The Tropical Fruit Forum

Disclaimer:  This is based upon the sampling of ONE large green M-4 that I tried at various stages of ripeness over several days.  Some say the one I had was picked too green and wouldn't reach full flavor. It did reach a full enough flavor over a few days I think to reach an opinion on it.  I haven't had Coconut Cream, E-4 or many of the other Coconut flavored mangoes for comparison, but some say the M-4 is supposed to be the best of the lot.  I have had Pina Colada & Pickering and M-4 I think beats those in the "exotic" coconut profile category, though I have never detected coconut in those two varieties.

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After some thought the best description I can give M-4 is it's like taking a tropical Coconut Life Saver & Pineapple Life Saver and popping them both in your mouth at the same time.  It's more unique & complex than that & that may not describe it exactly, but it's the closest analogy that comes to mind.  This is the mango that should be called Pina Colada - not the other one. This is a mango that would make for a great adult RUM smoothie served in a coconut shell, pineapple slice & cherry with tiny parasol, sugar cane swizzle stick & rainbow colored flex straw (sorry California).  This would make for a great ADULT frozen drink flavor to enjoy on a cruise or in the Keys at a cabana bar served by an sexy island girl in a coconut shell top, grass skirt, lei & with a flower behind each ear.   The overall flavor is that it is unique, juicy, semi-complicated, "transporting" and more like a coconut punch with the coconut playing a key but supporting role.  There is very little if any classic mango flavor or aroma.

NOTES

1. Some say M-4 is a small mango.  Not sure this is accurate.  The one I received was fairly large 1 lb+
2. The M-4 was semi-soft on arrival so I thought it might be ready, it wasn't.  The initial sample wasn't bad, but it obviously hadn't peaked.
3. I continued to sample it each day till I finally finished it up just before writing this.
4. The coconut profile was the most pronounced I have tasted in a mango, but my experience with coconut profile mangoes is admittedly limited.
5. M-4 is a sweet, rich exotic & semi-complicated flavored mango.  Unless you have had something similar it may be hard to taste it "in your head" from just a description.
6. Words and thoughts I would use to describe it are exotic, tropical, Caribbean island flavor, "transporting", a good coconut bartenders drink mix, would DEFINITELY be better as a frozen smoothie with rum.
9. Very little if any aroma.  Possibly mildly fruity.
10. Very little if any traditional classic mango flavor.
11. Like many mango's the aftertaste stays with you for an hour or more.  That can be good or bad in M-4's case it's mostly good.
12. Some say coconut flavored mangoes won't develop their signature flavor after picked & won't improve on the counter.  This M-4 certainly improved over the course of a few days in both sweetness & signature flavor, tho probably not as good as it could have been as others have suggested.
For all the descriptive flowery words it's gets an overall "8".  This may very well be a "8.5 to 9" for one that was picked later.  Like PPK it gets a good score without having any classic mango flavor.  It gets a higher score for being unique & having it's own "personality". 
13. If I was looking to plant a mango with a coconut flavor profile M-4 would definitely have to be considered, tho not sure I would need an entire M-4 tree just for myself. 
14. This isn't a mango you would probably want to eat a bushel of at one sitting.  It's rich & filling - just one large one would probably satisfy your taste buds for a day or more. With that it mind it might be a good mango to mutli-graft with another variety if space is limited.
15. Shipping - I got this in just 2 days and it was already semi-soft on arrival.  I assume this was picked hard green, if so it may not ship well over longer distances or keep well once picked.

This is definitely a Mango that you need try for yourself and cross off your tasting "bucket list".  It's also one you need to try before deciding on which coconut flavored mango tree to buy & plant especially if space is limited.   For those living in SW Florida I saw that Fruitscapes on Pine Island had nice 3 gallon M-4 trees (and other newer Zill varieties) for $40.  But I would very much encourage your to taste an M-4 first, unless your tree space is plentiful.

Green Thumbs, Dry Powder & Tight Lines!!  : )     


 

Guys if you have never ordered from mangoes from Tropical Acres Farms you need to especially if you don't live in Florida.  It is the only way you can try phenomenal tasting rare varieties of mangoes that you would otherwise never be able to experience.  Thanks again for coming thru for me Alex.

I keep seeing the occasional vague reference to Leo Keitt Seedling as being a variety that scores high on tasting evaluations, but don't see much other into on it.

1. Is this like a regular Keitt only better?

2. Is this just a random dooryard tree or is it actually being propagated?

3. If it's being propagated is there anyone who has the trees/fruit for sale?

Lancetilla due to their size take much longer to fully ripen on the counter then expected. Seemed to be at least 7-10 days. Once fully ripened they are similar to Kent in texture and flavor, tho there is a slight tartness to Lancetilla that gives it the edge over Kent. It is also later than Kent apparently. Once ripened they are very good with a traditional mango flavor with no fiber & no resinous overtones.  Anyone liking Kent or Mallika would probably like Lancetilla also. 

With Lancetilla and other large Mangoes the most enjoyable experience is to just peel them whole and dive right in face first Viking/Commando style and get disgustingly sloppy.  Large mangoes can fool you - they take longer to ripen than you think.  Lancetilla is listed as a September mango as such it needs more consideration for those looking for a good tasting LATE mango that is tasty and a fun "over the sink" eating experience.  If anyone knows how late into September in SW Florida they last please advise.  Quite surprisingly Lancetilla has snuck onto my short list for a late mango variety for the dooryard.   IMHO it beats out the other lates Keitt & Kent for flavor by a narrow margin and may be more disease resistant as well.     

PS - Never doubt "Shot" the man knows his mangoes.

What a difference a day makes!!  How any mango, even one that looks perfectly ripe and ready for consumption can go from bad to good is amazing.  In 36 hours the Kents I had on the counter went from flavorless water logged 2 lb door stops to a very respectable tasting mango for a commercial variety.  Was it great - no but it was certainly on a par with Keitt, Valencia Pride and other similar varieties.  Two days ago I couldn't have believed the Kent Mangos I was eating had the ability to taste good.  It also bears noting that with larger mangos sometimes it takes longer for them to come up to flavor even if the color and texture look right.  I have found that too be true with Glenn's also.  People often gripe that Glenn's can be watery which is true, but that will often correct itself by giving them an extra day or two on the kitchen counter. 

Kent is a very acceptable and good tasting satisfying Mango when you give them an extra day two past the time you think they look like or should be ready.

In a typical year does Venus' season run into September in Zone 9b Florida?

Besides Tropical Acres what other places can you recommend that SHIPS mangos.  Especially for the newer Zill varieties.  Mangomen in Homestead are done till next year.  Thanks.

I know turpentine is probably the most common mango rootstock in Florida, but are there others that are as good or better like Sabre?  My neighbor has a Sabre mango tree that produces hundreds of mangos that just rot on the ground.  Is Sabre as good as turpentine for rootstock?

Yes before you ask they taste bad.

This is my neighbors 10-15 year old mango tree.  First time I've ever seen it flower or fruit.  Only holding one fruit.  Has unusual somewhat narrow and smallish leaves.  Elderly neighbor doesn't know the variety.  Tree has an attractive rounded growth habit.  Thanks.

Is John Painter/Pantropic Groves still doing retail fruit and/or tree sales at his home/orchard on Pine Island in Bokeelia?  If so is does he have hours or a preferred protocol before stopping by his place?  Someone said last time they were there it looked like he had taken down his sign.  Thanks.

If you were to plant a 1000 MONOEMBRYONIC mango seeds of the same variety would each seed produce something that tasted unique & had major or slightly different characteristics...........or would a large number of them be essentially indistinguishable from the parent without genetic DNA testing? 

Are J-12, Super Julie & Fairchild Ruby all the same thing?

Just wondering about how long it takes for Turpentine seeds to grow to grafting size?