Know your Mangoes – Mango Cultivars South Africa

By Candyce Boufe

Start looking for the different South African mango cultivars on our shelves. Tommy Atkins mangoes are first to arrive in early December and are available into January. You’ll know this medium to large-sized fruit from its thick skin and sunset orange-red colouring.

Next up is Kent and Keitt, both available from February to early April. These green-skinned mangoes (Keitt has a slight apricot blush) remain green even when ripe and ready to eat, and boast firm, fibreless, fragrant flesh with a sweet flavour.

To judge ripeness, gently squeeze the fruit: ripe mangoes ‘give’ slightly under your fingers. Firm mangoes ripen at room temperature over a few days.

Mangoes are high in vitamins A, C, and biotin, and the mineral potassium. This yummy fruit is also a source of vitamins B1 and B6, and free from fat, sodium and cholesterol – so many more reasons to pack a mango in your padkos, cooler, or along with your braai pack these holidays!

Mango Seasonal Chart

TOMMY ATKINS

tommy atkins mango
This fruit is available from end November into January and is a large oval mango with an orange-red background colour and exceptional red blush. The flesh is reasonably fibreless.

SABRE

Sabre Mango
This fruit is available from late November until the end of January and is small to medium sized, with a long and slender shape, and is yellow in colour with red cheeks. It is one of the traditional fibre mango cultivars and has a rich, sweet flavour.

PEACH

Peach Mango
This fruit is available from late November until the end of January and is a medium sized fruit with an attractive orange-yellow background colour and red cheeks. It is one of the traditional fibre mango cultivars and has a sweet flavour.

ZILL

ZILL MANGO
This fruit is available from late November through to February and is a small to medium mango. It has a green to yellow background colour with a slight red blush. The flesh is firm and fibreless with a mild to sweet flavour.

SENSATION

SENSATION MANGO
This fruit is available from around February into April and is small to medium in size with a green background and a purple blush that turns to red when ripe. The flesh is firm and fibreless and the flavour is mild, yet sweet.

KENT

Kent Mango
This fruit is available from February to early April and is medium to large sized. Its skin remains predominantly green in colour, even when ripe and ready to eat. The flesh is firm and fibreless with a very fragrant, sweet flavour.

HEIDI

HEIDI
This fruit is available from February until the end of April, is medium to large in size and heart shaped with yellow and red colouring. It has a succulent, sweet flesh and a uniquely aromatic mango flavour.

KEITT

Keitt
This fruit is available from February into April and is large with a green background colour and an apricot blush. Like Kent, the background remains green when ripe and ready to eat. Its flesh is firm and fibreless with a mild, sweet flavour.

Put Mmmmm Mangoes on your Menu!

Because the only thing better than holidays, are holidays filled with the fragrance and flavour of summer, which is exactly what you get every time you indulge in sweet, succulent mangoes.

Whether you’re heading for the ‘Berg, beach, or bush these holidays, or taking it easy at home with afternoon and suppertime braais, put summer on your plate with tantalising mango mains, sides, or desserts.

Try our top Mango recipes. Click here.

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