The Repurposing Life

Grow a Mango Tree from Seed

The large husk inside mango fruit contains a seed, and it’s a big one. And that’s what you can sow to grow a new mango plant. If you live in a cold climate, without outdoor tropical growing conditions, you can still grow mangos indoors as houseplants, beginning with the seed inside a mango fruit. I’ll show you a simple way to prepare the seed, make it sprout, and grow it as a houseplant. These are tropical plants, so you’ll want a sunny, warm place in your home to provide the best growing conditions.

So, what makes this method easy?

By starting the mango seed in a damp kitchen or tea towel, we can first determine if the seed is viable (meaning it will sprout and grow a new plant). You could also plant it directly in damp potting mix, but that means waiting for several weeks to see if there is growth. This easy method will show you which seeds are good ones so you don’t waste time on the duds.

Will it grow fruit?

Probably not, unless you manage to provide exceptional, tropical growing conditions for many years that eventually trigger flowering and fruiting. If you’re looking to plant a mango tree for the purpose of eating its fruit, then you’re better off purchasing a grafted mango tree.

What you will need

All you’ll really need are organic potting mix, flower pots with saucers, reusable paper or tea towels, and Fiskars PowerCut scissors (or any other heavy-duty pruning shears).

How to Grow a Mango Tree from Seed

These steps will guide you through how to grow a mango plant from a grocery store mango, and how long each step will take.

1. Buy a Ripe Mango

Every mango has a seed inside. It’s protected by that thick husk that gets discarded when eating the flesh of the fruit. You have to start with a ripe mango because otherwise the seed within the husk may not be mature enough to grow into a plant.

2. Remove the Husk and the Seed from the Mango

Use the edible flesh and set aside the husk. They tend to have stringy pieces of fruit attached to them, you’ll take care of that in the next step.

3. Clean and Dry the Husk

Next you want to gently scrub off the pulp and stringy bits of mango fruit from the husk. The purpose of this step is simply to help the husk dry faster and make it easier to cut open. You can hold the husk under tap water and use a soft scrub brush to rub off the pulp. Or, very carefully scrape it off with a small paring knife, remember to always aim away from yourself. When the husk is fairly clean, dry it off with a towel and set it aside for a day or two to further dry.

4. Remove Seed from Husk

After two days, the mango seed husk is dry enough to cut open. This is the part that amazed me the first time I did it. Living in Northern California and having grown up in the Caribbean, I have eaten a lot of mangoes over the years.

1. You want to cut the edges of the husk so you can carefully pry it open without damaging the seed inside.
2. I use good garden shears that can cut through thick things like leather (don’t use fabric or paper scissors) and trim away the edges.
3. You could also put the husk in a vice and use a fine wood saw to trim off the edges.
4. Peel back the husk and see what’s inside.

5. Clean Off the Seed

The seed will look like some sort of giant bean. And no two mango seeds look the same.

1. Gently remove the seed from the husk and take off any loose thin papery layers around it but don’t force anything.

Some mangos produce polyembryonic seeds, others produce singles (monoembryonic). Plants from polyembryonic seeds produce fruit true to the parent (much like grafted plants). My local grocery store has very little variety so I’ve only ever seen these two types of mango seeds. If the seed appears shriveled or rotten, compost it and start again with another mango.

6. Sprout Seed

Wrap the mango seed in a moist towel and place in a reusable silicone zip top bag or compostable food bag. I use this same method for sprouting all sorts of things including avocado seeds and ginger. I like this method because it shows me I have a viable seed before I go to the trouble of planting it in soil.

1. Dampen a washcloth, or reusable kitchen towel in warm water so it’s moist but not soaking wet.
2. Wrap your mango seed in the damp cloth and place it in the food bag.
3. If you are sprouting several seeds, put one on the damp towel, fold over, and add another, fold over and so on. I keep them apart with a layer of towel to prevent any roots from growing together and becoming entangled.
4. Place the bag in a dark kitchen cupboard. You can also put it in a warm spot, which is always good to speed up germination, but be sure the towel does not dry out.
5. Set a timer on your phone to check on it every 3 days.

7. Check for Sprouting

After 3 weeks, the seed should sprout.

1. Every few days, open up the towel and check for signs of sprouting.
2. Dampen the towel again if needed.
3. Wait until any new growth is 2 to 3 inches long before planting in potting mix.

Related: How to Grow an Apple Tree from Seed

8. Keep Checking for Growth

After 5 weeks, there should be enough new growth to plant the seed in potting mix.

1. When the sprout begins growing roots, it’s time to plant the seed in potting mix.
2. If the new sprout is pale in color, it’s because it is growing without light. It will turn green when exposed to sunlight.

9. Plant the Sprouted Mango Seed

Around week five, or when there is a few inches of new growth, you’ll plant the seed in potting mix. Some of the new growth will be roots and the other parts shoots, but it may be hard to tell what’s what at this stage. Because of this, it’s fine to plant the seed flat in the pot. The plant will sort itself out just fine. Your pot should be a few inches wider than the seed and have room for several inches of root growth. The pot I used is 8 inches deep, but 6 inches would be fine too. Also, be sure the pot has drainage holes and a drip saucer to avoid water logging the plant.

1. Fill the pot with potting mix (suitable for houseplants) leaving two inches below lip of pot.
2. Water the potting mix thoroughly, let it settle, top it up to same level (2 inches below lip) and set sprouted seed on top.
3. Cover seed in an inch of potting mix, water it and top it up again.
4. You want to end up with about an inch of space between potting mix and lip of the pot for easy watering without overflowing.

10. Grow Your Plant

At six weeks, a shoot should emerge from the potting mix and leaves may be forming. Mangos are tropical plants that enjoy warmth and humidity.

1. Place your plant in a sunny location but not in direct, hot sun where it could dry out.
2. Keep soil moist but not wet.
3. The shoot should look nice and healthy.

11. Don’t Worry About Limp Leaves

During the early growth stage, the leaves may be limp. This is normal. I’ve experienced this before.

1. As the mango grows its first leaves, they may look limp, as if the plant is over- or under-watered.
2. Unless you have been a bit finicky with watering, or have stressed the plant, this limp stage is normal.
3. Keep providing proper care and it will perk up. And don’t be tempted to change your water routine if you’re confident that it is fine.

12. Grow as Houseplant

At approximately 9 weeks old (from sprouting day) the shoot should be at least 5 inches tall. There may be leaves that formed early, and there may or may not be any more additional leaves If you live in a colder climate, below 20°C (68°F), growth might be slower than you’d get in a warmer geographical locale with better humidity. After 12 months, the main stem should be quite tall, and there’ll probably be a lot of new side shoots with leaves formed.

Basic Indoor Mango Plant Care Tips

Ideally, you would mimic tropical conditions in your home, or as close to it as you can manage.

• Warmth: Mango trees grow best in ambient temperatures ranging between 21º to 24ºC (70º to 75ºF).
• Extremes: Mango trees die at temperatures below 5ºC (33ºF) but can tolerate up to 48ºC (118ºF).
• Humidity: 50-60% until flowers form (then lower).
• Light: Needs heat more than intense light; do not allow the soil to dry out.
• Summer: Place outdoors in indirect sun for maximum warmth.
• Fall through spring: Keep indoors if in cold climates, otherwise leave outdoors year-round.
• Fertilizer: I have not found any specific guidelines for fertilizing indoor mangoes. This is what is recommended for outdoor ones: Fertilizer may be a 1:1:1 or 1:2:2 N-P-K ratio formulation, such as 16-16-16 or 10-20-20 N-P-K.  
• Warnings: Mango trees are in the same family as poison ivy. The skin, bark, and leaves can cause strong reactions, Read more here at University of Illinois.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can You Grow A Mango Tree Inside?

Yes, indeed. You can start a mango tree from the seed inside the fruit or buy a grafted tree, which is much more likely to grow fruit, although it does take several years and the right growing conditions.

2. How Long Does It Take To Grow A Mango Seed?

With the method listed above, it took 9 weeks from the day I started the germination process to having a 9 inch tall plant.

3. How Do You Germinate A Mango Seed Quickly?

Most seeds germinate fastest within certain temperature ranges but it varies for each plant. This is usually a bit warmer than the plant’s comfort zone. Because mango plants grow best when the ambient temperature is between 21º to 24ºC (70º to 75ºF), it’s a fair assumption that the seed would sprout fastest at temperatures just above that.

4. How Big Will An Indoor Mango Tree Grow?

Outdoor mango trees growing in tropical climates can reach 35 meters tall if not pruned. Grown indoors, both because conditions are not optimal and the plant is restricted to a container, will limit growth. Indoor mango trees can reach 6 feet tall. The more tropical the conditions, the bigger they will get.

5. Will My Indoor Mango Tree Grow Fruit?

It’s highly unlikely. If you want fruit, start with a grafted mango tree (from a nursery). These are intended for growing fruit, although the quantity will be small. Provide optimum growing conditions including intense heat without drying out the soil. Grafted mango trees are reported to take 3-5 years to flower and fruit. Some say mango seedlings can grow into fruit-producing trees after 5-8 years, but I have not yet been able to confirm this.

The fruit, if you do get some, will vary depending on the source. Mango seedlings cannot produce fruit true to the parent plant (because they are hybrids). But grafted mango plants can (because they are clones). Learn how to grow houseplants from avocado, oranges, lemons, ginger, and more using leftover pits, seeds, and roots.

Sources:
How to Grow and Harvest Mangos – UC Davis
https://www.wifss.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Mangos_PDF.pdf
Mango Growing Information
http://www.extento.hawaii.edu/kbase/crop/crops/i_mango.htm
How to Grow Mango from Seed (Easy Method)
https://empressofdirt.net/grow-mango-seed/
February 9, 2020 by Melissa J. Will