Mango tree Palmer - Mangifera indica

Mangifera indica 'Palmer' is a variety of Mango Tree which is interesting for several reasons. It is one of the most cold-tolerant (down to -1°C, though everything is relative...) and it has low vigour, making it easier to grow in containers that can be overwintered frost-free. In subtropical climates, the plant produces beautifully coloured reddish-purple mangoes with slightly fibrous, sweet, and tender flesh. In our temperate climate, it will be appreciated mainly for its attractive evergreen foliage with an exotic appearance, as it will not bear fruit. It may possibly acclimatise outdoors in the mildest areas.

The Mango Tree belongs to the Anacardiaceae family. The genus comprises 69 species, of which only Mangifera indica is cultivated on a large scale in tropical, subtropical, and even warm Mediterranean regions, such as southern Andalusia in Spain (Costa Tropical). Native to Burma and India, where it has been cultivated for over 4,000 years, the Mango Tree is the most important fruit tree in the tropics after the banana tree. The tree typically reaches a height of 10 to 25 m, but can sometimes grow to over 30 m tall. It has a spreading habit due to the growth of numerous scaffold branches supported by a trunk that is often quite short. Its crown is rounded and relatively regular, forming a broad dome recognisable from afar by its dark green foliage. It bears evergreen, lanceolate, and elongated leaves, measuring from 10 cm up to 30 cm long and only 2 to 7 cm wide. Young leaves usually emerge in coppery-red tones, creating a lovely contrast against the mature dark foliage.
The Mango Tree produces an impressive number of flowers, grouped in terminal paniculate, yellowish-green inflorescences that measure 20 to 35 cm long. The abundance of flowers compensates for the extremely low fruit set rate, estimated at less than 1 in 1,000. Fruit set is the stage at which the fertilised flower begins to transform into fruit. In the Mango Tree, there are male-only flowers and hermaphroditic flowers, containing both female and male sexual parts. The plant is therefore capable of self-fertilisation, but depending on the region of the world where it grows, various animals or the wind may assist in fertilisation. The result is the large, well-known fruit, with sweet, vitamin-rich flesh, particularly high in vitamins C and A.
The 'Palmer' Mango Tree was selected in Florida. Slightly more cold-tolerant than others, though still frost-sensitive, it is also much less vigorous. It develops into a small tree a few metres tall and wide, with an irregular crown and slightly trailing branches. Its foliage is typical of Mango Trees, but its fruits have an original colour, red with a distinct purple hue. They weigh on average 350 to 600 grams, and their flesh is tender and sweet, with only a few fine fibres and a medium-sized stone. As the Mango Tree has a very taproot-dominated root system, it is generally poorly suited to container cultivation. While its foliage is truly interesting from an ornamental perspective, on the other hand, it is futile to expect it to flower and bear fruit unless you have a greenhouse in a southern region to plant it in. It is important to note that fruit production requires a very specific climate, warm and humid for vegetative growth, but also with a dry and cooler period of about three months to allow floral induction.

Grow the 'Palmer' Mango Tree for its looks, as its exotic appearance is undoubtedly ornamental, but remain realistic about the near-impossibility of enjoying its fruits. In a container, it will add a tropical touch to your garden or terrace when you bring it out during the warmer months. To accompany it, consider, for example, a Musella lasiocarpa, a type of dwarf banana tree nicknamed "Golden Lotus" due to its magnificent flowering that evokes the distant Tropics. The wide range of citrus trees available will help you complete your decor, as will Hibiscus or other plants in a similar vein.