Bombay (mango)

Bombay mango at the 15th Annual International Mango Festival at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Florida.

The Bombay mango is a named mango cultivar that originated in Jamaica.

History

Bombay was originally grown from a seed brought to Jamaica by immigrants from India.^[1] The fruit became popular due to its widely accepted flavor, and Bombay was eventually introduced into the United States via south Florida, where it is now sold as nursery stock. A 2005 pedigree analysis of the Florida mango cultivars found that Bombay was a parent of several mangoes which originated in the state, including Bailey's Marvel, Jacquelin, and Zill.^[2] All were estimated to have been Haden x Bombay crosses.

Description

Bombay mango at the Redland Summer Fruit Festival, Fruit and Spice Park, Homestead, Florida.

The fruit averages less than a pound at maturity and typically remains mostly green, with little red blush. The flesh is dark orange and completely fiber-less. It has a flavor described as being rich and spicy.

The trees are vigorous in growth and form open canopies.

References

1. http://www.virtualherbarium.org/tropicalfruit/mangotrees.html
2. Cecile T. Olano; Raymond J. Schnell; Wilber E. Quintanilla and Richard J. Campbell (2005). "Pedigree analysis of Florida mango cultivars" (PDF) (118). Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc: 192–197.