mlaga province), as its

coastal subtropical climate is one of the few places in mainland Europe

that allows the growth of tropical plants and fruit trees. The Canary
Islands are another notable Spanish producer of the fruit. Other
cultivators include North America (in South Florida and
California's Coachella Valley), South and Central America,
the Caribbean, Hawai'i, south, west, and central Africa, Australia, China,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia. Though India is the largest
producer of mangoes, it accounts for less than 1% of the international
mango trade; India consumes most of its own production.[16]
Many commercial cultivars are grafted on to the cold-hardy rootstock of
'Gomera-1' mango cultivar, originally from Cuba. Its root system is well
adapted to a coastal Mediterranean climate.[17] Many of the 1,000+
mango cultivars are easily cultivatedusing grafted saplings, ranging from
the "turpentine mango" (named for its strong taste of turpentine[18]) to
the huevos de toro.[citation needed] Dwarf or semidwarf varieties serve
as ornamental plants and can be grown in containers. A wide variety of
diseases can afflict mangoes.

Food[edit]
Mangoes are generally sweet, although the taste and texture of the flesh
varies across cultivars; some have a soft, pulpy texture similar to an
overripe plum, while others are firmer, like a cantaloupe or avocado, and
some may have a fibrous texture. The skin of unripe, pickled, or cooked
mango can be consumed, but has the potential to cause
contact dermatitis of the lips, gingiva, or tongue in susceptible people.
Cuisine[edit]

The "hedgehog" style is a form of mango preparation

Mangoes are widely used in cuisine. Sour, unripe mangoes are used
in chutneys,athanu, pickles,[19] side dishes, or may be eaten raw
with salt, chili, or soy sauce. A summer drink called aam panna comes
from mangoes. Mango pulp made into jelly or cooked with red
gram dhal and green chillies may be served with cooked rice.Mango
lassi is popular throughout South Asia,[20] prepared by mixing ripe
mangoes or mango pulp with buttermilk and sugar. Ripe mangoes are
also used to make curries. Aamras is a popular thick juice made of
mangoes with sugar or milk, and is consumed with chapatis or pooris.
The pulp from ripe mangoes is also used to make jam
called mangada. Andhra aavakaaya is a pickle made from raw, unripe,
pulpy, and sour mango, mixed with chili
powder, fenugreek seeds, mustard powder, salt, and groundnut oil.
Mango is also used in Andhra to make dahl preparations.Gujaratis use
mango to make chunda (a grated mango delicacy).
Mangoes are used in preserves such as moramba, amchur (dried and
powdered unripe mango), and pickles, including a spicy mustard-oil
pickle and alcohol. Ripe mangoes are often cut into thin
layers, desiccated, folded, and then cut. These bars are similar to
dried guava fruit bars available in some countries. The fruit is also added

to cereal products such asmuesli and oat granola. Mangoes are often
prepared charred in Hawaii.
Unripe mango may be eaten with bagoong (especially in
the Philippines), fish sauce, or with dash of salt. Dried strips of sweet,
ripe mango (sometimes combined with seedless tamarind to
form mangorind) are also popular. Mangoes may be used to make
juices, mango nectar, and as a flavoring and major ingredient in ice
cream and sorbetes.

A glass of mango juice as served in a restaurant in Patong, Phuket, Thailand

Mango is used to make juices, smoothies, ice cream, fruit

bars, raspados, aguas frescas, pies, and sweet chili sauce, or mixed
with chamoy, a sweet and spicy chili paste. It is popular on a stick
dipped in hot chili powder and salt or as a main ingredient in fresh fruit
combinations. In Central America, mango is either eaten green mixed
with salt, vinegar, black pepper, and hot sauce, or ripe in various forms.
Toasted and ground pumpkin seed (pepita) with lime and salt are eaten
with green mangoes.[citation needed]

Pieces of mango can be mashed and used as a topping on ice cream or

blended with milk and ice as milkshakes. Sweet glutinous rice is flavored
with coconut, then served with sliced mango as a dessert. In other parts
of Southeast Asia, mangoes are pickled with fish sauce and rice vinegar.
Green mangoes can be used in mango salad with fish sauce and dried
shrimp. Mango with condensed milk may be used as a topping
for shaved ice.