Mango 'H4/KP' at LCG (photo credit: Graham Bond)
Mango 'H4/KP'
Mangifera indica
Anacardiaceae family
Grown from seedling
The 'Kensington Pride' (KP) Mango is a named commercial mango cultivar that originated in Australia. It is sometimes called the 'KP', 'Bowen' or 'Bowen Special'. Fruit has excellent flavour and is firm, juicy, aromatic and fibre free. Harvest from approximately January to March.
The 'H4' Mango variety was grafted onto this tree but the graft has unfortunately died.
This tree is part of a cluster of Mango trees at Lennox Community Gardens, planted fairly close together (approximately 3 m apart). As this tree is grown from seedling, it will naturally grow quite large. A compact form will need to be maintained so that all of the trees have access to adequate light.
Tree Provenance
Our tropical fruit and grafting specialist, Grant, plans to graft dwarf varieties onto this plant. See the photo below, from February 2025, showing the drastic pruning Grant has undertaken in preparation for 'top working' the tree with new grafts. Once new shoots grow from the pruned trunk, some will be selected for grafting onto and some will be removed. Stay tuned for information on which varieties are selected for grafting on to this plant.
The original 'Kensington Pride' is a variety that was selected from a seedling in Bowen, QLD, in the late 1800’s - thought to have originated as a seed imported on a shipping line from India. Mangoes are native to south-east Asia.
Tree maintenance
Mangifera indica
Anacardiaceae family
Grown from seedling
The 'Kensington Pride' (KP) Mango is a named commercial mango cultivar that originated in Australia. It is sometimes called the 'KP', 'Bowen' or 'Bowen Special'. Fruit has excellent flavour and is firm, juicy, aromatic and fibre free. Harvest from approximately January to March.
The 'H4' Mango variety was grafted onto this tree but the graft has unfortunately died.
This tree is part of a cluster of Mango trees at Lennox Community Gardens, planted fairly close together (approximately 3 m apart). As this tree is grown from seedling, it will naturally grow quite large. A compact form will need to be maintained so that all of the trees have access to adequate light.
Tree Provenance
Our tropical fruit and grafting specialist, Grant, plans to graft dwarf varieties onto this plant. See the photo below, from February 2025, showing the drastic pruning Grant has undertaken in preparation for 'top working' the tree with new grafts. Once new shoots grow from the pruned trunk, some will be selected for grafting onto and some will be removed. Stay tuned for information on which varieties are selected for grafting on to this plant.
The original 'Kensington Pride' is a variety that was selected from a seedling in Bowen, QLD, in the late 1800’s - thought to have originated as a seed imported on a shipping line from India. Mangoes are native to south-east Asia.
Tree maintenance
- Be sure to locate graft points before attempting any major pruning.
- When mature prune immediately after harvest to contain the tree size and maintain production. Also remove dead, damaged or diseased branches and open the centre of the tree for air flow
- Apply Sulphate of Potash to encourage healthy stem and leaf growth, as well as promote flowering and fruiting. Do not apply any nitrogen rich fertilisers to mature mango trees. Apply late summer and late autumn.
- Mangoes will do well with a feed of seaweed solution especially during the warmer months.
- Keep soil well composted and mulched, leaving a gap around the trunk to avoid collar rot.
- When young, keep watered from spring to autumn; as a rule once mature the tree will not require much watering unless it is a particularly dry period, with the following notes: Adequate water is crucial during the early stage of fruit set. Once fruit reach 6-10cm in length this is less critical and minimal water is ideal as fruit approach maturity so they can sweeten up.
- To increase fruit set, spray with wettable sulphur when blooms develop to help keep powdery mildew in check. This should be done as per manufacturer's instructions up until fruit is set.
- Spray with Copper late autumn and after fruit set. Spray both sides of leaves but try to minimise copper dripping onto soil as too much will impact soil microbes. Copper helps reduce Mango Bacterial Black Spot (MBBS) and Anthracnose which mangoes are particularly susceptible to.
Mango 'H4/KP' at LCG February 2025, after a drastic prune in preparation for 'top working' with grafts from dwarf varieties (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Mango 'H4/KP' at LCG January 2025 (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Mango 'H4/KP' at LCG July 2023 (Photo credit: Graham Bond)
