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If you have a fondness for old-school, classic Florida mangos, especially Haden Mango, then Bailey’s Marvel is sure to delight your taste buds.
That is because Bailey’s Marvel is like an upgraded version of the Haden, boasting enhanced sweetness and a smoother texture with fewer fibers. Honestly, It’s hard NOT to love this mango 😄
With that being said, this grow guide will cover everything that you need to know about Bailey’s Marvel Mango:
Table of Contents
- Bailey’s Marvel Mango Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
- Bailey’s Marvel Mango Flavor Profile
- Bailey’s Marvel Mango Season (And When To Pick)
- Bailey’s Marvel Mango Disease Resistance
- Bailey’s Marvel Mango History
- Bailey’s Marvel Mango Tree For Sale
- Conclusion
Bailey’s Marvel Mango Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
The Bailey’s Marvel Mango is considered a medium to large-sized mango tree.
Bailey’s Marvel Mangos have a very vigorous & spreading growth habit that produces an open and dense canopy. As a result, Bailey’s Marvel can realistically be kept between 15 – 20 feet tall with annual pruning. Due to the tree’s natural vigor & spreading limbs, Bailey’s Marvel would not do well long-term in containers and would not be considered a “condo” mango.
Bailey’s Marvel’s fruit production consistently ranges from average to good. The single most significant factor influencing the productivity of a Bailey’s Marvel is its planting location. In general, fruit production thrives when the tree is planted near the coast, mainly due to reduced disease pressures (as discussed below). Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that they tend to be consistent producers year after year.
The mangos themselves are small to medium-sized fruits that typically weigh between 0.75 – 1.5 lbs. The fruit also sports a high flesh-to-seed ratio.
Finally, Bailey’s Marvel has gained a reputation for being ‘cool.’
By ‘cool,’ I mean that it has exhibited slightly better cold tolerance compared to other mango varieties. Of course, this doesn’t mean it can thrive in areas where it snows. However, the general consensus is that Bailey’s Marvel appears to have an additional 1-2 degrees Fahrenheit of cold tolerance.
While 1-2 degrees may not seem like a significant difference, in the event of a hard freeze, it can make the crucial difference between life and death. Therefore, Bailey’s Marvel would be an excellent choice for those looking to cultivate mangos in central Florida.
Bailey’s Marvel Mango Flavor Profile
Bailey’s Marvel Mangos are considered a Classic Flavored Mango.
When perfectly ripe and mature, Bailey’s Marvel will give off a sweet classic mango aroma. Cutting into the fruit reveals dense, deep-yellow, fiberless flesh with a smooth, juicy, and firm texture. It has noticeably less fiber than one would expect from a Haden.
From a flavor perspective, Bailey’s Marvel Mango offers a pronounced sweetness, with its primary taste featuring a rich and aromatic classic mango flavor. Additionally, the flavor possesses a subtle complexity, thanks to a well-balanced sub-acid component.
This slight acidity enhances the fruit’s overall profile, imparting fruity and tangy notes reminiscent of peaches that can be savored throughout the entire fruit.
Compared to other mango varieties I’ve tried, Bailey’s Marvel offers a sweeter experience similar to Haden but with significantly less fiber. Additionally, it carries a hint of acidity that can be reminiscent of the Bombay Mango, adding a complementary touch to its predominantly classic flavor.
Honestly, Bailey’s Marvel embodies everything you could desire in a classic Florida mango. Essentially an ‘Improved Haden,’ it offers a delightful array of flavor elements that can appeal to anyone. Even if you have a preference for a specific mango flavor profile, such as Indochinese, citrusy, or coconutty, it’s hard to imagine anyone not finding Bailey’s Marvel delicious.
Finally, it’s worth noting that Bailey’s Marvel Mangos produce monoembryonic seeds, which means that planting a seed from a Bailey’s Marvel Mango won’t yield another Bailey’s Marvel Mango Tree.
Bailey’s Marvel Mango Season (And When To Pick)
Bailey’s Marvel Mangos are considered a mid-season mango (June – July).
The best time to pick Bailey’s Marvel Mangos are when they are mature and beginning to ripen on the tree. In terms of color, this is when the fruit begins to exhibit a yellow color break. It is essential to pick them at this stage because Bailey’s Marvel tends to ripen and fall from the tree quickly. Due to their soft flesh, allowing the fruit to drop can result in easy bruising.
Bailey’s Marvel is perfectly ripe when the majority of the fruit (that isn’t covered by an orange-red blush) transitions to a yellow color. With that being said, it’s important to remember that a mango’s blush has nothing to do with the fruit’s ripeness. A rule of thumb to remember is that More Sun = More Blush, Less Sun = Less Blush.
Aside from color, here are some additional tips to knowing when Bailey’s Marvel 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 (particularly towards the bottom of the fruit)?
- How does the stem look? It’s it drying up near where it connects to the fruit?
Finally, it’s worth noting that Bailey’s Marvel is not known for its extended shelf life and should be consumed soon after harvesting from the tree. Otherwise, the fruit will rapidly become overripe and develop off flavors.
Bailey’s Marvel Mango Disease Resistance
Bailey’s Marvel Mango is very prone to both Anthracnose and Powdery Mildew. However, Bailey’s Marvel Mango does have very good resistance to Bacterial Black Spot.
As a result, Bailey’s Marvel would not be a good cultivar to grow in more humid areas and should instead be planted in drier areas, such as along the coast. If you plan on growing Bailey’s Marvel in humid areas, it would be prudent to implement an effective disease control program in order to maximize Bailey’s Marvel Mango’s fruit production.
Bailey’s Marvel Mango History
The original Bailey’s Marvel Mango Tree was planted in the 1940’s by the Bailey Brothers in Pine Island, Florida.
Bailey’s Marvel is a seedling of Haden. It’s pollinating parent is Bombay.
Fun Fact: Jacqueline is also a cross between Bombay & Haden 😀
Bailey’s Marvel is also a sibling to Edward, Valencia Pride, Kent, Glenn, Spirit of 76, Cogshall, Florigon, Cushman, and Van Dyke.
Bailey’s Marvel Mango Tree For Sale
Despite the tree’s natural vigor and susceptibility to diseases, Bailey’s Marvel continues to be a popular mango cultivar, and it is relatively easy to find for sale. This is likely because people who have a fondness for Haden and grew up with it are interested in cultivating an ‘Improved Haden’ that can recreate the same nostalgic taste they remember from their childhood 🙂
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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Thank you for reading! 🙂
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