| Mangifera 'Eldon' | |
| Genus: | Mangifera |
| Species: | Mangifera indica |
| Hybrid: | 'Cowasji Patel' × unknown |
| Cultivar: | 'Eldon' |
| Breeder: | Walter B. Eldon |
| Origin: | Florida, USA |
The 'Eldon' mango is a mango cultivar which originated in south Florida, USA. Eldon eventually became a commercially adopted variety.
The original tree was grown from a seed on the property of Walter B. Eldon in Miami, Florida in 1939.[1] Reportedly the seed had been a Haden seed, and a 1995 analysis supported this; however a 2005 pedigree study did not support this, estimating that Eldon was likely a seedling of Cowasji Patel instead.[2] The original tree first fruited in 1942. Propagation was begun around 1948 by Lawrence Zill and J.W. Chafer.
While Eldon did not become a popular nursery stock tree in Florida over the following decades, it did eventually gain commercial acceptance in Africa.[3]
Eldon trees are planted in the collections of the USDA's germplasm repository in Miami,[4] and the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida.[5]
Eldon may have been a parent of the Southern Blush mango.
The fruit is of oval shape and averages about a pound in weight; moreover, the fruit may have variegated color upon maturity, and can be a mix of green, yellow, orange and red blush. The flesh is yellow and has a sweet flavor with a pleasant aroma. The fruit contains a monoembryonic seed.
The trees are moderately vigorous with a large canopy that contains light green leaves.