Family: Anacardiaceae

Mango is a large tree growing 20 to 100 feet tall.  Native to southern Asia, mangos have been enjoyed since the 4th century BC.  In the 15-16th centuries, the fruit was spread around the world by the Spanish and Portuguese and Muslim voyagers. The mango is long-lived, up to 300 years in the most suitable conditions.

Around the tropics, it is grown for the prized fruit. Eaten ripe or green, the mango is enjoyed in many ways. When looking to plant mango trees, it is essential to look at the variety relative to rainfall; some varieties are resistant to anthracnose (a natural occurrence that in wet areas will prevent fruit set) while others are not.

Dried flowers containing 15% tannin serve as astringents in cases of diarrhea, chronic dysentery, catarrh of the bladder, and chronic urethritis resulting from gonorrhea.  A relative of poison ivy, it exudes a sap that causes rashes in some. Severely sensitive people should avoid all forms of fresh mango (fruit, branches, leaves). Fruit contains Vitamins C, D, and A. The wood is beautiful, although not the highest quality.

Plant Uses:

• Edible
• Medicinal

Plant Dangers:

• Toxic to humans