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Fun Fact: Ataulfo Mango, Honey Mango, Champagne Mango… they are all the same thing!
Here’s another interesting tidbit: The Ataulfo Mango holds such significance in Mexico’s commercial mango industry that it has been granted protection by the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, akin to how France safeguards Champagne or how Tequila is exclusive to Mexico.
With that being said, this grow guide will cover everything that you need to know about Ataulfo Mango:
Table of Contents
- Ataulfo Mango Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
- Ataulfo Mango Flavor Profile
- Ataulfo Mango Season (And When To Pick)
- Ataulfo Mango Disease Resistance
- Ataulfo Mango History
- Ataulfo Mango Tree For Sale
- Conclusion
Ataulfo Mango Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
The Ataulfo Mango is considered a large-sized mango tree.
Ataulfo Mangos have a very vigorous & upright growth habit that produces an open canopy. As a result, Ataulfo can realistically be kept between 20 – 25 feet tall with annual pruning. Due to the tree’s natural vigor & upright limbs, Ataulfo would not do well long-term in containers and would not be considered a “condo” mango.
Ataulfo’s fruit production consistently ranges from average to good. The mangos themselves are small-sized fruits that typically weigh between 0.3 – 0.6 lbs.
Ataulfo Mango Flavor Profile
Atualfo Mangos are considered a Classic Flavored Mango. Cutting into a ripe fruit reveals a fiberless yet firm, yellow flesh with a creamy texture and a sweet, almost peach-like aroma.
From a flavor perspective, the Ataulfo Mango presents a sweet yet mild, classic taste profile. This smaller fruit offers a mellow mango flavor that differs from the more ‘traditional’ mango taste commonly associated with larger commercial varieties like Haden, Keitt, and Kent.
There is no spiciness or resinous taste; instead, the dominant flavors are a tangy-sweet combination with a subtle hint of acidity that may remind you more of a lemon-grape flavor pairing rather than the typical mango taste. Additionally, in the 2023 season, I sampled two Ataulfo Mangos, one of which was slightly less ripe and featured an added element of tartness.
From what I’ve gathered, the flavor of Ataulfo can vary widely. Some describe it as I have, while others find it more akin to the honey sweetness of a Nam Doc Mai Mango. It’s possible that I haven’t tried Ataulfo at it’s peak ripeness, but based on my limited sampling (one from Tropical Acres, one from Publix), I haven’t been particularly impressed.
That being said, it’s not a bad mango per se. However, if I were already planning to buy a mango at the grocery store, I would personally choose Haden, Keitt, or Kent. But that’s just my personal preference 😛
Finally, it’s worth noting that Ataulfo Mangos produce polyembryonic seeds, which means that planting a seed from an Ataulfo Mango can yield another Ataulfo Mango Tree.
Ataulfo Mango Season (And When To Pick)
Ataulfo Mangos are considered a mid-season mango (June – July).
The best time to pick Ataulfo Mangos are when they are mature and beginning to ripen on the tree. From a color perspective, this is when the fruit is beginning to show signs of yellow color break. Ataulfo is perfectly ripe when the entire fruit turns a vibrant yellow color (similar to Lemon Meringue).
While Ataulfo lacks the attractive red blush found in other commercial cultivars, the bright yellow does fit nicely with the “honey” nickname 😄
Aside from color, here are some additional tips to knowing when Atauflo Mango is ready to pick:
- Is the fruit beginning to soften ever so slightly?
- Is the fruit beginning to emit a sweet, fruity aroma?
- Is the fruit full-sized and has a plump appearance?
- How does the stem look? It’s it drying up near where it connects to the fruit?
Ataulfo Mango Disease Resistance
Ataulfo Mangos have very good resistance to Bacterial Black Spot.
Ataulfo Mango History
As mentioned in the introduction of this grow guide, since the early 2000s, Ataulfo has firmly established itself as one of Mexico’s most significant commercial mango cultivars. The cultivar was named after a grower by the name of Ataulfo Morales Gordillo.
But why does Ataulfo go by so many other names?
In regards to the ‘Honey’ nickname, according to the Mango.org:
The popular Ataulfo Mango has faced hurdles with both consumers and retailers, who love the variety, but struggle to pronounce the tongue-twisting name. With Honey, a more consumer-friendly name, this sweet fiberless mango is sure to find new fans.
Mango.org
Furthermore, ‘Champagne’ is a trademarked name for Ataulfo Mangos that are produced by the Ciruli Brothers.
Ataulfo is a seedling of Philippine. It’s pollinating parent is unknown.
Ataulfo Mango Tree For Sale
To be honest, I have never seen an Ataulfo Mango Tree for sale.
It’s not necessarily because Ataulfo is a terrible mango cultivar. Instead, I believe it’s less commonly offered in the Florida nursery trade due to the ease of finding Ataulfo at the grocery store, along with the wide variety of ‘specialty’ mango varieties available for homeowners to grow.
With that being said, if you are unable to find one at a local nursery, your next best option is checking out Tropical Acres Farms (not sponsored). They are the only legit place online (from my experience) that you are getting exactly what you are paying for.
They have over 300 varieties of mangos available. You can either order budwood to graft yourself or submit a grafting request to have a grafted tree created for you. They do ship!
Conclusion
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If you have any questions regarding anything mentioned in this grow guide, please comment them below! This way, others can also benefit from the answer to the same question. For any other questions or growing tips that you think may be helpful, feel free to use the contact form and drop me a line.
Thank you for reading! 🙂
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