by 
If you enjoy the taste of orange push pops and creamsicles on a hot summer day, then this is the mango for you.
Orange Sherbet Mango, a seedling of Lemon Meringue and a sibling of Lemon Zest, is a highly sought-after and incredibly delicious mango with a delightful ‘citrus-flavor.’ It would be a fantastic addition to any yard.
With that being said, this grow guide will cover everything that you need to know about Orange Sherbet Mango:
Table of Contents
- Orange Sherbet Mango Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
- Orange Sherbet Mango Flavor Profile
- Orange Sherbet Mango Season (And When To Pick)
- Orange Sherbet Mango Disease Resistance
- Orange Sherbet Mango History
- Orange Sherbet Mango Tree For Sale
- Conclusion
Orange Sherbet Mango Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
The Orange Sherbet Mango is considered a medium-sized mango tree.
Orange Sherbet Mango Trees have a moderately vigorous & upright growth habit that produces a compact and dense canopy. As a result, Orange Sherbet can realistically be kept between 10 – 15 feet tall with annual pruning. With that being said, Orange Sherbet would not do well long-term in containers and would not be considered a “condo” mango.
However, I intend to maintain my Orange Sherbet tree at a more practical height of 8 to 12 feet. I plan on achieving this by actively pruning the branches to no more than 18 inches in length. This approach appears quite viable, given my observations that Orange Sherbet tends to exhibit less vigor relative to Lemon Zest.
In light of this, due to its relatively modest growth rate, I would advise against planting Orange Sherbet in regions such as California. Instead, I’d suggest exploring an alternative, such as Lemon Zest. It shares a similar flavor profile, yet it is better aligned with California’s climate and conditions.
Orange Sherbet’s fruit production consistently ranges from average to good. This is in part due to Orange Sherbet regularly developing clusters of fruit on individual panicles, similar to Lemon Meringue. However, because Orange Sherbet’s fruit is significantly larger than Lemon Meringue, there will be less fruit per cluster.
The mangos themselves are medium-sized fruits that typically weigh between 1 – 1.5 lbs.
Orange Sherbet Mango Flavor Profile
Orange Sherbet Mangos are considered a Citrus Flavored Mango.
To be honest, Orange Sherbet squash looks quite similar to a fat Lemon Meringue. They share the same oblong shape, but the Orange Sherbet has noticeably more flesh, which can vary in color from yellow to a yellowish-orange.
While there is a small amount of fiber near the seed, the fruit’s texture is incredibly smooth and completely fiberless elsewhere. The flesh will melt in your mouth like soft butter.
Orange Sherbet’s flavor is exceptionally rich and sweet, with prominent, complex citrus undertones that evoke the taste of an orange push pop, creamsicle, or citrus soda. This citrusy essence becomes more concentrated as you approach the seed. The strong sub-acid component also provides the mango with a delightful aftertaste, entirely devoid of any spiciness or resin notes.
However, how does Orange Sherbet compare to other members in its family?
Honestly, Orange Sherbet has a candy-like intensity in its flavor, akin to a concentrated Lemon Meringue. Lemon Zest, on the other hand, features a more dominant lemon taste.
As for the question of ‘Which mango is better?’ It ultimately comes down to our individual taste preferences. I personally favor Orange Sherbet for its candy-like taste, but I also appreciate the refreshing and balanced flavor of chilled Lemon Meringue. In the end, the best variety for each of us is a matter of personal preference 🙂
Finally, it’s worth noting that Orange Sherbet Mangos produce polyembryonic seeds, which means that planting a seed from an Orange Sherbet Mango can yield another Orange Sherbet Mango Tree.
Orange Sherbet Mango Season (And When To Pick)
Orange Sherbet Mangos are considered a mid-season mango (June – July).
With that being said, the best time to pick Orange Sherbet 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. Orange Sherbet is perfectly ripe when the majority of the fruit transitions to a golden yellow color.
Although they can ripen on the tree, it’s worth noting that Orange Sherbet has thin skin and can be prone to damage from falling.
Furthermore, here are some additional tips to knowing when Orange Sherbet Mango is ready to pick:
- Is the fruit a medium-soft firmness?
- How does the stem look? It’s it drying up near where it connects to the fruit?
- Are there beads of sap present on the fruit?
- Is the fruit’s skin beginning to stretch?
In my experience, the Orange Sherbet Mango reaches its peak flavor when it has a medium-soft firmness. Allowing it to become overly ripe and too soft may cause you to miss out on the extraordinary flavors this mango has to offer.
On the other hand, Orange Sherbet is quite forgiving, even if harvested a bit early (as long as it’s not excessively premature). If picked too early, the fruit may develop an unpleasant, chalky flavor.
Orange Sherbet Mango Disease Resistance
Orange Sherbet displays good resistance to Bacterial Black Spot, Anthracnose, and Powdery Mildew. Nevertheless, the fruit may be susceptible to Jelly Seed in cases of calcium-deficient soil.
However, due to Orange Sherbet’s clustered fruit production, there is a risk of fruit-to-fruit friction, potentially leading to skin abrasions. These abrasions can invite diseases like Bacterial Black Spot and attract pests like raccoons and squirrels. However, the tree generally yields clean-looking fruit.
Orange Sherbet Mango History
The Orange Sherbet Mango was first propagated in Boynton Beach, Florida by Gary Zill. Orange Sherbet’s original planting name was G-32.
Orange Sherbet is a seedling of Lemon Meringue. It’s pollinating parent is unknown.
Additionally, Orange Sherbet is also a sibling to Lemon Zest.
Here is an interesting piece of mango trivia/history:
The tree we now know as Lemon Zest (originally named 27-1) was initially intended to be called Orange Sherbet. However, when assessing G-32, it was found to have a taste profile better suited for the name ‘Orange Sherbet.’
As a result, 27-1 was renamed Lemon Zest, and G-32 received the name Orange Sherbet. This caused initial confusion when “Orange Sherbet” was released with ‘O/S’ on the pots, as they were actually Lemon Zest. So, if you purchased an “Orange Sherbet” in the early 2010s, it was likely a Lemon Zest 🙂
Orange Sherbet Mango Tree For Sale
Because of the interesting release history + subsequent renaming, it’s more important than ever to verify that you are buying an Orange Sherbet Mango from a reputable nursery.
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
If you found this grow guide helpful, please consider sharing. It helps support the website 🙂
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! 🙂
_
