Kesar Mango

[Squam256]

I'm hoping to get one of these later in the year.
So just curious how's the season so far for those with a Kesar?

Mine has a nice crop on it

Will any Kesar be available for sale?

Yes.

[Jani]

I'm hoping to get one of these later in the year.
So just curious how's the season so far for those with a Kesar?

Mine has a nice crop on it

Will any Kesar be available for sale?

Yes.

.. OK nice, would love to taste a couple this season..please let me know when they are ready.

[Jani]

On that note, do you have anything ready or coming in early in decent quantity to make a south Broward drive worth it? Or still too early?

Thanks

[Squam256]

On that note, do you have anything ready or coming in early in decent quantity to make a south Broward drive worth it? Or still too early?

Thanks

I have enough Edward fruit to open up the farm for regular hours beginning this week. Also have some Rosigold.

[geosulcata]

I have a nice Kesar in a 7g pot available. Plan on bringing it to the Manatee County rare fruit tree sale May 17th if it hasn't sold before the sale.

[TnTrobbie]

Had my first Kesar off of my tree (3gal, in ground  2012)- bearing for the first time so keep that in mind. Fall of the tree ripened but not on the ground. Fruit size is on the small/ medium small side. It's shape and flesh color is reminiscent of PSM to me. Flesh is not deep orange like East Indian but a light yellow. The seed is fairly big for the fruit size but not Neelam like in proportions. Seed has some fiber around it. The sides were the most enjoyable. Very sweet flesh that comes clean off the skin. No other flavor tones detected.

[simon_grow]

Thanks for the taste report! It would be great if someone had a refractometer that could get an average Brix reading from the Florida grown Kesars, I believe these readings can be very beneficial for future reference. I believe the Kesars from India had a Brix between 19-22, average about 20. This is from memory but I'm sure I posted somewhere on this forum.

I'm surprised you didn't get any additional flavors from the Kesar. To me, it's a strong Indian flavored mango, not musky or carroty like how Mallika can get if not picked properly but intensely sweet and metallic Indian Pine resin, in a very very good way similar to Alphonso. I've eaten about two hundred Alphonso's and Kesars over the last couple years and I like Kesar more than Alphonso's because Kesar is sweeter to me and Alphonso has more internal breakdown issues.

Simon

[Cookie Monster]

Strange. Mine were deep golden orange and had strong flavor near skin.

[Squam256]

Thanks for the taste report! It would be great if someone had a refractometer that could get an average Brix reading from the Florida grown Kesars, I believe these readings can be very beneficial for future reference. I believe the Kesars from India had a Brix between 19-22, average about 20. This is from memory but I'm sure I posted somewhere on this forum.

I'm surprised you didn't get any additional flavors from the Kesar. To me, it's a strong Indian flavored mango, not musky or carroty like how Mallika can get if not picked properly but intensely sweet and metallic Indian Pine resin, in a very very good way similar to Alphonso. I've eaten about two hundred Alphonso's and Kesars over the last couple years and I like Kesar more than Alphonso's because Kesar is sweeter to me and Alphonso has more internal breakdown issues.

Simon

I've got a refractometer available and could test one of mine.

[mwambao]

So a few kesar mangoes from India on sale here.Two different boxes .



One of the boxes mangos were more roundish





The other ones  had Oblong shape




Both boxes were labeled kesar
Its my first time tasting these mangos.

[HMHausman]

The other ones  had Oblong shape

Both boxes were labeled kesar
Its my first time tasting these mangos.

Mine look more like this.

[Jani]

Just wanted to bump this to say how impressed I am with my little kesar's growth habit... I got a small, newly potted 3 gallon a year ago or less (thanks Rob), and since it's branched(ing) out in 8 or 9 different segments already...it's around 3 feet and placed in a slightly bigger pot earlier in the summer.

At about 2 feet tall was when the first branching occurred from the terminal, it even aborted a couple branches, such is its push to branch out.

The branches are sturdy, not weepy or low to the ground...very proportionate.

Also nothing has affected this tree be it pests, fungus, disease, malnutrition, while various of its neighbors (mangos of all sizes and other tropicals) have suffered cases of this and that over that time.

Great little tree! Is this habit typical? I'll post a pic later when home.

Now hopefully it tastes good too. Got it largely based on its description, and that the indian mangos I have tasted so far  definitely agree with my palate.

[simon_grow]

The Kesar is a top notch mango in my book. It was one of the top three mangos I tasted this year. I was not able to do a side by side comparison with Sweet Tart nor Lemon Zest but these three varieties were all absolutely amazing this year. This year, the Kesars tasted much more complex and had a hint of tropical mango flavor which I have not ever encountered with this variety. The hint of tropical mango flavor was reminiscent of Haden combined with Edward incorporated into the regular sweet resinous base flavor of a typical Kesar.

My Regular Kesar grafted onto Manilla rootstock seems to be a relatively vigorous grower and is upright and held on a strong thick base so it is not droopy in growth habit on this rootstock.

My Jumbo Kesar on Double Stone Graft is also growing very nicely.

Regular Kesar on Manilla rootstock



Jumbo Kesar on double rootstock




Simon

[JF]

Kesar is a top 20 mango the kind of flavor profile I like. The trees have grown at a good pace in SoCal no speedy Gonzalez nor tortoise
 

[Jani]

@ Simon and JF, glad to hear this seems to be positively received by everyone, looking forward to my first fruits in a couple years ...

You're dating yourself there with speedy Gonzales JF 

Here's the little champ. ...

[Felipe]

Great looking plants Simon! I have tasted Kesar from India and I love this flavour profile. Unfortunatelly Kesar is still missing in my collection. I ordered scions from Don last September, but unfortunatelly the mail took three weeks, so the scions were rotten on arrival

[simon_grow]

Jani, your plant looks great. Initially I was worried about planting Kesar because I was worried that it would not taste as good as when it is grown in India but initial reports out of Florida suggests that the fruit does taste good when grown in Florida, unlike Alphonso.

Thanks Felipe, you live quite far away and Mango scions graft with much higher success when they are fresh. Perhaps Express International shipping will give you better results next time. Kesar is definitely on my must have Mango short list!

Simon

[Felipe]

Simon, snail-mail usually takes 7-10 days to arrive, which is fine for mango scions. It's a mystery to me, why this time it tooks 21 days.
From my experience it takes the same time, whether I pick express, priority or regular shipping. Express mail leaves USA very fast, but once it arrives in Madrid, everything goes slow :/

[WGphil]

There are about a half dozen Kesar mango trees for sale at the Lowe's in Winter Garden as of yesterday when I was in there. 

About 8 miles north of the Magic Kingdom on 535.

[jegpg1]

I was at a local Home Depot here in Port Charlotte for a Murcott tangerine, ended up getting a 3G Kesar. It seems that Kesar is showing at local improvement centers lately.

[rbody2]

Any new updates or observations on Kesar?  For those of you who have it how is fruit set this year?  Any anthracnose or other problems?

[mangokothiyan]

Kesar is a real winner in South Florida. Mine gave me about 25 orange-colored  delicious mangoes last year and has more than that on the tree this year.  Some of the mangoes have been hit by anthracnose, but i have seen antrharacnose on even Carrie and Lemon Meringue this year. The last two years, the mangoes were clean.

[TnTrobbie]

5 pannicles on my tree this season compared to a full bloom last year. Hopefully I'll get some fruit to hold till maturity.

[rbody2]

Thanks for the updates!  Does anyone have any current pics that they can post?  Also, how is the taste if it is left on the tree to ripen instead of picked green to ripen?

[simon_grow]

Thanks for the taste report! It would be great if someone had a refractometer that could get an average Brix reading from the Florida grown Kesars, I believe these readings can be very beneficial for future reference. I believe the Kesars from India had a Brix between 19-22, average about 20. This is from memory but I'm sure I posted somewhere on this forum.

I'm surprised you didn't get any additional flavors from the Kesar. To me, it's a strong Indian flavored mango, not musky or carroty like how Mallika can get if not picked properly but intensely sweet and metallic Indian Pine resin, in a very very good way similar to Alphonso. I've eaten about two hundred Alphonso's and Kesars over the last couple years and I like Kesar more than Alphonso's because Kesar is sweeter to me and Alphonso has more internal breakdown issues.

Simon

I've got a refractometer available and could test one of mine.

Hey Alex,  if you have time this year, it would be great if you could get a Brix reading from one of your Kesar mango fruit. The Kesars from India this year have been exceptional and I would like to distribute more trees around my area but want to confirm that they can sweeten up in the USA. I'm hoping they can get to 19-20%Brix. Thanks!
Simon