NDM vs NDM#4

[Epicatt2]

Are 'Nam Doc Mai' and 'Nam Doc Mai #4' the same or are they different?

If different then how, exactly?  And how does one know the difference?  Are there visible ways to tell?

I'm still mostly novice with mangoes so help is appreciated . . . .

Cheers!

Paul M.
Tampa — 9b
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[Jagmanjoe]

I would be interested in hearing a response to this from one of our knowledgeable forum members.  I recall hearing about a couple of other what I call sub varieties.  I believe one was mentioned to me as NDM Sia Tong and there was another mentioned at the same time Nam Doc Mai Si Meung.

My additional questions to this would be if the flavors are very comparable, are there differences in the disease resistance, growth rate, or perhaps fruit production timing.

[Timbogrow]

NDM #4 is a real slow growing dwarf tree. NDM is a larger tree. Supposedly same fruit. I got some fruit from homestead a couple months ago listed as NDM and growing the seed since it is polyembryonic. Maybe there is something else I'm not aware of. Hope that helps. Have a great day!

[Jose Spain]

You have very good information about the different clones in the web of Alex: https://www.tropicalacresfarms.com/mangos?lang=es

[MANGOJOY]

I heard there is also a namdoc mai gold and Namdoc mai purple.

[Cookie Monster]

Here in FL, there were 2 main clones of nam doc mai being sold. Previous to about 2010, the clone found in most nurseries was a large tree and took many years to begin regular production. After around 2010, the #4 clone came into popularity due to its generally smaller size and better precocity. However, it does seem to have a problem with splitting, and the tree can become stunted.

Unfortunately, I don't know what the non #4 clone is called (perhaps it's the 'Mun'?). Alex at Tropical Acres Farms will likely know.

My neighbor planted the seed of a #4 mango, and it has characteristics more closely resembling the regular / non #4 cultivar.

[Honest Abe]

I asked Alex for NDM this season. He gave me a box of what i believe was both NDM varieties grown here, NDM Mun and standard NDM. The “mun” flesh was a darker orange and a little bit richer in flavor to me, noticeably more intense and concentrated NDM taste which I still can’t tell If i like better or not. Both types were very close in size and shape, but certainly noticeably different side by side. For the record I removed my NDM tree because I realized was over my septic drain field, but it had not flowered or fruited in 5 years either. I’d call it a very frustrating variety to grow until very mature. That was the standard, non-number 4 variety. It grows in intense flushes but then dormant for many months. Maybe 2 gigantic flushes a year.

[Eggo]

About 20 years ago i was researching quite a bit on Thai varieties. I wanted a green sweet crunchy variety that was also good ripe soft eating. Everything pointed me to NDM as the to go one.  I went out and bought one. Grew it, the green crunchy fruit was always extremely sour no matter how mature the mango was. I thought i was doing something wrong or just had the wrong condition. It was not until years and years later i realized there's a NDM#4 which is what I had. I never thought about it much just thought for some strange reason the nursery was numbering their plants, lol.  Mun in thai seems to indicate eating green. Maybe the original and Mun is the same.  While the #4 is defintely not sweet while hard green.

[Squam256]

There are more than 30 numbered- types of Nam Doc Mai in Thailand.

The first ones to be introduced to the US in the 1970s by Robert Knight were NDM #8 and 11. These are vigorous, vertical growers and not very precocious. They account for most of the older (talking 30+ year old) NDM trees you’ll find in Florida.

The #4 is now the dominant NDM in the nursery trade here, due to a more compact growth habit and higher precocity. I personally do not like it due to the tendency for fruit splitting.

We currently grow the #4, Nam Doc Mai Sia Tong (the “Golden” NDM) and the NDM Mun. The Mun has been the most productive of these, produces fuller size fruit compared to Sia Tong and rarely ever splits. Supposedly it can be eaten green as the other iterations of NDM aren’t typically consumed this way, but I’ve only had it ripe. I don’t find much difference in flavor in any of them personally though I imagine there’s some minute differences.

[Cookie Monster]

Does the mun tend to get softnose? The pictures I see of the mun all look yellow on the bottom.

The traditional NDM (the one I have -- about 20 years old) is delicious when eaten green mature, very sweet with tart and crunchy.

There are more than 30 numbered- types of Nam Doc Mai in Thailand.

The first ones to be introduced to the US in the 1970s by Robert Knight were NDM #8 and 11. These are vigorous, vertical growers and not very precocious. They account for most of the older (talking 30+ year old) NDM trees you’ll find in Florida.

The #4 is now the dominant NDM in the nursery trade here, due to a more compact growth habit and higher precocity. I personally do not like it due to the tendency for fruit splitting.

We currently grow the #4, Nam Doc Mai Sia Tong (the “Golden” NDM) and the NDM Mun. The Mun has been the most productive of these, produces fuller size fruit compared to Sia Tong and rarely ever splits. Supposedly it can be eaten green as the other iterations of NDM aren’t typically consumed this way, but I’ve only had it ripe. I don’t find much difference in flavor in any of them personally though I imagine there’s some minute differences.

[Eggo]

Does the mun tend to get softnose? The pictures I see of the mun all look yellow on the bottom.

The traditional NDM (the one I have -- about 20 years old) is delicious when eaten green mature, very sweet with tart and crunchy.

There are more than 30 numbered- types of Nam Doc Mai in Thailand.

The first ones to be introduced to the US in the 1970s by Robert Knight were NDM #8 and 11. These are vigorous, vertical growers and not very precocious. They account for most of the older (talking 30+ year old) NDM trees you’ll find in Florida.

The #4 is now the dominant NDM in the nursery trade here, due to a more compact growth habit and higher precocity. I personally do not like it due to the tendency for fruit splitting.

We currently grow the #4, Nam Doc Mai Sia Tong (the “Golden” NDM) and the NDM Mun. The Mun has been the most productive of these, produces fuller size fruit compared to Sia Tong and rarely ever splits. Supposedly it can be eaten green as the other iterations of NDM aren’t typically consumed this way, but I’ve only had it ripe. I don’t find much difference in flavor in any of them personally though I imagine there’s some minute differences.

Anyone have these older NDM version that they would like to sell scions of?  Thanks!