Edited to include link
Florida rootstock trees don’t perform well for most gardeners
http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=15673.0
So, why not just plant a mango tree that you buy from the local nursery like you would any other fruit tree? There are several reasons. Firstly, Mangos are marginal here in SoCal and although they can withstand the cold in some counties of Southern California, they cannot easily grow unprotected in many other counties of SoCal. Mango growth is heavily influenced by climate and wether new growth is vegetative(leaves and shoots) or floral is primarily dependent on temperature. This holds true for Mangos in SoCal but not necessarily in warmer climates where age of previous flushes can also be of major significance. Aside from age of flushes and temperature, nutrition can aid in flowering promoting bigger or more flowers and can even help inhibit fruit drop.
Please see this article for in depth information on Mango flowering:
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1677-04202007000400007&script=sci_arttext
Simon
I have to chime in with your opinion that Florida rootstock tree may not do great in California. I learned this after killing all avocado trees from Florida and Puerto Rico.
I think because of the difference in humidity rather than temperature. If I have to buy any fruit tree from Florida I will buy it in the Winter so the tree will have a time to adjust (acclimate) to So. Cal humidity and temperature.
Elijah, you will have to read through the entire thread to know the potential issues with the Florida rootstock trees. Not everyone has issues with the Florida Turpentine rootstock trees, the Florida Turpentine rootstock trees are actually great rootstocks unless they are sent to us from a nursery that is shipping us root bound or J rooted trees.
The main root cause of the issues is our climate, specifically the microclimates that have fewer heat units. When the average tempersture is below the temperature required for bloom induction, our trees will bloom which cause the branches to bend from the weight of the blooms and fruit.
The bending also causes mechanical stress that is exacerbated by the summer sunlight which can now burn the exposed branches (since they are bent). The bent branches can get micro tears that lets in Phomopsis and other organisms that can cause die back.
For areas with more heat units in Southern California, there is less of an issue because the blooming period is significantly shorter because the primary stimulus for bloom induction is the cold weather. For warmer areas, the vegetative growth period is longer and the trees can outgrow many of the potential issues.
In cooler areas like where I live, my trees are still in heavy blooms and I only get 2-3 months of actual vegetative growth.
The humidity will affect diseases but it is not the primary issue with rootstocks originating from Florida.
Seedling trees, including Turpentine rootstock trees are great for rootstocks because they are in their juvenile phase of growth where they lack the floral induction hormones that triggers flowering.
So in essence, it is the grafting with mature scions that is one of the true issues we have with our mango trees.
Planting as many different kinds of mango seedlings and finding one that grows vigorously in each persons particular yard is the best way to get a good rootstock going.
