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The Val-Carrie Mango is a variety that I’m surprised more people are not planting. This is because it combines the best qualities of both its parent varieties, Carrie and Valencia Pride.
While the Val-Carrie Mango Tree may be slightly larger than the Carrie, it compensates for its more vigorous growth habit by producing a uniquely intense flavor that’s honestly hard to compare to any other mango cultivar, except for its parent trees
With that being said, this grow guide will cover everything that you need to know about Val-Carrie Mango:
Table of Contents
- Val-Carrie Mango Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
- Val-Carrie Mango Flavor Profile
- Val-Carrie Mango Season (And When To Pick)
- Val-Carrie Mango Disease Resistance
- Val-Carrie Mango History
- Val-Carrie Mango Tree For Sale (Where To Find)
- Conclusion
Val-Carrie Mango Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
The Val-Carrie Mango is considered a medium to large-sized mango tree.
Val-Carrie Mangos have a moderately vigorous & upright growth habit that produces a compact and dense canopy. As a result, Val-Carrie can realistically be kept between 15 – 20 feet tall with annual pruning. Due to the tree’s natural vigor & upright limbs, Val-Carrie would not do well long-term in containers and would not be considered a “condo” mango.
Val-Carrie’s fruit production ranges from average to good. While they are not heavy producers, they are known for their relatively consistent yields from year to year.
The mangos themselves are medium to large-sized fruits that typically weigh between 1 – 2 lbs. Not only is the mango large in its own right, but Val-Carrie also has a very thin seed, resulting in an excellent flesh-to-seed ratio.
Val-Carrie Mango Flavor Profile
Val-Carrie Mangos are considered an Indian Flavored Mango.
When perfectly ripe and mature, Val-Carrie Mangos will have a strong fruity and resinous aroma. Cutting into the fruit reveals yellow-orange, smooth, fiberless flesh with a thick, soft, juicy, and melting texture. The fruit’s flesh is similar to Carrie but slightly firmer.
To savor Val-Carrie’s complete range of flavors, it’s best to let the fruit ripen fully before enjoying it. This ripening process is similar to Pickering Mangos.
Val-Carrie boasts a robust and rich flavor, combining the resinous notes of a Carrie with the sweetness and acidity of a Valencia Pride. This sophisticated flavor profile features a sweet spiciness, complemented by a subtle sub-acidic undertone that reveals hints of citrus, pineapple, peach, and a subtle trace of coconut.
All in all, Val-Carrie’s flavor is wonderfully intense, which can be an exhilarating experience for those who appreciate its unique qualities, but it may surprise those who aren’t prepared for its robustness.
Here’s how I like to describe Val-Carrie to someone who has never tried it: Imagine that Carrie is your favorite ice cream, and Valencia Pride is like the delicious toppings. Your favorite ice cream tastes fantastic on its own, but adding those toppings brings in extra flavor elements that make it even more delightful 😋
Finally, it’s worth noting that Val-Carrie Mangos produce monoembryonic seeds, which means that planting a seed from a Val-Carrie Mango won’t yield another Val-Carrie Mango Tree.
Val-Carrie Mango Season (And When To Pick)
Val-Carrie Mangos are considered a mid-season mango (June – July).
The best time to pick Val-Carrie 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. Val-Carrie Mango is perfectly ripe when the entire fruit turns an apricot yellow color.
Despite commonly developing a crimson red blush on the top of the fruit, 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 Val-Carrie 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? Is it drying up near where it connects to the fruit?
One notable advantage of Val-Carrie over Carrie is its firmer flesh, which results in a considerably extended shelf life. Val-Carrie’s firm texture also makes it less susceptible to bruising compared to Carrie.
Val-Carrie Mango Disease Resistance
Val-Carrie Mango exhibits resistance to common diseases like Anthracnose and Bacterial Black Spot. As a result, Val-Carrie would be an excellent addition to yards with less than ideal conditions, such as higher humidity levels and low winds.
Val-Carrie Mango History
Val-Carrie Mango fruited for the first time in the 1970’s in Boynton Beach, Florida. It was a random seedling that propagated itself in the Zill Family’s Grove.
Check out the below video from Truly Tropical featuring Har Mahdeem, where he shares the fascinating backstory of Val-Carrie’s origins, including how he came up with the cultivar’s name!
Below is an excerpt on the history of Val-Carrie Mango from Walter Zill’s autobiography:
The VC is an oddly shaped variety sprouted from a seed dropped by chance beside the same path along which Jakarta originated, the distance between them being about seventy feet. I find it difficult to perceive what there is that is likeable about Val Carrie, yet many persons insist on obtaining the fruit when they become ripe.
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The strong resinous flavor in the “wireless” (has no fiber) pulp evidently suits their taste, my wife included. Named because someone thought it resembled what a cross of Carrie and Valencia Pride would produce, but I know not any facts to prove that assumption. The tree produces very well, and the fruit drop easily as they ripen.
When Verna heard the above, she requested that her version be stated. Here goes: “At first we had only one tree, and I ate all the fruit because it was my favorite. Then there came a time of so much abundance that I sold some. Shortly thereafter a customer returned and requested the variety that tastes and smells so “perfumey”...
None of the numerous varieties on display matched her memory of what she had previously obtained. Then I remembered that I had sold a few Val Carrie a few days earlier. I obtained from my stash a few, and she confirmed them as what she wanted because, “they taste just like perfume”. The result is that additional trees were planted, and more people who insist on Val Carrie can now obtain a few by waiting their turn.”
Walter Zill, Maturing With Mangoes
Val-Carrie is a cross between Carrie Mango and Valencia Pride Mango.
Val-Carrie Mango Tree For Sale (Where To Find)
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Conclusion
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