Late spring and early summer are the perfect times to grow mangoes from seed in Australia. With warm weather here, now is the ideal window to start your mango tree so it establishes strong roots through summer.
The best part? It’s completely free — save a seed from your next Coles or Woolworths mango and follow this guide.
How to grow a mango from seed
Mangoes are a delicious summer stone fruit produced by the tropical tree Mangifera indica. Not only do they taste good, but mangoes are full of vitamin A and folate and also contain fibre.
If you consider yourself a green thumb, you might be interested to know more about how to grow a mango tree from seed.
Check out our handy-dandy guide below to learn how to grow a mango tree from seed.
1. Eat the flesh from your ripe mango
It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. Eat the flesh from your mango and keep the seed. Just make sure the mango you select to plant is ripe. Propagation by seed is recommended only for polyembryonic mango varieties such as Kensington Pride.
2. Clean the seed
Remove the excess mango flesh from your seed, ensuring it is nice and clean. While you can plant your seed as it is in a potting mix, germination will take a long time. Instead, leave your seed to dry for 24 hours and move on to the next step.
3. Remove the seed from its shell
Carefully open the husk around the seed. You may need scissors to make an initial cut. The seed inside the husk should be white.
4. Wrap the seed in a wet paper towel
Grab a damp piece of paper towel and wrap your seed in it. Place the parcel inside a plastic bag. Leave it in a warm spot and wait for it to germinate. Germination can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. In warm spring/summer conditions, expect sprouts within 1-2 weeks. If the seed is green, then it’s healthy. If there’s discolouration, the seed might be rotting and not viable.
5. Plant your seed
Once your seed is sprouting (about 5cm), it’s time to plant. Grab a pot and some potting mix. Place your seed in the pot so the soil covers the seed. Making sure the root is covered, but the embryonic leaves on top are uncovered.
Best time to plant mango seeds in Australia
The ideal time to plant mango seeds is late spring to early summer (November-December in most of Australia). Warm soil temperatures speed up germination, and your seedling will have all summer to establish strong roots.
If you’re planting now, expect to see sprouts within 1-3 weeks. The warmer the conditions, the faster germination happens.
Tip: Brisbane and northern regions can plant year-round, but in southern states, stick to spring/summer planting for best results.
How to grow a mango tree that bears fruit
Will your mango tree actually bear fruit? Probably not if grown from supermarket fruit, but it still makes an impressive houseplant or garden feature. Seed-grown mangoes can take 5-8 years to fruit (if they fruit at all), and the fruit quality is unpredictable.
If you want a mango tree that will bear fruit, your best bet is to start with a grafted mango tree purchased from a nursery. A grafted mango tree is part of the parent tree (scion) and joined with a rooted plant (rootstock). However, this can still take around 3-5 years for your mango tree to flower and fruit.
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