This familiar tropical fruit tree is the Mango, Mangifera indica. It belongs to the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, along with cashew, pistachio and poison ivy. The species originated in southern Asia, particularly the region extending from northeastern India into Myanmar and Bangladesh, and has been cultivated by people for thousands of years.

Today, mangoes are grown throughout the tropical and subtropical world. In the Caribbean, the tree has become so familiar that it often seems native, even though it arrived through centuries of trade, migration and cultivation.

A mature Mango Tree can become very large, with a strong trunk, broad spreading branches and a dense, rounded crown. Older trees provide considerable shade and may remain productive for many decades.

The leaves are long, narrow and leathery, with smooth edges and a prominent central vein. Fresh growth often emerges in shades of red, bronze, copper or purple before gradually turning glossy dark green.

When a leaf or twig is crushed, it releases a distinctive resinous scent. That aroma is characteristic of the mango and its relatives in the cashew family.

The flowers are very small and appear in large, branching clusters called panicles. Hundreds or even thousands of cream, yellowish or pink-tinged flowers may occur in a single cluster, although only a small proportion will develop into mature fruit.

Mango flowers are visited by flies, bees, wasps and other insects that help transfer pollen. Fruit production can vary greatly from year to year, depending on weather, rainfall, pollination and the particular cultivar.

The mango itself is a drupe—the same general type of fruit as a peach or plum. It has an outer skin, a fleshy middle layer and one large, flattened stone containing the seed.

Mango fruits vary enormously. Depending on the cultivar, they may be round, oval, elongated or kidney-shaped, and their skin may remain green or develop yellow, orange, red or purple coloring as they ripen.

The flesh may be pale yellow, deep orange, firm, meltingly soft, nearly fiberless or quite stringy. Flavor also varies, from mild and sweet to rich, spicy, resinous or sharply tart.

Mangoes are eaten fresh and used in juices, preserves, chutneys, sauces, desserts and many savory dishes. Green mangoes may be sliced and eaten with salt, pepper or seasoning, while ripe fruit is valued for its sweetness and fragrance.

The skin, stem and sap contain compounds related to those found in poison ivy and may irritate sensitive skin. For most people, the peeled ripe flesh is entirely familiar as food, but the sap should still be handled carefully.

Named mango cultivars are usually propagated by grafting rather than seed. A seed-grown tree may produce fruit quite different from its parent, while grafting preserves the qualities of a particular cultivar.

The Mango Tree is therefore more than a source of delicious fruit. Its bronze new leaves, enormous flower clusters, broad shade and extraordinary variety of fruits make it one of the most important and beloved trees of the tropical world.

When a mango is ripening, color may offer some clues, but fragrance and slight softness are often better signs that the fruit is ready.