Which of the classic mango tree's would you recommend that everyone have?

[bovine421]

I'm contemplating on grafting Edwards to my fruit punch. Everyone in my family really likes it.We have not tried some of the others.That are your recommendations for classic mangoes?

[johnb51]

"Tete Nene Julie Pickering Dot Sonpari Mallika PPK E-4 OS   Fruit Punch SweetTart Honey Kiss M-4 Neelam"

Is this what you currently have?

[Satya]

I could choose from a list. What are classic mangoes in FL. I am thinking Keitt, Kent, Haden, Mulgoba, Hatcher, Spirit of 76, Palmer, Irwin...pls add more to the list or correct if i am wrong. I like Edward as well, tried a lot to add White pirie to one of it’s branches but it didn’t like so it is single standing tree with no additional grafts. Dot if it is considered a classic would be by my another favorite too.

[bovine421]

"Tete Nene Julie Pickering Dot Sonpari Mallika PPK E-4 OS   Fruit Punch SweetTart Honey Kiss M-4 Neelam"

Is this what you currently have?

Yes

[Satya]

Ok may be i got it wrong, did you mean classic flavored mango varieties?

[bovine421]

I was thinking about the old school mango varieties

[bovine421]

Flavor-wise how would you rank the old school mango. Top three

[johnb51]

I was thinking about the old school mango varieties

I think Kent (MBBS prone) and Beverly are good.  Not so "old school" but with a classic flavor--Providence (MBBS prone).  "New school" but with an intense classic flavor (allegedly)--Carla.

[bovine421]

So Edwards and Kent would be a good representation of the old school mango

[EddieF]

Kent might be what came with my house 15yrs ago, does this sound like it?
I take probably 8' off top throughout year to maintain 10' height,
Anthracnose constantly,
Super sweet delicious with some fiber but it's worth every fiber i pick out of my teeth,
Passes sticky test- wash hands & face & still sticky for 10 minutes,
Very orange & juicy flesh tree ripened.  I love them & got me prepping lot next to me for more varieties

[FMfruitforest]

Kent, Haden

[Squam256]

Some of my favorite classically flavored mangos (in No particular order)

Ah Ping
Cotton Candy
Maya
Edward
Smith (Hawaiian, not the Florida one)
Bailey’s Marvel
Spirit of 76
Karen Michelle
Chino
USDA “Himsagar”

Then there’s what I term the classic-acidic/subacid group:
Dot
Zill-80
Carla
Fruit Punch
Harvest Moon

[Satya]

Some of my favorite classically flavored mangos (in No particular order)

Ah Ping
Cotton Candy
Maya
Edward
Smith (Hawaiian, not the Florida one)
Bailey’s Marvel
Spirit of 76
Karen Michelle
Chino
USDA “Himsagar”

Then there’s what I term the classic-acidic/subacid group:
Dot
Zill-80
Carla
Fruit Punch
Harvest Moon

Alex, is it true that Karen Michelle has a richer flavor early in the season compared to later? I tried some in July and were blandish and some mango lover i met during mango purchase mentioned they were superb a month before. I love the fruit size and color and most importantly the aroma is excellent but taste was washed out.

[johnb51]

I'm sure Alex/Squam knows what he's talking about.

[Future]

Some of my favorite classically flavored mangos (in No particular order)

Ah Ping
Cotton Candy
Maya
Edward
Smith (Hawaiian, not the Florida one)
Bailey’s Marvel
Spirit of 76
Karen Michelle
Chino
USDA “Himsagar”

Then there’s what I term the classic-acidic/subacid group:
Dot
Zill-80
Carla
Fruit Punch
Harvest Moon

Hmm. Two mangoes I haven’t ever had in the same post. Add Smith and Chino to 2021’s wanted list.

[Mike T]

Wouldn't the classics be pre WW2 types like Haden and KP as well as a swag of Indian and Thai types?

[sunny]

Tommy Atkings of course..

[TonyinCC]

The best mango I ate this year was a Cotton Candy.
 First crop for the tree, 13 fruit. Picked the first one mid June since I had heard it was a late season fruit.  Most had uneven ripening but one in mid July was absolutely perfectly balanced.  It had classic flavor with just a hint of coconut. The earlier ones had more straight very sweet classic mango flavor, after the start of July they got progressively more coconut flavor to them. After mid July they were almost too sweet as acidity decreased.
Hoping they are more consistent and crop next year.
  An Edgar tree the same size next to it held over 40 fruit and had cropped the two previous years. It deserves an honorable mention as a classic peachy mango with a bright flavor and a hint of citrus. Ripened well when picked either mature green and then waiting for near full yellow/orange color before eating or showing color and near tree ripe before picking and then finished off the tree a few days. I bet this would be a great mango in dry areas. Seems more susceptible to BBS/anthracnose than Cotton Candy but ripens earlier. A very good mango, productive and precocious. Branch bending crop, I had to reshape the tree since the main scaffolds bent downwards from the weight of fruit. It should have wide appeal.  Had to pick them by beginning of August but their season was about 10 weeks long. The last ones were ugly but damage was just cosmetic.
 Getting back to Cotton Candy, the tree only grew a foot this year so far, it got no nitrogen because I don't really want it too much bigger.  Aaron on the forum (not too far from me) said he had a crop last year but none this year. His tree was about the same size as mine. Not very precocious but can be amazingly good. At beginning of August they were just starting to show BBS damage with minor cracking so I picked the last few then and they were ok. Foliage stayed healthy. I don't think they will be useable much past early August for me. Hoping they would last until September.  Aaron said his had coconut flavor. Has anyone on the East Coast of Florida or California noticed coconut in late season Cotton Candy fruit?  If I had room for only a few trees I would not plant it, but if you have room for a collection of trees it is another story.

[Satya]

My cotton candy is growing pretty slow as well, not ready to bear fruit. This year i added Orange Essence to its second leading branch. The Cotton candies i had this year from east coast had no coconut flavor. They were all pretty sweet with mild classic flavor, no sub-acid flavor or any complex flavor. Hopefully mine will fruit next year.

[TonyinCC]

My Cotton Candy tree grew pretty quickly since I pushed it with fertilizer early on and was big enough to hold some fruit the past two years. It hardly grew this year so far.  The recent rains might make it flush though. They had a little subacid flavor, maybe just a slight hint of pineapple early in the season but it disappeared later on. The last ones were like a supersweet coconut cream, but to me a perfect mango is one that is balanced with fruit flavor, sweetness, and acidity. A nice aroma adds to the experience and would help me decide between planting otherwise similar mangoes. Cotton Candy had some aroma but not very strong.

[johnb51]

Aren't Cotton Candy and M-4 siblings?  Is M-4 the better of the two?

[TonyinCC]

They are siblings.
I have not personally tasted M4, but a very experienced forum member I gave Cotton Candy to try was impressed and thought it was excellent, better and more complex than some of the early forum descriptions. He grows M4 and said they can be REALLY good too. I can't wait to taste it but probably won't plant one.
 I have seen some pretty dirty looking M4 mangoes in taste test videos. So far my Cotton Candy fruit has stayed relatively clean with no spraying UNTIL about the end of July/early August. At that point I had to pick the rest.  I suspect M4 if not sprayed would be similar if not worse once August rolls around. Both might have some alternate bearing tendencies but not much data has been reported.

[bsbullie]

One of the best flavored classic mangoes is Spirit of 76.

[mangokothiyan]

Aren't Cotton Candy and M-4 siblings?  Is M-4 the better of the two?

My Cotton Candy produced fruit for the first time this year - close to 60. Awesome flavor, with a hint of Gary mango in it. I also got to taste M4, from Brandon's loaded tree. I liked it even more than Cotton Candy and converted a Super Julie into an M-4.

[bsbullie]

Aren't Cotton Candy and M-4 siblings?  Is M-4 the better of the two?

If you want to call it that...as is Delores and possibly Honey Kiss (all Keitt seedling that potentially had Gary as parent).