Jamaicans love mangoes with a passion and would readily tell you that, for the most part, their favorite types of mangoes would be either Julie or East Indian, or maybe Number 11.
There are several other species available but Jamaicans in general seem to have a knack of not knowing the names of these fruits outside the more popular ones that would also include Green Gauge, Sweetie, Blackie, Haden and a few others.
Also, some mangoes are known by various local names and the name you hear for a mango when you’re in Ocho Rios could be a different name you hear for the same fruit if you were to visit Negril.
Mango was introduced to Jamaica in the 1700s after the English captured a French ship on which the plant was.
Today, mangoes are grown all over Jamaica. In some areas of rural Jamaica, you will find mango trees growing by the roadside, oftentimes the result of someone eating the fruit and nonchalantly tossing the seed away.
But usually these plants turn out to be Stringy, (otherwise called common mango), or maybe Green Gauge, Number 11, Sweetie or other species of the more popular types of mangoes.
You wouldn’t normally find a Julie or East Indian tree growing loosely by the roadside. These mangoes are considered cream of the crop and are cultivated formally and command the highest prices in Jamaica…and with good cause; they’re the most delicious!
Mango trees are among a group of favorite fruit trees that Jamaicans love to have in their yards. Most of them will tell you that it is the only must-have tree they need.
Here, we give you a list of 15 of the most popular species of mango grown in Jamaica (in alphabetical order).
- Beefy
- Blackie
- Bombay
- East Indian
- Green Gauge
- Haden
- Hairy
- Julie
- Kidney
- Long
- Number 11
- Robin
- Stringy
- Turpentine
