Springfels (mango)
Encyclopedia
The Springfels mango is a large, commercially grown mango cultivar that originated in south Florida.
. When his health began to decline he moved to Florida, where he began experimenting with plants. At his property in West Palm Beach, Florida
a mango seed was planted in 1919, with the tree first fruiting in 1925. The fruit were quite large, reaching several pounds in weight, had good eating qualities and shipped well, giving it potential as a commercial variety. The 'Springfels' mango was reportedly a seedling of 'Haden
', which was later supported by a 2005 pedigree analysis. Some literature and physical characteristics had suggested that it had been a cross with Sandersha, though the analysis did not support this. Charles Springfels originally gave the fruit the name 'Springfels Superior'.
'Springfels' was well received at a time when few alternatives existed to the 'Haden' cultivar. Charles Springfels himself promoted the fruit heavily, submitting them for display at the Chicago fair and even having a shipment of the fruit received by the White House in 1939. The variety received some commercial plantings beginning in 1930, but did not gain widespread favor as new cultivars came into existence. A drawback for growers was the susceptibility of 'Springfels' fruit to uneven ripening. The variety continued to be sold as nursery stock however, and is still sold in Florida on a small scale.
'Springfels' trees are planted in the collections of the USDA's germplasm repository in Miami, Florida
, the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida
, and the Miami-Dade Fruit and Spice Park
, also in Homestead. The original tree still stands in West Palm Beach.
'Springfels' is a moderately vigorous grower with a spreading canopy, though the trees do not typically exceed 20 feet in height.
History
Charles F. Springfels was a German immigrant to the United States who had established a jewelry manufacturing business in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. When his health began to decline he moved to Florida, where he began experimenting with plants. At his property in West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
a mango seed was planted in 1919, with the tree first fruiting in 1925. The fruit were quite large, reaching several pounds in weight, had good eating qualities and shipped well, giving it potential as a commercial variety. The 'Springfels' mango was reportedly a seedling of '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...
', which was later supported by a 2005 pedigree analysis. Some literature and physical characteristics had suggested that it had been a cross with Sandersha, though the analysis did not support this. Charles Springfels originally gave the fruit the name 'Springfels Superior'.
'Springfels' was well received at a time when few alternatives existed to the 'Haden' cultivar. Charles Springfels himself promoted the fruit heavily, submitting them for display at the Chicago fair and even having a shipment of the fruit received by the White House in 1939. The variety received some commercial plantings beginning in 1930, but did not gain widespread favor as new cultivars came into existence. A drawback for growers was the susceptibility of 'Springfels' fruit to uneven ripening. The variety continued to be sold as nursery stock however, and is still sold in Florida on a small scale.
'Springfels' 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...
, the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center 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....
, 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:...
, also in Homestead. The original tree still stands in West Palm Beach.
Description
The fruit is oblong in shape, with a rounded base and apex, normally lacking a beak. At maturity 'Springfels' averages over a pound in weight. It can reach enormous size for a mango, as large as 4 pounds in some instances. The skin is bumpy and coloration is similar to Haden, with yellow background and red blush. The flesh is yellow, sweet, and aromatic with very light fiber and contains a monoembryonic seed. The fruit typically mature from July to August in Florida.'Springfels' is a moderately vigorous grower with a spreading canopy, though the trees do not typically exceed 20 feet in height.