The mango tree, Mangifera Indica, is native to south Asia, by eastern India. It is a member of the Anacardiaceae family and is a distant relative of the pistachio and cashew trees. The plant has been highly honored and exalted in its native land from time immemorial and today is considered one of the most popular fruits in the world.Since the mango seed is too big to be carried by water or wind, historians believe that Persian traders carried mango seeds with them to the Middle East.
During the 16th century, the sea-faring Portuguese introduced the mango to Africa, who then took their tasty cargo to Brazil in the 1700s. The popularity of the mango spread north in the Americas through the years. It reached Mexico in the early 19th century, and finally reached the United States in 1860.The mango is a member of the Anachardiaceae family which includes poison ivy, cashews, and pistachios.Cultivated for over 6,000 years, the mango comes in over 50 varieties, ranging in color from greenish, yellowish, to reddish, often tinged with purple, pink, orange-yellow, or red.
The English singular form mango comes from the Latin Mangifera indica meaning mango-bearing plant from India. It is also known as manga, mangga, mangot, mangou, and mangue in other parts of the world.
The mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan and the Philippines. It is also the national tree of Bangladesh. In Hinduism, the perfectly ripe mango is often held by Lord Ganesha as a symbol of attainment, regarding the devotees potential perfection. Mango blossoms are also used in the worship of the goddess Saraswati.
