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The event was awesome and it was great to see a bunch of good friends. My favorites for the tasting, in no particular order was Sweet Tart, Kathy, CAC, Seniorita and Creme Brûlée. The most surprising for me was CAC because at my place, it’s often washed out but I occasionally get a top tier fruit. The CAC at this tasting was on point and it just had a perfectly balanced excellent mango flavor. Seniorita was also showing good form and although it wasn’t as good as I last had it, it was showing much of its potential.
Simon
Final taste results were somewhat surprising. Sweettart is the perennial favorite as it has a rich sweetness, firm dense texture, and indochinese tang, and it didn't disappoint although it was dethroned by Kathy which had a more subdued indochinese flavor while adding hints of coconut in the background. Interestingly, venus was also in the consensus top 5, so the 3 siblings were well-represented.
One of our worries was that some of our mangos aren't quite as flavorful in early October, and indeed some weren't ready. Some others though were outstanding or showed outstanding promise.
The consensus top 5 were:
1-Kathy
2-Sweettart
3-Cookie Monster OS
4-Creme brulee
5-Venus
My top 10 were:
1-Kathy
2-KH-3
3-Mohan (green)
4-Cac
5- Cookie Monster OS
6-Venus
7-La Habra Sorbete
8-Lemon Zest
9-Senorita
10-Gary seedling
I ate only Mexican mangoes for the longest time so I always thought mango was nothing special until I discovered Zill variety. Now it's one of my favorite fruit.Seeing all these mango grown in CA is amazing.Yes, we only ate Mexican mangoes back in the 1980's. The conventional wisdom was that mango trees won't grow in CA.
Please let us know which one are your top 5 and which one do well in SoCal that's productive and disease resistant.
Thanks!
Good point. Venus is one of my favorites: great indochinese flavor, consistent production, smaller / easy to control tree, good disease resistance, and late season. I was just telling my wife that we need to plant another one in the grove.Not to mention the fruit size is gigantic. The ones I had last week were top tier excellence! The m4 I ate this morning was really really really delicious also!Interesting that Venus didn't make the list in the poll.
Here is Sweet Tart in El Monte. My highest brix fruit. It's very productive and vigorous. I have 7 fruits on a 2 year old grafts.
Good going on your fruit!
Just a friendly reminder that many of the refractometers directions state to put 1-2 drops of juice for the Brix readings. Chunks/bits of fruit can alter the Brix readings. Sweet Tart does get super sweet but you may want to see what kind of reading you get if it’s just the juice.
greenerpasteur, what did you just replaced?Thai Jumbo to Dark Dragon.
I will put some mst on my Thai Jumbo next year.
Kaz, the flowers just open today. The new leaves are light yellow. It is one of the properties to help identify mst from others.
Nice, so you have the Black Gold. Did you get a fruit on your tree and tasted it yet?It flowers but didn't set fruits. Friend said it dropped easily and not his top 3 Thai jumbo. This is coming from a guy who tried 12+ wax jambu.
I didn't know Dark Dragon was so expensive for such a small tree. I will wait until next year when the prices drop.
Ok, just picked up the Black Gold, thanks Seng and Seanny for the info.
The tree was on sale for $75, it is very healthy like my MST (from EKT) and the guy had about 8 trees, I'm happy. This person sells from his home, it is only 10minutes from me so that worked out. Here's his FB post "for sale".
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/109289725755732/?hoisted_items=1261858931908077
He also has the Red Illma grafted, those trees looked really healthy as well. I may go back to buy one tree, he said he had about 30 trees. His prices are good now, not sure if this sale price is the normal selling price but the Black Gold showed$285crossed out and is now $75.
I'll take a few photos of my new Black Gold later today and post it.
No way that tree is 10 years old unless it’s tapped into the sewage line. That would be spectacular growth for SoCA.
Who knew that El Monte would be the mango capital of the west coast. I had to look on a map to find it.
Hi Greenerpasteur,
I don't see any ants or pests on your tree. How you did it?
Do you sell the Red Rocket scions or Air-layer? The one I brought from Mimosa is not red rocket.
Thanks,
Al
I have a few with ants. I usually manage by spraying around the perimeter of my yard.
If are looking for scions, I can spare you some. It's not a very productive variety. I'm in San Gabriel Valley area
Thanks, I am live close to that area and I go to that area every weekend. Please let me know what is the best time to meet during the weekend.
If you need any scions from me, please let me know.
Thanks,
Al
Hi Greenerpasteur,
I don't see any ants or pests on your tree. How you did it?
Do you sell the Red Rocket scions or Air-layer? The one I brought from Mimosa is not red rocket.
Thanks,
Al
Cac - super productive. I'm in Orange, 8 miles from the beach. Got loads of fruit on 1 branch that has powered it's way to production size in just 3 or 4 years.
Pound for pound, it is as productive as the best producers for me - honey kiss, sweet tart, venus. I've got someone coming over soon for a fig tasting, but I'll take a picture soon. Also, with respect to taste, cAC is up there with the best after trying a few earlier this season, it is now in my top tier category. Medium sized, fiberless, very sweet, sometimes with a tropical Hawaiian Punch like aftertaste. Ended up as my second son's favorite mango
True the Cac mango is vigorous and very delicious indeed but at my location Cac has been a shy producer taking 5-7 years just to come into production in SoCal. In contrast the Orange Sherbet grafts that are (3) years of age, are loaded with high quality fruit in 2025 and is a better choice for our location based on my observations. I do love Cac though I just wish it was more consistent in terms of production at my location. What does well in Florida does not necessarily mean it does well in California.
Johnny
I just grafted many Orange Sherbert on my 2 trees that I dug up last year. Hope they taste good here. Next year I can graft more on my 2 old trees.
Asked Alex @ TAF for Top 5 mangoes for SoCal, and he recommended Sweet Tart, peach cobbler, Cac, Cotton Candy and to consider "Sunrise" for SoCal location on manila root stock. Never tasted Sunrise but other 4 are excellent tasting Mangoes. Sad that Lemon zest cannot make it to top 5.
I can vouch for Sweet Tart, Cac, Peach Cobbler and Cotton Candy. They grow well and will set fruit even with Powdery Mildew. I’m not growing Sunrise but a friend is and his tree is growing well last I heard.
Lemon Zest is one of my favorite mangos but the Powdery Mildew severely inhibits fruit set and the PM also causes the new growth flushes to get distorted in shape. For those that can spray with sulfur every 7-10 days, pre bloom to fruit set, you can still get a good harvest from Lemon Zest. Also, for those living in an area with good air circulation such as at the top of a hill, you can get good fruit set without spraying.
Simon
