Mango

   The mango is one of the oldest trees grown by man, perhaps for 6000 years. It is a sacred tree and a basic fruit in India. One must build up a liking for it. One variety is reported to have the flavor of turpentine.
Mango trees need alternate dry and wet periods for growth. The leaves are dark and shiny and the flowers are light orange-red. The fruit, classed as a drupe, has a juicy, fibrous pulp around a large, oval seed. The fruit turns greenish yellow or orange when ripe and may weigh as much as five pounds.
   The mango tree attracts a species of fruit fly which harms crops in the United States, so importing and growing is limited.