Mango tree Tommy Atkins - Mangifera indica

Mangifera indica 'Tommy Atkins' is the most widely cultivated variety of Mango tree in Florida, where it is prized in intensive orchards for its high yield and because its fruit withstands transportation well. The tree exhibits vigorous growth and a spreading habit, forming a fairly wide, rounded crown. Its evergreen foliage is a beautiful, glossy, dark green. This tropical fruit tree is very cold-sensitive, so it can only be planted experimentally in the mildest areas. Elsewhere, container cultivation will be obligatory to shelter it throughout the cold season.

The Mango tree is a member of the Anacardiaceae family, which also includes the Cashew tree, which produces the famous cashew nut. In our more temperate climates, we are most familiar with Cotinus, or Smoke Bush. There are no fewer than 69 species of mango trees, but only Mangifera indica is cultivated on a large scale, to the extent of producing the second most economically important tropical fruit (after the banana). It originates from an area stretching from India to Burma, in a climate dominated by monsoons. Cultivated in India for over 4000 years, the botanical species is becoming rare in the wild, unlike the horticultural varieties whose industrial plantations have since developed in many tropical, subtropical, or even warm Mediterranean countries such as Israel and, closer to us, Andalusia.
The Mango tree forms a very beautiful tree, with a wide, rounded crown, most often reaching 10 to 25 m in height, while some older specimens can sometimes exceed 30 m. Its thick, short trunk supports numerous branches that spread out to give it its characteristic silhouette, somewhat reminiscent of the parasol pines of the South of France. The foliage is quite ornamental, consisting of lanceolate leaves about 5 times longer than wide and measuring up to 30 cm in length. The young foliage is often tinged with coppery red, creating a lovely contrast with the dark green mature vegetation, with a shiny surface. Flowering occurs in large terminal, 20 to 35 cm long panicles, composed of countless small greenish-yellow flowers, of which less than one in a thousand will develop into a fruit. The Mango tree bears male flowers and others that are hermaphroditic, containing both female (pistil) and male (stamen) sexual parts and capable of self-fertilisation (although different animals in various countries often intervene in the process). The mangoes then develop to form large fruits so prized for their sweet taste and constitute a complete food, rich in vitamins C and A.
The 'Tommy Atkins' Mango tree is derived from a seedling of the 'Haden' variety selected by Thomas H. Atkins in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and planted in 1922. Facing numerous rejections from growers due to the slightly high fibre content of the variety and its slightly less sweet taste compared to others, its breeder nevertheless succeeded, through persistence, in establishing it on the market, thanks mostly to its excellent transportability. In addition to Florida, where it ripens in July, it is now cultivated in Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, and even Hawaii. The fruit is oval, medium to large (dimensions 12.5 x 10 cm and average weight 520 g), and its skin has a yellow-green base colour enhanced with a scarlet red blush. The flesh is yellow, very firm, quite fibrous, and with a pleasant taste, though not at the level of the best varieties. This variety is vigorous, with a more upright habit than others and an open crown. As a result, it is reputed to be difficult to contain in terms of its development.

'Tommy Atkins' is not the easiest variety to manage in containers in our climates; 'Palmer' is more suitable. It is also important to know that it is futile to expect flowering, let alone fruiting, in climatic conditions so far from the plant's optimum. Even in the tropics, the plant is demanding, requiring a drier and cooler period to promote floral induction, followed by a wet period to encourage growth. You will also need a greenhouse or a large conservatory to overwinter your container in good conditions. To enhance the tropical atmosphere that your mango tree will inevitably create, you can pair it with a Banana tree. Also consider citrus trees like Buddha's Hand with its exotic appearance and "true" Hibiscus (H. rosa-sinensis).