Updated 3rd June 2022
Yes, mango fever is here, stalls decorated with baskets of green and orange, red-blushed, and almost tan fruit in varieties from Cotonou to Ogbomosho.
For a long time, I paid no heed to the varieties of mangoes in fruit stalls and on the streets for I’ve only ever liked one variety of mangoes – ‘Normal mango’ according to the sellers on the streets. Also known as Ogbomosho, Calabar / Kwaba, Enugu and Abuja mangoes. I’m sorry if I can’t get the proper name for you…bear with me. It is a journey.
I’ve come across eight or so varieties of mangoes this season and those past.
Apparently, we have over ten (10) cultivars of le mangue in Nigeria.
First step, identify cultivars
Second step, carry out a taste test
Third step, identify which variety is best for eating, cooking, juicing et al
So fascinating and easy to see why people have favourites – both in taste and manner of eating. I shall not prescribe 🙂
Some favour firm, sweet and ripe.
Some like it at room temperature, some like it cold. Refrigerated.
Some like it cut up. Some like to eat it by hand.
Some like it in salads. Others in drinks. Even more in everything from custard to cake.
Which ever you like, here’s a quick guide to the varieties I’ve come across:
Cotonou Mango
Skin Colour: Green, with a little red blush
Flesh Colour: Pale lemon Yellow
Shape & Size: Large, ellipse-shaped
Flavor: Fresh and sour. Tastes like pineapple when ripe 😐
Texture: firm, not fibrous
Ripening Cues: Softens with pressure, no visible colour change
Peak Availability: March – April
Available in other countries: ??? Similar to the Bombay
Great for: Asian-style, unripe mango salads
Opioro
Skin Colour: Green
Flesh Colour: Yellow
Shape & Size: Long & large
Flavor: Fresh and sour
Texture: firm, not fibrous
Ripening Cues: Softens with pressure, no visible colour change
Peak Availability: February/ March
Available in other countries: ???
Great for: Asian-style, unripe mango salads
Benue Mangoes
Skin Colour: Green, with a little yellow; Red with yellow – a few varieties characterised by their size
Flesh Colour: Pale yellow – light orange
Shape & Size: Large – some are as big as melons
Flavor: Fresh and sour
Texture: Firm, not fibrous
Ripening Cues: Softens with pressure, skin colour lightens with a touch of yellow
Peak Availability: April?
Available in other countries: Similar to the Guinea Mango???
Great for: Asian-style, unripe mango salads
Normal (Ogbomosho/ Enugu (Eastern)/ Calabar/ Abuja/ Yellow) Mangoes
Skin Colour: Bright yellow skin with orange and red blush
Flesh Colour: Yellow
Shape: Oblong
Flavor: Sweet with a hint of spice
Texture: Varies from firm to soft and juicy; fibrous flesh
Ripening Cues: Green overtones diminish and the yellow becomes more golden as the Francis ripens. Squeeze gently to judge ripeness.
Peak Availability: February to –
Available in other countries: ???
Great for: Sweet and savoury preparations and puree, but you have to pass through a sieve to get rid of the fibres
Sheri Mango
Other names: Cherie, Sherry, Cherry. Believed to be the same as the most beloved Alphonso mango of India, of which love letters and gifts to kings have been made.
Skin Colour: Green
Flesh Colour: dark yellow – orange;
Shape: ellipse-shaped
Flavor: Sweet, rich and spicy, with aftertaste of ‘turpentine/kerosene’
Texture: Firm flesh, holds shape when cut
Ripening Cues: Green overtones diminish and yellow becomes dominant
Peak Availability: February to –
Available in other countries: ???
Great for: Sweet and savoury preparations and puree, but you have to pass through a sieve to get rid of the fibres
Julie Mango
Skin Colour: Green
Flesh Colour: dark yellow – orange
Shape: Ovate and flat
Flavor: Rich
Texture: Juicy flesh
Ripening Cues: Touch of yellow at the base
Peak Availability: February to
Available in other countries: ???
Best for: ???
Peter / Jane/ Binta Sugar (?) Mangoes
Skin Colour: Green
Flesh Colour: Orange
Shape & Size: Large
Flavor: Sour unripe? Sweet, like sugar some say when ripe?
Texture: Firm
Ripening Cues: Yellow/ Red blush
Peak Availability: March – April?
Available in other countries: ???
Great for: Asian-style, unripe mango salads
Photo above, from top to bottom: Peter, Enugu, German Mango/ Opioro
Photo below, green ones are Peter mangoes. Not sure what the red ones are
Kerosene Mango?
Skin Colour: Pale peach
Flesh Colour: Yellow – Orange
Shape: ellipse-shaped
Flavor: Aftertaste of turpentine/ kerosene
Texture: Varies from firm to soft and juicy; fibrous flesh
Ripening Cues: Green overtones diminish and peachy-tan colour prevails
Peak Availability: February to ?
Available in other countries: ???
So, ladies and gentlemen, here are eight (8) varieties of Mangoes I’ve encountered so far.
If you know of any others and have photos, please share. If you have updates on the names and flavours and anything else, let me know. Merci…
I have never gotten over the dumbness of calling Opioro “German”. Like there’s any variety of mango that grows in Germany?
You are right. That’s wild now I think about it and only makes sense from a colonization perspective of claiming and naming what already was. Thanks and update in progress!
Thank you for this article. It’s 2021 and I was looking for the best time to visit Nigeria in 2022 to meet the mango season and glad someone wrote about it.
My favorite mangoe is the German mango, hardly has any rot or bug and of they do very easy to spot. Great taste too. Then the Benue mango is next. Do you know the skin the part facing the mangoe taste like sugar? That’s my fave thing to do ,suck on the skin but don’t chew the entire thing.Me n mum discovered this specie on one of our trips to Abuja .o boy memories.
You’re welcome
Thank you so much for this! I found your site after doing a search for “German plum.” I was inspired by an advertisement for dwarf mango trees. The German plums are my favorite. I also would love to know it’s scientific name.
You’re welcome. I don’t know the specific botanical name for that variety
Kerosene mango is available in India.
Often is not the desired fruit but it is usually a leftover of the grafting process.
Kerosene mango plans grow very fast, hence they are generally used as a base and all the other branches will be cut off and the stem will be used as a base for grafting into another tree. However, sometimes it will grow a branch or two. My farm in southern India used to have a plant with a branch. I am not sure whether that tree survived droughts in 2000s.
Thank you for sahring!
Which ones are good for making juice?
Sherri mango or ogbomosho own is very sweet
thank you !
Educative and commendable I got exactly what I was looking for , as a journalist putting up report on mango dryer technology
So informative!! .you re doing a great job dear. I be been privileged to enjoy all this varieties as I lived across west Africa… They are, but goodness from our loving God. I never thought of making out time to mentally ponder about the varieties in themselves. You gave full detail about mangoes .. Thumbs up!
Thank you very much. It means a lot to me.
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ThOse red ones might be called I think Philo. As in Philomena. Grows in Adamawa. It might be the same as the one called Atiku mango- I think because they grow on his farm.
There are some pure yellow, tiny ones too. Really sweet and fibrous. Have no clue of the names.
My faves are Julie mangoes! I love the taste, plus they remind me of Vegfru mango juice
Ah, thank you so much. I’ll research some more. My fave is the Calabar/ Yellow/ Normal/ Ogbomosho 🙂
This post is amazing! Thanks. The names of the mango varieties are quite interesting too. LOL
Thank you dear
Love this! Most of these mangoes we have in South America.
I love how connected we are across oceans and seas. Yay
Thanks it really help my research
You’re very welcome – glad I could help
Nice work, please what is thhe botanical name of this our German mango species?, I know mango has general botanical name of mangifera indica
Hi Uzo, thanks. I don’t know the botanical name of the German mango species. If I find it out, I’ll share. Cheers