kasturi Mango Review - anything similar?

[sahai1]

Was surprised to see some Katsuri mangoes today, quite expensive, but bought 5 of them just to make sure I didn't judge them on one alone.

All I can say is that I am blown away by that spicy flavor, it hits at first, stays on tongue, and even lingers a bit after.  I absolutely love the flavor.

Everything else is a miss though -

small, expensive, flesh to seed ratio like 40/60, stringy.

Are there any other developed strains that have the spicy flavor of Katsuri without all the attributes of a wild mango?

[All the fruit]

I am sure you mean kasturi mango. Recently mango entusiasts from di imfferent continents are trying to preserve this Borneo species which seems to be extinct in the wild. It is not really endangered because it is commonly culitivated in S Kalimantan and beyond where people view it as an important part of their cultural identity and as their most typical fruit ever.

https://youtu.be/pbdhahikKZs?list=PL2AyaQ9frDUvKuCPQviG3Pt9BHXA6jKbz

With some luck you can find it in fruit forests in the area

https://youtu.be/kY6bK4g9o74

Im not aware of cultivars but here are two similar species from the area:

https://youtu.be/a_TgdZSA2Nw

https://youtu.be/2l0a0mZ39EU

[Sleepdoc]

I am growing it as Fairchild In Miami was propagating and selling grafted trees a few years ago at their Mango Festival.  It is a very shy beating tree for me, but it is worth it as the flavor is quite unique. 

[sahai1]

I am sure you mean kasturi mango.

yes thanks

I am growing it as Fairchild In Miami was propagating and selling grafted trees a few years ago at their Mango Festival.  It is a very shy beating tree for me, but it is worth it as the flavor is quite unique. 

sorry what do you mean by shy beating tree?  Yes that is the essence of my post, the flavor is really unique and out of this world.  everything else about the mango.. not sure if I want to plant it.

So looking if there any other cultivars on the market with that spicy flavor, but with preferred qualities of size, no stringyness, flesh to seed ratio.

[Sleepdoc]

Shy bearing- meaning it produces few fruit for the size of the tree. 

[fruitlovers]

I have 2 kasturi trees here growing that are grafted onto mango. Both are very productive and often produce twice a year. The fruits are very tasty. I don't find the fibers more objectionable than any mango cultivar that has fibers. The seed/flesh ratio is not very good simply due to the reason that the fruits are small. So the main real problem is small size of fruits. I think some seedling selection trials would be in order. Another route would be hybridizing with mango, but that is a lot harder. The main advantage of kasturi here is that it does not get any anthacnose, so grows and fruits very well in our rainforests, unlike mango. So giving similar anthrocnose resistance to a mango hybrid would be extremely valuable Here is a photo comparing maprang on left, manzanillo mango in center, and kasturi on the right. BTW, the maprangs are also anthracnose free, and very high quality fruits.

[sahai1]

I have 2 kasturi trees here growing that are grafted onto mango. Both are very productive and often produce twice a year. The fruits are very tasty. I don't find the fibers more objectionable than any mango cultivar that has fibers. The seed/flesh ratio is not very good simply due to the reason that the fruits are small. So the main real problem is small size of fruits. I think some seedling selection trials would be in order. Another route would be hybridizing with mango, but that is a lot harder. The main advantage of kasturi here is that it does not get any anthacnose, so grows and fruits very well in our rainforests, unlike mango. So giving similar anthrocnose resistance to a mango hybrid would be extremely valuable Here is a photo comparing maprang on left, manzanillo mango in center, and kasturi on the right. BTW, the maprangs are also anthracnose free, and very high quality fruits.

thanks for the input, yes in southern Thailand have an 6 month rainy season, 2 month monsoon season, so mangoes are very difficult, and I minimize the size and scope of any mango trees, pests such as boring beetles bore the branches, anthrocnose spreads quickly to leaves, and heavy rain during flowering (false dry season start) causes poor pollination.

However I think you made enough good points to at least plant one of these trees.  Can they pruned to a manageable size like 20x6' ?

Although we have some local southern varieties that are heavy fruit bearing in that climate, they are eaten green, Thai people love the sour fruit with chili paste.  They flush a deep black, but do have green leaves once aged.

Called Mamuong Bao มะม่วงเบา

[fruitlovers]

Maprang can be easily kept small as it is naturally a slow grower. Kasturi is a fast grower, like mango. But with consistent pruning can also be kept small.

[sahai1]

I think I read before Maprang is not suited for my climate.. temperatures in my area never fall below 85 degrees, and the dry season is 95-100 for almost 4 months with no rain.  I keep ponds to irrigate during this time, but the trees suffer most from the sudden changes of humidity.   I'll look into it more, Maprang is a great fruit. 

[EvilFruit]

sahai1,

Have you tried other species of Mangifera beside indica and casturi ?. 

[sahai1]

not sure, what are some of the common names?  I don't think I have.

Did you try Kasturi? 

[pineislander]

The Kasturi fruit have a very strong smell that annoys some people. I've heard it described as petroleum oil or diesel. Being a mechanic most of my life it doesn't bother me.

[roblack]

Kasturi tastes better to me when eaten a little underripe. If allowed to fully ripen and soften like regular mangoes, it gets a bit too funky.

[druss]

There are some interspecific hybrids being touted from fairchilds i think, but not sure theyre for sale yet.

[All the fruit]

Pretty much all of the Borneo mango species have this diesel or oil smell, some like M. pajang or M. foetida much more so than Kasturi. But the locals like them anyways. I prefer M. indica😄

[birngerd]

Pretty much all of the Borneo mango species have this diesel or oil smell, some like M. pajang or M. foetida much more so than Kasturi. But the locals like them anyways. I prefer M. indica😄

Diesel fuel + mango is exactly how I'd describe the M. casturi I've eaten. Fairchild's Curator's choice mango list describes them as: "sweet and provocative, often with a bit of fiber in the flesh, with a juicy, sweet flavor that resemble passion fruit and lychee" which I definitely did NOT taste in the ones I've eaten!

[sahai1]

didn't get any unpleasant smells or taste in mine...  Have you guys actually tasted Diesel or Motor oil?  I have only ever tasted naphtha, and that was the worst experience of my life, involved an immediate spitting and continually dry heaving for several hours.

The passion fruit and lychee description I would say is way off... there is only mango and this indeterminate 'spiciness' that only makes you think of sweet spices like cardamom, nutmeg, etc., to say most mangoes are sweet in makeup, but the Kasturi is more savory.

[pineislander]

Yes, I've tasted diesel many more times than I care to remember, even have gotten a full bath of it before(not on purpose). One time on the ship where I was chief engineer the delivery had hundreds of gallons of water and I suspected it was sea water from a leak on the delivery vessel and forced myself to taste the decanted water- it was salt.

[sahai1]

diesel must be kind of sweet and spicy then!

There was a bitter sour ripe mango I once tried in Hawaii, that was absolutely horrible!  No wonder why the fruits were rotting everywhere.

[fruitlovers]

The Kasturi fruit have a very strong smell that annoys some people. I've heard it described as petroleum oil or diesel. Being a mechanic most of my life it doesn't bother me.

I think you are confused with kuini, that is the one with the strong smell , that''s why the name Mangifera odorata. Kasturi does not have a strong smell.

[pineislander]

The Kasturi fruit have a very strong smell that annoys some people. I've heard it described as petroleum oil or diesel. Being a mechanic most of my life it doesn't bother me.

I think you are confused with kuini, that is the one with the strong smell , that''s why the name Mangifera odorata. Kasturi does not have a strong smell.

No, not confused and definitely Kasturi and others here agree with me. To me it is fine I like strong flavors & eat them since it reminds me of old times but some people (my wife) are more picky.

[fruitlovers]

The Kasturi fruit have a very strong smell that annoys some people. I've heard it described as petroleum oil or diesel. Being a mechanic most of my life it doesn't bother me.

I think you are confused with kuini, that is the one with the strong smell , that''s why the name Mangifera odorata. Kasturi does not have a strong smell.

No, not confused and definitely Kasturi and others here agree with me. To me it is fine I like strong flavors & eat them since it reminds me of old times but some people (my wife) are more picky.

Strong flavor yes, strong smell no. At least not the kasturis that i have.

[Vernmented]

The Kasturi fruit have a very strong smell that annoys some people. I've heard it described as petroleum oil or diesel. Being a mechanic most of my life it doesn't bother me.

I think you are confused with kuini, that is the one with the strong smell , that''s why the name Mangifera odorata. Kasturi does not have a strong smell.

No, not confused and definitely Kasturi and others here agree with me. To me it is fine I like strong flavors & eat them since it reminds me of old times but some people (my wife) are more picky.

Strong flavor yes, strong smell no. At least not the kasturis that i have.

Hi Oscar. I was curious on the origin of your Kasturi tree. I bought scions from you that took and I have a tree in the ground here. Is this a seedling you brought back? There are two slightly different ones here in Florida. One is more purple and one is more green. I love these fruit.

[sahai1]

just add on, I got my Kasturi from the new Foodland Farms in Ala Moana mall on Oahu...  No smell.
If they are soft to the touch, too ripe, but even the rotten one of the bunch didn't smell awful.

Perhaps this has to do with climate.  I mean a few posters on this forum have touted the taste of natal plum, saying it is worth planting... and I have never ate natal plum on any island in Hawaii that is beyond the 'survival fruit taste' and even on an empty stomach I could max do like 3.

Or perhaps there are different strains going around, or perhaps some Kasturi seeds were gotten from one of the 'reputable' sellers in the exchange forum here, and something lost in translation   

[EvilFruit]

not sure, what are some of the common names?  I don't think I have.

Did you try Kasturi?

Nope, I only tried the common Mango.

You can get Mangifera foetida for 70 baht, about 2.25 USD. From here
https://www.nanagarden.com/product/283543