How to grow Mango in Australia
Mango is a large evergreen tree that crops best where the winter is dry and mild and the summer is hot, from Darwin and North Queensland down to south east Queensland and northern New South Wales. A grafted tree of a variety suited to your area can fruit within a few years. Handle the fruit and sap with care, as the sap burns skin.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow a Mango Tree in Australia: From Seed or Grafted
At a glance
When to plant by region
| Region | When to plant | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | September to March | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | September to March | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | October to January | Marginal tropical; select Sydney-adapted varieties; fruit set unreliable; prefer warm microclimates. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | Not suited | Requires tropical warmth and 200+ frost-free days. Melbourne winter lethal. Only viable in protected north-facing microclimate with thermal mass (brick wall, very rare). |
| Adelaide & SA | Not suited | Not suited to Adelaide. Mango needs tropical heat and humidity, and Adelaide's temperature extremes do not suit it. |
| Perth & WA | October to December | Grows in warm, sheltered Perth gardens. Plant Oct to Dec once the soil is warm and choose an early or mid season variety such as Kensington Pride, as late types like Keitt ripen too late. Protect young trees from frost. Perth fruit ripens in March and April. |
| Tasmania | Not suited | Unsuitable. Tropical tree killed by frost. Not viable in Tasmania. |
| Canberra & ACT | Not suited | Mango unsuitable for Canberra: tropical fruit; frost kills young trees; requires sustained warmth. Not viable. |
| North Queensland | September to March | Wet season Sep to Mar. Mango is tropical heartland crop; fruit season Nov to Apr. Sow spring for establishment. |
| Darwin & Top End | September to March | Wet season Sep to Mar. Mango is tropical heartland crop; fruit season Nov to Apr. Sow spring for establishment. |
Where to plant
Plant in full sun in a warm, frost-free spot with deep, well-drained soil. Mangoes grow in a range of soils as long as water drains away; they will not tolerate wet feet. Leave plenty of room, as a mango can grow into a very large tree.
Mangoes need dry, cool conditions to flower and warm, rain-free weather while fruiting. Wet, humid weather at flowering brings anthracnose, which blackens flowers and young fruit, so crops are most reliable where winter and spring are dry.
- Darwin and North Queensland: the mango heartland. Plant during the wet season so the tree establishes before the dry. In the Northern Territory fruit is usually picked from September to December.
- South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers: mangoes grow well, but wet springs can spoil flowering. Choose a variety the nursery recommends for the subtropics.
- Sydney: marginal. Plant in a warm, sheltered microclimate in late spring or summer; fruit set is unreliable.
- Perth: WA agriculture advice says early and mid season varieties such as Kensington Pride grow in warm, sheltered spots; late varieties such as Keitt ripen too late. Plant from October to December and protect young trees from frost. Perth fruit ripens in March and April.
- Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart: not suited; too cold.
Choosing a variety
Buy a grafted tree of a named variety for known fruit and earlier cropping. Most mango varieties can be pollinated by their own pollen, so one tree will fruit. Varieties grown in Australia include Kensington Pride, R2E2, Keitt, Irwin, Nam Dok Mai, Calypso and Honey Gold.
- Kensington Pride (Bowen) is the classic Australian mango, but its sap is especially prone to burning the skin of fruit and people, so it needs care at harvest.
- Compact or dwarf selections suit smaller yards and large pots.
How to plant
- Plant in the warm months: in the tropics at the start of the wet season, in the subtropics in spring to early autumn.
- Dig a hole as deep as the pot and twice as wide. On heavy soil, plant on a raised mound for drainage.
- Plant at the same depth as in the pot, with the graft above the soil.
- Water in deeply and mulch, keeping mulch clear of the trunk.
- Water twice a week for the first month, then water more deeply and less often to encourage deep roots.
Watering and feeding
Water young trees regularly. Once trees are bearing, keep them a little drier through late autumn and winter, as a dry spell helps trigger flowering, then water from flowering until the fruit has finished developing. In dry winters and springs in the south, occasional deep watering may still be needed.
Feed with a balanced fruit tree fertiliser through the warm growing season. Ease off nitrogen before flowering, as too much pushes leafy growth instead of flowers.
Pruning and care through the year
- Start shaping young trees early: in spring or summer cut the top off at about 1 m to make it branch, and keep four or five main limbs in a low, open vase shape.
- Prune every summer straight after harvest. Remove strong upright shoots, thin crowded inner growth, and cut out old flower stems and dead or diseased wood. Good airflow and clean wood reduce anthracnose.
- Net or bag fruit against fruit fly, possums and flying foxes, using wildlife-safe netting installed correctly.
- Pick up and destroy fallen and damaged fruit to reduce fruit fly.
- Protect young trees from cold in marginal areas.
Harvesting
Mangoes are picked mature but still firm, and ripen on the bench. Signs of maturity are full, rounded shoulders at the stalk end, fruit size, a change in skin colour for the variety and a fruity smell near the stem.
Cut the fruit with secateurs, leaving a short stalk on to stop sap running onto the fruit, and wear gloves and long sleeves. The sap is caustic and burns skin and fruit. Wash the fruit soon after picking. Store ripening fruit at room temperature, ideally about 15 to 18°C, and move ripe fruit to the fridge for a few days.
Growing in pots
Only dwarf or compact varieties suit a pot, which needs to be at least 60 cm wide, with free-draining potting mix. Keep the tree in full sun, water regularly in the warm months and less in winter.
Using it
Eat ripe mangoes fresh, or freeze the flesh for smoothies and desserts. Green, immature fruit is used in pickles and chutney.
Pests and diseases
Most problems come from wet weather at flowering, fruit fly at harvest, and sap at picking time.
Pests to watch for
- Fruit fly Puncture marks on ripening fruit that rots with maggots inside. Pick on time and destroy fallen fruit.
- Scale Small bumps on leaves and stems, with sticky honeydew and black sooty mould.
- Blossom midge Tiny fly larvae feed in the flowers and flower stems, which blacken and fail to set fruit.
Diseases to watch for
- Anthracnose Small dark spots on leaves that slowly enlarge; flowers and young fruit blacken and drop; ripe fruit develops dark sunken patches. Worst in wet weather.
- Powdery mildew White powdery growth on flowers and young fruit, which may drop.
Common questions
How long does a mango tree take to fruit?
A grafted tree usually starts fruiting two to three years after planting. Seedling trees take longer and may not be true to their parent.
Why is my mango tree not fruiting?
Mangoes need a dry, cool spell to flower and dry weather while flowers set. Wet, humid weather at flowering brings anthracnose, which blackens the flowers. Too much nitrogen fertiliser, too much shade or a young tree can also mean few flowers.
How do I know when a mango is ready to pick?
Look for full, rounded shoulders at the stalk end, full size for the variety, a change in skin colour and a fruity smell near the stem. Pick it firm and ripen it on the bench.
What is mango sap burn?
Mango sap is caustic. When it touches skin it can cause a burn-like rash, and on fruit it causes brown marks. Cut fruit with a short stalk, wear gloves and long sleeves, and wash the fruit after picking. Sap burn is different from a mango allergy, which can be life threatening.
Can I grow a mango in Sydney?
It is possible but marginal. Choose the warmest, most sheltered spot, plant in late spring or summer, protect the young tree from cold, and expect fruiting to vary from year to year.
What are the black spots on my mangoes?
Usually anthracnose, a fungal disease worst in wet weather. Pruning to open the canopy, cleaning up diseased material, and picking fruit on time help. Bacterial black spot also causes raised black spots on fruit and leaves.
Can I grow a mango tree in a pot?
Only dwarf or compact varieties suit a pot, which should be at least 60 cm wide with free-draining mix, in full sun and a frost-free spot.
Sources we checked: NT Government: Growing mango at home; WA DPIRD (archived): Growing mangoes in cooler areas of Western Australia; ABC Organic Gardener: Make mine mango.