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The Nam Doc Mai Mango was introduced to the United States almost half a century ago. Since then, several variations of this popular mango, including the Nam Doc Mai #4, have emerged.
Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango has solidified its popularity as a backyard mango variety. It retains the delicious taste profile of its parent but with a more favorable growth habit.
With that being said, this grow guide will cover everything that you need to know about Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango:
Table of Contents
- Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
- Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Flavor Profile
- Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Season (And When To Pick)
- Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Disease Resistance
- Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango History
- Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Tree For Sale (Where To Find)
- Conclusion
Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
The Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango is considered a medium-sized mango tree.
Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Trees have a moderately vigorous & upright growth habit that produces a compact and dense canopy. As a result, Nam Doc Mai #4 can realistically be kept between 10 – 15 feet tall with annual pruning. With that being said, Nam Doc Mai #4 would not do well long-term in containers and would not be considered a “condo” mango.
A common misconception about Nam Doc Mai #4 is that it’s a dwarf mango. However, this is only true if the tree was grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock. If you purchased your Nam Doc Mai #4 from a nursery that procured it from Zill’s High-Performance Nursery, it was likely grafted onto a Zill Dwarf Rootstock.
However, if the tree was grown from seed, it will almost certainly not be a dwarf. This highlights the importance of purchasing from a reputable nursery.
In my opinion, Nam Doc Mai #4 is a beautiful mango tree. When the branches are consistently pruned or tipped, they can develop a ‘mango bush’ appearance, similar to other varieties with a dense and compact growth habit, such as Carrie and Pickering. They are easy to keep contained through regular pruning.
Nam Doc Mai #4’s fruit production consistently ranges from average to good. The mangos themselves are medium-sized fruits that typically weigh between 1 – 1.5 lbs.
Even at an early age, it’s not uncommon for the tree to produce clusters of 1-2 fruit on each branch. What’s particularly intriguing is that I’ve observed Nam Doc Mai #4 setting more fruit than the original Nam Doc Mai. This is because Nam Doc Mai #4 can have a tendency to flower twice within a season, resulting in both an early and later crop.
Whether you want to grow the original NDM or NDM #4, it’s essential to consider that they thrive in environments resembling their native Thailand. Consequently, Nam Doc Mai varieties typically do very well in Florida.
Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Flavor Profile
Nam Doc Mai #4 Mangos are considered a Thai Flavored Mango.
Like other Thai mango cultivars, such as Carabao and Sweet Tart, Nam Doc Mai #4 boasts a highly aromatic floral fragrance. Fun Fact: In the Thai language, Nam Doc Mai translates to ‘water of the flower.’
The light yellow flesh of the fruit offers a delightful, creamy, and completely fiberless texture. It’s characterized by a honey-flavored sweetness with floral notes and a hint of the expected ‘spiciness’ found in Thai mangos.
If you enjoy a floral flavor but also crave some tartness, Maha Chanok would be an excellent choice. Similarly, if you prefer a floral-flavored mango with a milder ‘spiciness,’ I highly recommend Brahm Kai Meu (my personal favorite in 2023). Lastly, if you seek a concentrated Nam Doc Mai flavor, Okrung is worth exploring 🙂
In my opinion, Nam Doc Mai and Nam Doc Mai #4 taste identical (same size and quality fruit).
While the flavor is rich, it’s not incredibly complex. As a result, you can freeze dry Nam Doc Mai #4 and still enjoy a flavor similar to when it’s eaten fresh. This is a significant advantage of growing Nam Doc Mai #4, as there are mango varieties with unique and complex flavors that would be lost if freeze-dried (i.e. M-4, Sugarloaf, Pineapple Pleasure, etc.)
Finally, it’s worth noting that Nam Doc Mai #4 Mangos produce polyembryonic seeds, which means that planting a seed from a Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango can yield another Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Tree.
Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Season (And When To Pick)
Nam Doc Mai #4 Mangos are considered a mid-season mango (June – July).
With that being said, the best time to pick Nam Doc Mai #4 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. Nam Doc Mai #4 is perfectly ripe when the majority of the fruit transitions to a greenish-yellow to yellow color.
As the fruit begins to ripen, it will also develop its floral aroma. Because it seems that squirrels and raccoons have a keen sense of smell, it’s important to pick them when they are mature but not fully ripe on the tree.
With that being said, here are some additional tips to knowing when a Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango is ready to pick:
- Don’t just go off sight; is the fruit beginning to soften?
- How does the stem look? Is it drying up where it connects to the fruit?
- Are there beads of sap present on the fruit?
- Is the fruit beginning to turn yellow?
- Is a floral aroma beginning to form?
Finally, we mentioned earlier that Nam Doc Mai #4 can have an early and later crop. However, the first crop of fruit tend to have a much higher likelihood of fruit split relative to the second crop. This is a characteristic of all Nam Doc Mai varieties. As a result, one should be careful of how much water and fertilizer they give a Nam Doc Mai #4.
To prevent fruit splitting, it’s crucial to maintain consistent irrigation to keep the tree well-hydrated and the fruit’s skin flexible. This helps protect the fruit from being overwhelmed by heavy rain.
Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Disease Resistance
Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango is fairly resistant to Anthracnose but can be prone to Bacterial Black Spot and Powdery Mildew. However, the frequency and intensity of these diseases depend on the tree’s location, such as whether it’s planted inland (less ideal) or near the coast (more ideal).
Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango History
Contrary to the naming convention, there are no Nam Doc Mai #2 or Nam Doc Mai #3 varieties. That said, other popular varieties of Nam Doc Mai include:
- Nam Doc Mai (original)
- Nam Doc Mai #4
- Nam Doc Mai Mun
- Nam Doc Mai Sia Tong
The original Nam Doc Mai was introduced to Florida from Thailand in 1973.
Nam Doc Mai #4 Mango Tree For Sale (Where To Find)
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Conclusion
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