Irwin (mango)

The original Irwin tree was a seedling of the Lippens cultivar that was open-cross pollinated with Haden,[1] planted on the property of F.D. Irwin in Miami, Florida in 1939.[2] The tree first bore fruit in 1945 and was named and described in 1949.[3] The fruit gained commercial acceptance due to its good production, flavor, relative disease resistance, and attractive color. 'Irwin' has also been sold as a nursery stock tree for home growing in Florida.

Today, Irwin is grown on a commercial scale in a number of countries, including South Korea, (particularly on Jeju Island), Japan, Taiwan, and Australia, where it was introduced in the 1970s.[4]

The Irwin mango was first grown in Taiwan in 1962 by Cheng Han-chih (鄭罕池) in Douliuzai Village, Yujing District, Tainan, Taiwan. In 1973, the government designated Douliuzai Village as a mango special agricultural zone. By the 1970s the residents of Douliuzai Village were known for their wealth due to mango cultivation. Cheng Han-chih is considered to be the godfather of Taiwan's lucrative modern mango industry. Irwin mangos have been the most popular mango in the Taiwanese market for fifty years.[5]

Irwin trees are planted in the collections of the USDA's germplasm repository in Miami,[6] the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida,[7] and the Miami-Dade Fruit and Spice Park,[8] also in Homestead.

Irwin fruit is of ovate shape, with a rounded base and a pointed apex, lacking a beak. The smooth skin develops an eye-catching dark red blush at maturity. The flesh is yellow and has a mild but sweet flavor and a pleasant aroma.[9] It is fiberless and contains a monoembryonic seed. The fruit typically mature from June to July in Florida[10] and is often born in clusters.

The trees are moderately vigorous growers capable of exceeding 20 feet in height if left unpruned, developing open canopies.

• List of mango cultivars