Julie Mango Tree Fruits for First Time in 20 years

[Johnny Redland]

My aunt has had this Julie in her yard for over 20 years and this is the first time it has fruited and the tree itself has never looked so healthy. These typically struggle down here in South Miami, which historically this tree has, but it is now not only displaying a sizeable crop, but also pushing more flowers. Amazing

[palmcity]

My aunt has had this Julie in her yard for over 20 years and this is the first time it has fruited and the tree itself has never looked so healthy. These typically struggle down here in South Miami, which historically this tree has, but it is now not only displaying a sizeable crop, but also pushing more flowers. Amazing

So does this mean she has a very good Nephew?

I see fertilizer/minerals/some sort of supplement under the tree was applied as the grass is so green.

Was she motivated by you to do the supplements or did you or another family member help her?

It is interesting what a little love can do... 

I bet their are a lot of other people like this just waiting on their tree to fruit after years & years... or waiting on their Nephew to come over...   

A good example to follow...

[Cookie Monster]

Julie are normally very precocious, producing fruit in their first or second year after being grafted and producing fruit in as little as 4 years from seed.

I suspect, like the previous poster, that the tree was not cared for. Perhaps anthracnose fried previous crops. This year was a low anthracnose year (in my area at least).

And, it's typical for julie to flower up to 3 times per year.

[gnappi]

If my Julie seedling "juicy Lucy" is any indicator, it bloomed and fruited heavily the first year after having the tap root cut from moving it to the ground and all of the grafts I made from cuttings on to rootstock bloomed the first year.  I don't know of I can attribute it to the Excalibur fertilizer, good soil, the genes of the Julie or a combination of the three.

[Cookie Monster]

My Dwarf Hawaiian, by all accounts a likely seedling of a Julie, literally brought a fruit to harvest less than a year post grafting and at the tender height of about 9 inches above the graft line. It has since produced every single year.

[zands]

Ask auntie if she planted a grafted Julie or a seed from a Julie. Due to taking twenty years to fruit (a modern day record) my guess is Julie seed.

[Johnny Redland]

Ask auntie if she planted a grafted Julie or a seed from a Julie. Due to taking twenty years to fruit (a modern day record) my guess is Julie seed.

It was there when she bought the home 20 years ago. But our “soil’ is very different here. 6 inches of soil (if you’re lucky) and then a solid sheet of limestone. See pic

[Johnny Redland]

My aunt has had this Julie in her yard for over 20 years and this is the first time it has fruited and the tree itself has never looked so healthy. These typically struggle down here in South Miami, which historically this tree has, but it is now not only displaying a sizeable crop, but also pushing more flowers. Amazing

So does this mean she has a very good Nephew?

I see fertilizer/minerals/some sort of supplement under the tree was applied as the grass is so green.

Was she motivated by you to do the supplements or did you or another family member help her?

It is interesting what a little love can do... 

I bet their are a lot of other people like this just waiting on their tree to fruit after years & years... or waiting on their Nephew to come over...   

A good example to follow...

Horrible nephew. My only claim to helping that tree is the occasional pruning. No supplements have ever been added. I have a hard enough time maintaining my trees

[Future]

Even in Yard (Jamaica) Julie is known to be finicky, growing well in certain parishes and not others.  Even more finicky in Florida.  The taste has grown on me.  Get hem within Europe magical 2 hour ripening window and they are excellent.  They are in my top....31 mangos....and to be sure, that is no slight.

[Johnny Redland]

Even in Yard (Jamaica) Julie is known to be finicky, growing well in certain parishes and not others.  Even more finicky in Florida.  The taste has grown on me.  Get hem within Europe magical 2 hour ripening window and they are excellent.  They are in my top....31 mangos....and to be sure, that is no slight.

Yeah I can never get them at the right moment. That two hour window is not so far fetched. They always taste fermented to me. Not a fan based on my prior tastings

[Jani]

Awesome mango on the island.

The only places I've heard them struggle is in high altitude areas like Mandeville. Julie at lower elevations in Jamaica is problem free from my experience...and has multiple crops throughout the year (of course summer is the best) including a Christmas crop.

I have an uncle in Coconut Creek with a maybe 15 year old Julie...its the only FL Julie I've had that tastes like the authentic Jamaican/Caribbean Julie.

[mangokothiyan]

If my Julie seedling "juicy Lucy" is any indicator, it bloomed and fruited heavily the first year after having the tap root cut from moving it to the ground and all of the grafts I made from cuttings on to rootstock bloomed the first year.  I don't know of I can attribute it to the Excalibur fertilizer, good soil, the genes of the Julie or a combination of the three.

Does Juicy Lucy taste like Julie? I got some budwood from you a couple of years ago. It bloomed for the first time this year and is holding on to a  number of mangoes.  Mid season mango?

[Johnny Redland]

Julie are normally very precocious, producing fruit in their first or second year after being grafted and producing fruit in as little as 4 years from seed.

I suspect, like the previous poster, that the tree was not cared for. Perhaps anthracnose fried previous crops. This year was a low anthracnose year (in my area at least).

And, it's typical for julie to flower up to 3 times per year.

Jeff, I found this old post from you regarding Julie. In away, its contradictory to your assessment now. Yes, some grow very well given certain soil conditions, but others struggle regardless of care.  I suspect soil conditions are a big part of the problem this tree had for so long.  Maybe the root structure has reached some nutrient rich area by now or the tree has just adapted over time.  Who knows

http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=611.0

[Cookie Monster]

The "OR" version is an example of a julie that hasn't been cared for -- at least that's what I've come to figure out. With fertilization and fungus control, they can look like the top tree.

But your tree doesn't look like the "OR" version. It sounds to me like it simply never got anthracnose treatment.

Julie are normally very precocious, producing fruit in their first or second year after being grafted and producing fruit in as little as 4 years from seed.

I suspect, like the previous poster, that the tree was not cared for. Perhaps anthracnose fried previous crops. This year was a low anthracnose year (in my area at least).

And, it's typical for julie to flower up to 3 times per year.

Jeff, I found this old post from you regarding Julie. In away, its contradictory to your assessment now. Yes, some grow very well given certain soil conditions, but others struggle regardless of care.  I suspect soil conditions are a big part of the problem this tree had for so long.  Maybe the root structure has reached some nutrient rich area by now or the tree has just adapted over time.  Who knows

http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=611.0

[Johnny Redland]

The tree is certainly doing much better. Maybe I should put it on a spray schedule for them.

[Cookie Monster]

Yep. I think the issue is more around fungus treatment, as the tree looks relatively healthy. Even the tree in my years-old post had flowered, despite the leaves looking like death. Anthracnose wasn't much of an issue this year for my area, and I assume your relative's location benefited from the same low disease pressure conditions, which presumably led to a crop.

If you gave it some acid forming, slow release fert like the one Har recommends in a recent video (Helena Chem's 8-2-12 slow release with Tiger 90), that would also help.

[gnappi]

If my Julie seedling "juicy Lucy" is any indicator, it bloomed and fruited heavily the first year after having the tap root cut from moving it to the ground and all of the grafts I made from cuttings on to rootstock bloomed the first year.  I don't know of I can attribute it to the Excalibur fertilizer, good soil, the genes of the Julie or a combination of the three.

Does Juicy Lucy taste like Julie? I got some budwood from you a couple of years ago. It bloomed for the first time this year and is holding on to a  number of mangoes.  Mid season mango?

My Julie seedling (Juicy Lucy) has fruit on it till mid / late July. I haven't tasted a "real" Julie either grown in Florida or Jamaica so I cannot say if it is similar in taste.
I can say this, at some times the fruit is better than others, possibly because of a ripening window?  Also some fruits have a HUGE proboscis, so big that passersby steal the fruit when they see one.



For informational purposes. In 2012 when I went to pick up Juicy Lucy it was in a decrepit wooden barrel on a salt water canal. We had to break the tap root and smash the barrel to extricate it, and many roots were destroyed and it did not experience any die back or even leaf drop :-)

At that time it had a black something or other on the bark like a burn from a fire, the leaves, the branches and fruit never showed any issues since getting it or planting it in 2012.

As a prophylactic measure upon planting it just in case it was some kind of mold I sprayed copper and later on Organocide on the trunk, and almost as if it were a burn mark the trunk has continued to grow showing clear clean new bark between the parts that appeared to be burned.  I have not sprayed anything on it since the planting it and it has remained clear of any typical Julie issues. It currently stands at around 11-12 feet tall and has never been pruned.

I gave away several grafted trees, all (AFAIK) have bloomed including one grafted one I have left in my yard if anyone wants it they are welcome to it.

[Jani]

How would you describe it...taste fiber etc.
That shape is pretty cool.

[gnappi]

How would you describe it...taste fiber etc.
That shape is pretty cool.

Describe taste? Mango-ey :-)

A bit of fiber, sweet, other than that as I said, flavor is elusive,  and as I don't have instant recall flavor buds I'll have to report back as they ripen.

 

[mangokothiyan]

How would you describe it...taste fiber etc.
That shape is pretty cool.

The fruit is pretty and the tree is  very productive

[pineislander]

Across the Caribbean Trinidad to Jamaica Julie is the mango people look forward to. I haven't had one in Donkey's years but remember them fondly.

[gnappi]

Across the Caribbean Trinidad to Jamaica Julie is the mango people look forward to. I haven't had one in Donkey's years but remember them fondly.

Well if you're over on this coast in season I'd welcome your opinion and you could take a bushel home with you :-)