The Super Julie Mango is a highly sought-after tropical fruit, known for its exceptional qualities. This unique cultivar appeals to both connoisseurs and home growers due to distinct characteristics that set it apart from other varieties.
Understanding the Super Julie Mango
The Super Julie Mango is a small-to-medium sized, oval-shaped fruit. Its skin develops an attractive red color at maturity, often with a light green or yellow background. The flesh is orange, soft, and notably fiberless. This mango contains a monoembryonic seed, meaning it will not grow true-to-type from seed.
This variety originated in Florida as a seedling of the traditional Julie mango, developed by Gary Zill’s breeding program. Initially named ‘Fairchild Ruby,’ it was renamed ‘Super Julie’ to avoid confusion with existing mango varieties. The “Super” designation highlights its improved characteristics compared to its parent, including better fruit quality and tree vigor.
The Super Julie Flavor Profile
The Super Julie Mango offers a rich flavor, often described as belonging to the Alphonso-group with abundant spice character and dessert-like sweetness. Its taste is a fusion of sweetness, sometimes with intense “Caribbean sweet spice” notes, and subtle acidic or resinous undertones. The fruit also has a “zing” reminiscent of Carrie and Ugly Betty mangoes.
The flesh is fiberless, juicy, and has a velvety texture. It is notably juicier than the original Julie mango. With a Brix level in the 20s, Super Julie is superior to both Julie and Carrie in sweetness. The aroma is pleasant, though less intense than the classic Julie scent.
Cultivating Super Julie Mango Trees
Super Julie mango trees thrive in warm, tropical, or subtropical climates, preferring full sun exposure. They require well-draining soil and consistent watering, though established trees can tolerate dry periods. South Florida’s sandy soil is well-suited for their growth.
For optimal growth, these trees benefit from balanced fertilizer applications every 6-8 weeks during their growing season. While generally vigorous, they can be prone to mango bacterial black spot, which may lead to significant fruit loss in some years. However, Super Julie trees are resistant to anthracnose and powdery mildew.
Super Julie trees are vigorous growers with a spreading, dense canopy. They can reach heights of 15-20 feet, though they can be maintained at a smaller size (12-15 feet) with regular pruning. Grafted trees typically begin bearing fruit within 2-3 years under proper care.
Super Julie Versus Julie Mango
The Super Julie mango is a distinct improvement over its parent, the traditional Julie mango. While retaining the rich, sweet flavor profile of the Julie, the Super Julie offers enhanced characteristics. It produces larger and more colorful fruit with less fiber compared to the original Julie.
The Super Julie tree is also more vigorous and disease resistant, particularly against anthracnose, which the traditional Julie is susceptible to in humid climates. Super Julie trees are more productive, yielding good to heavy crops, while the original Julie yields moderately. This makes the Super Julie a more reliable and rewarding choice for growers.
Finding Super Julie Mangoes and Trees
Super Julie mangoes ripen mid-season, from late June through July. The fruit can be found at specialty fruit markets or through online vendors during its season. Demand for this mango can be high due to its desirable qualities.
For those interested in growing their own, Super Julie saplings or grafted trees are available from specialized nurseries and online plant retailers. Grafted trees ensure desired fruit characteristics and quicker fruiting. Smaller trees in 3-gallon pots may take 2-3 years to produce their first crop, while larger 15-gallon trees can fruit within a year of planting.