History

The original tree was grown on the property of Lawrence Zill of Boynton Beach, Florida

Boynton Beach, Florida

Boynton Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 60,389 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the city had a population of 66,714 according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research...

 and was reportedly a seedling of the Zill

Zill (mango)

The Zill' mango is a named mango cultivar that originated in south Florida.- History :The original tree reportedly grew from a 'Haden' seed planted in 1922 by Carl King of Lake Worth, Florida. A 2005 pedigree analysis estimated that 'Zill' may have been a cross between 'Haden' and 'Bombay'. The...

 cultivar that had been open cross pollinated with Haden

Haden (mango)

The Haden' mango is a named mango cultivar that became one of the most widely cultivated in the world after it was introduced in the early 20th century through south Florida. It would ultimately become the parent of many other mango cultivars later developed in Florida.- History :In 1902, Captain...

. A 2005 pedigree analysis indicated that Spirit of '76 was indeed a Zill x Haden cross.

Though Spirit of '76 did not gain commercial acceptance due to its soft flesh, it has been propagated as nurserystock and sold on a limited basis as a dooryard tree for home growers in Florida.

Spirit of '76 trees are planted in the collections of the USDA's germplasm repository in Miami, Florida

Miami, Florida

Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...

, and the Miami-Dade Fruit and Spice Park

Fruit and Spice Park

The Fruit and Spice Park is a botanical garden in metropolitan Miami at 24801 SW 187 Avenue, located in the rural agricultural community of the Redland, Florida, United States.-Exhibits:...

 in Homestead, Florida

Homestead, Florida

Homestead is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States nestled between Biscayne National Park to the east and Everglades National Park to the west. Homestead is primarily a Miami suburb and a major agricultural area....

.

Description

The fruit is oblong in shape, with a rounded base and rounded apex that sometimes has a small lateral beak. It averages about a pound in weight at maturity. The skin color is yellow with red blush, and the flesh is yellow in color. It is completely fiberless with a rich, aromatic flavor, and contains a monoembryonic seed. The fruit ripen from June to July in Florida.

The trees are moderately vigorous growers with spreading canopies.