Short answer: for a Florida yard, plant for disease tolerance and a spread of seasons. Glenn, Nam Doc Mai, Pickering, Cogshall, Keitt and Kent are reliable starting points. Add a sweeter specialty like Coconut Cream, Sweet Tart or Lemon Zest once you have the basics. Combine early, mid and late varieties and you can eat mangoes from late spring into early fall.
Why variety matters so much in Florida
Florida's warm, wet summers bring anthracnose, a fungal disease that blackens flowers and fruit. Some classic varieties, like Haden, struggle with it. Florida-bred and Southeast Asian types generally handle our humidity better. Yard size matters too: some mangoes grow into 40-foot trees, while "condo" varieties stay small with pruning.
Early season (roughly May to June)
- Glenn. One of the most dependable Florida mangoes: sweet, low-fiber, peachy, with good disease tolerance. A great first tree.
- Rosigold. Very early, compact, and often holds fruit well in humid springs.
- Florigon. An older Florida yellow mango known for consistent crops.
Mid season (roughly June to July)
- Nam Doc Mai. The classic long Thai dessert mango, fiberless and sweet. Handles humidity well and works in smaller yards with pruning.
- Pickering. A naturally compact, bushy tree with rich, coconut-hinted fruit. One of the best for small yards.
- Cogshall. Another compact "condo" mango with full, classic flavor.
- Coconut Cream. Creamy and very sweet. A modern Florida favorite.
- Sweet Tart. A sugary, tangy Florida selection, sweet with a citrus kick.
- Lemon Zest. Bright and tropical, with a lemony finish.
- Carrie. A small tree with rich, aromatic, fiberless fruit.
- Valencia Pride. Large, beautiful fruit on a vigorous tree. Give it room.
Late season (roughly July to September)
- Kent. Juicy, low-fiber and classic, ripening mid to late summer.
- Keitt. One of the latest, often into September, which stretches your season after most trees finish. Big fruit, good disease tolerance.
Best mangoes for small yards
Pickering, Cogshall, Rosigold, Carrie and Nam Doc Mai can be kept around 8 to 12 feet with yearly pruning after harvest. That leaves room for more variety, or for two or three mangoes on different seasons in one city lot.
Mango by region: Tampa Bay to Miami
Mangoes are cold-sensitive, especially young trees. In Miami, Naples and Fort Myers they grow almost anywhere in the yard. Around Sarasota, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch they do well with some protection. Around Tampa Bay, plant on the warm south side of the house, near water or pavement that holds heat, and avoid low spots where cold air settles. North of Fort Myers we don't plant mangoes from mid-December through January.
How we grow mangoes in a food forest
We plant mangoes on a mound or raised row for drainage. Papaya, banana, pigeon pea and lemongrass go around them as support plants, and the cuttings become chop-and-drop mulch. A mango generally takes a few years to fruit from a small grafted tree. A larger tree in a bigger pot fruits sooner. Always choose a grafted tree: seedlings can take many years and won't match the parent.
The Florida Family Fruit Guide has a two-page mango profile with regional fit, care and harvest, alongside 11 other family fruits and 13 rare adventure fruits.
Common questions
What is the best mango variety to grow in Florida?
Glenn is one of the most dependable all-around choices for Florida. Nam Doc Mai, Pickering, Cogshall, Kent and Keitt are also reliable, and planting early, mid and late varieties spreads your harvest.
What mango trees stay small?
Pickering, Cogshall, Rosigold, Carrie and Nam Doc Mai are compact or manageable varieties that can be kept around 8 to 12 feet with pruning after harvest.
Can you grow mangoes in Tampa?
Yes, in protected spots. Plant on the warm south side of the house or near water, avoid low cold pockets, and don't plant from mid-December through January when frost risk is highest.
How long does a mango tree take to fruit in Florida?
A grafted mango generally takes a few years to fruit. Larger trees in bigger pots fruit sooner; seedling trees can take many years.
Cold-tolerance and planting guidance in this article follows UF/IFAS Extension recommendations for Florida dooryard fruit.