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 some commercial scale in a number of countries, including South Korea Jeju Island, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia, where it was introduced in the 1970s.[4]

Irwin trees are planted in the collections of the USDA's germplasm repository in Miami,[5] the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida,[6] and the Miami-Dade Fruit and Spice Park,[7] 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.[8] It is fiberless and contains a monoembryonic seed. The fruit typically mature from June to July in Florida[9] 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