King Thai Mango Tree

King Thai is the mango to plant if you want fruit off a tree you can still reach. Grafted rather than grown from seed, Mangifera indica 'King Thai' settles at around 5m tall and 4m wide in a home garden with light pruning, well short of the 15m a plantation tree reaches. It is fast, heat loving and drought tolerant once established.

Why you'll love it

• Backyard scale, not orchard scale. About 5m by 4m with annual pruning, so picking and netting stay possible from a ladder.
• Grafted for a faster crop. A grafted tree carries the parent variety and fruits years sooner than a seedling mango.
• Fast growing and heat proof. It puts on real height each warm season and shrugs off the dry heat that stalls other fruit trees.
• Shade and fruit from one tree. The evergreen canopy is dense enough to sit under.

Where it works best

Feature and shade tree. Give it 4m of clear space in the sunniest part of the garden, away from paths where fallen fruit becomes a nuisance.

Pots and containers. A half barrel or a pot 500mm and wider holds it to around 2m to 3m. A pot also lets cooler gardens move the tree under cover for winter.

Growing King Thai mango in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, all day, in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It is frost tender, and a hard frost can kill a young tree outright. In cooler southern gardens grow it in a pot against a north facing wall and accept a lighter crop.

Soil. Deep, free draining soil is essential. Mangoes will not tolerate wet feet, so plant on a raised mound on clay and work compost through a wide area rather than just the hole.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers, then only in dry spells. Hold back on water while the tree is flowering, because a wet flowering period is the usual reason a crop fails. Feed a fruit tree fertiliser after harvest and again in early spring.

Pruning. Prune straight after picking, taking the leaders back to keep the tree at a height you can manage. The sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves and long sleeves.

What to expect when it arrives

This mango is grown in a 5L pot, which is a young grafted tree roughly knee to waist high with a visible graft union near the base. Keep that union above soil level when you plant.

Trees are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Some leaf bronzing after transit is normal. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete mango tree care guide
• Compare the full mango range
• Browse fruit trees for Australian gardens
• Planting tips for fruit trees through the year

Common questions

How long before it fruits?

A grafted 5L tree usually sets its first fruit in the second or third year, and reaches a proper crop by year four. Removing the first season of flowers helps the tree build a frame before it carries weight.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes. Use a pot at least 500mm wide with strong drainage, expect a mature height of 2m to 3m, and repot or root prune every three years. Potted trees dry out fast in summer and need watching.

Will it survive frost?

No. It is frost tender at any age and young trees are the most vulnerable. Cool temperate gardens should treat it as a container plant that overwinters under cover.

Does it need another mango to pollinate it?

No, mangoes are self fertile. Insects do the work, so warm dry weather at flowering matters far more than having a second tree nearby.