Edward (mango) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mangifera 'Edward'
Display of Edward mango at the Redland Summer Fruit Festival, Fruit and Spice Park, Homestead, Florida
Genus	Mangifera
Species	Mangifera indica
Hybrid parentage	'Haden' × 'Carabao'
Cultivar	'Edward'
Breeder	Edward Simmonds
Origin	Florida, US

The Edward' mango is a special type of mango. It first grew in south Florida, USA. This mango is famous for its amazing taste. Many people think it's one of the best-tasting mangoes from Florida.

How the Edward Mango Was Created

A New Kind of Mango

In the early 1900s, Edward Simmonds worked for the USDA in Miami, Florida. He noticed that mangoes from India often got sick easily in Florida. They also didn't always produce a lot of fruit.

So, in the 1920s, Simmonds started a special project. He wanted to mix Indian mangoes with mangoes from Southeast Asia. He hoped to create new types that had the best parts of both. He wanted the nice color and flavor of Indian mangoes. He also wanted the good taste and strong health of Southeast Asian mangoes.

The First Hybrid Mango

One result of Simmonds' project was a new mango. It was a mix of the Haden mango and the Carabao mango. The Carabao mango is also called a Philippine-type mango. This new mango grew at Simmonds' home in Miami.

People soon found that this fruit tasted wonderful. It was named 'Edward' after Edward Simmonds. David Sturrock officially described it in the late 1930s. The information about it was published in 1944. People started growing it to sell around 1948.

Why It's Special

The Edward mango is known for its amazing flavor. It also resists diseases better than many other mangoes. However, it doesn't grow a lot of fruit in Florida. Its color is also not as bright as its parent, the Haden mango.

Because of this, the Edward mango isn't grown much for big farms. But it's very popular for people to grow in their own yards.

Edward's Mango Family

The Edward mango might have been one of the first mixes of Indian and Indochinese mangoes. Some studies suggest that Haden was definitely one of its parents. But the Carabao parentage is still debated.

The Edward mango has also become a parent itself. Several other Florida mangoes grew from its seeds. These include the Duncan and Young mangoes. They were also part of special breeding programs. Edward might also be a parent to the Angie and Coconut Cream mangoes.

Where Edward Mangoes Grow Today

Today, many plant nurseries in Florida still sell Edward mango trees. People buy them to grow at home. You can also find Edward trees in special plant collections. These include the USDA's plant storage in Miami. They are also at the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida. And you can see them at the Miami-Dade Fruit and Spice Park, also in Homestead.

What Does the Edward Mango Look Like?

The Tree

The Edward mango tree grows very strongly. It has a big, thick top part, like a large umbrella. The tree is pretty good at fighting off a plant disease called anthracnose. It produces fruit regularly, but not a lot of it.

The Fruit

The Edward mango fruit is shaped like an oval or a long oval. Its surface is a bit wavy. Each fruit usually weighs between 16 and 22 ounces. That's about the same as a small can of soda.

The skin of the mango is bright yellow. It often has a pink or reddish tint. You might also see small white spots on it. The skin doesn't have much wax.

Inside, the fruit's flesh is soft and juicy. It has no fibers, which makes it very smooth to eat. The flesh is a deep yellow to orange color. It tastes rich and sweet, with a nice, mild smell. The fruit has one seed inside.

Many people in Florida think the Edward mango is one of the best-tasting mangoes. It usually ripens in Florida from May to July.