The 'Zill' mango is a named mango cultivar that originated in south Florida.
| Mangifera 'Zill' | |
|---|---|
 Zill mangoes at the Redland Summer Fruit Festival, Fruit and Spice Park, Homestead, FL | |
| Genus | Mangifera |
| Species | Mangifera indica |
| Hybrid parentage | 'Haden' × 'Bombay' |
| Cultivar | 'Zill' |
| Breeder | Laurence H. Zill |
| Origin | Florida, US |
History
editThe original tree reportedly grew from a 'Haden' seed planted in 1922 by Carl King of Lake Worth, Florida.[1] A 2005 pedigree analysis estimated that Zill may have been a cross between Haden and Bombay.[2] The tree later came into the possession of Laurence H. Zill, a horticulturalist and nursery owner whose family name the cultivar was named after. The tree first fruited in 1930, and Zill began to be propagated by Laurence Zill in 1940. The cultivar was named and described in 1945.
Thereafter, Zill became heavily propagated due to its color, eating quality, and good production. It was planted commercially and widely sold as nurserystock. While it fell out of favor as a commercial mango due to poor storage characteristics, Zill is now commercially grown in Africa[3] and is still sold as a dooryard tree for home growers in Florida.
Zill trees are planted in the collections of the USDA's germplasm repository in Miami, Florida,[4][5] the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida,[6] and the Miami-Dade Fruit and Spice Park,[7] also in Homestead.
Zill may be a parent of several Florida mangoes, including Dot, Jakarta, and Spirit of '76.
Description
editThe fruit is oval to ovate in shape, with a rounded base and rounded apex, and contains a small lateral beak. The average weight at maturity is just under a pound. The thin skin is yellow with dark red blush covering much of it. The flesh is yellow and fiberless, with a sweet flavor and strong aroma[8] that is sometimes compared to pineapple. It contains a monoembryonic seed. Zill typically ripens from May to July in Florida,[9] though it has a tendency to ripen all at once during a 2-week period. Fruit production is considered good.
The trees are vigorous growers that develop large, spreading canopies.
References
edit- ^ R. Bruce Ledin (1954). "Mango Varieties" (PDF). Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society. 67: 3, table 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 26, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
- ^ Cecile T. Olano; Raymond J. Schnell; Wilber E. Quintanilla; Richard J. Campbell (2005). "Pedigree analysis of Florida mango cultivars" (PDF). Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society. 118: 193. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 18, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
- ^ Jean-François Vayssières; Antonio Sinzogan; Appolinaire Adandonon. The mango (Mangifera indica) tree in Benin: main cultivars and socio-economic importance (PDF) (Report). IITA-CIRAD. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ USDA; ARS; National Genetic Resources Program. "MIA 35044 - Mangifera indica - L. ANACARDIACEAE - Zill". Germplasm Resources Information Network (National Germplasm Resources Laboratory). Archived from the original on 29 July 2012.
- ^ "PI 277480 - Mangifera indica - L. ANACARDIACEAE - ZILL". Archived from the original on 29 July 2012.
- ^ TREC Tropical Fruit Collections (PDF), pp. 2–4, archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-12-03,
Mango (Mangifera indica) Collection – The World of Mangos. At present TREC has one of the most extensive mango collections in the U.S.... 119: Zill
- ^ "Friends of the Fruit & Spice Park - Plant and Tree List 2008". Archived from the original on July 11, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
- ^ Campbell, Richard J. (1992). A Guide to Mangos in Florida. Fairchild Tropical Garden. p. 187. ISBN 0-9632264-0-1.
- ^ "HS2/MG216: Mango Growing in the Florida Home Landscape". edis.ifas.ufl.edu.