Young (mango)

The 'Young' mango, also known as the 'Tebow' mango, is a named mango cultivar that originated in south Florida.

History

The original tree was the result of a mango hybridization program begun in 1956 and conducted by David Sturrock of West Palm Beach, Florida.^[1] Sturrock crossed several varieties, including the 'Edward' and 'Kent' cultivars. 'Edward x Kent #14', which grew from an 'Edward' seed, was named 'Young' after Dr. T.W. Young. It first fruited in 1964 and was deemed the only variety from its group worth keeping and evaluating.

'Young' trees were planted in other locations, including the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida,^[2] and the Miami-Dade Fruit and Spice Park.^[3] However, the cultivar was not heavily propagated for close to 40 years until it began being marketed under the name 'Tebow', with the name coming from quarterback Tim Tebow.^[4] Tebow's association with the fruit has led to him being frequently referred to as "The Fifth Highwayman".

Description

The fruit has a roundish shape similar to 'Kent', lacking a lateral beak, and averages about a pound in weight. The skin color is golden yellow with orange blush, similar to its parent 'Edward'. The flesh is pale yellow, fiberless and has a very mild flavor. It contains a small monoembryonic seed. The fruit has good fungus resistance and trees are productive. The fruit typically ripens from July to August in Florida.

References