Haden

Haden (or, Hayden ) is a mango cultivar that became one of the more widely cultivated in the state of Florida after it was introduced in the early 20th century. It would ultimately become the parent of many other mango cultivars later developed in Florida.

History

In 1902, Captain John J. Haden, a retired army officer living in Coconut Grove, Florida, planted several seedlings of Mulgoba mangoes he had received from a Professor Elbridge Gale in Mangonia, near Lake Worth. Haden would die the following year, but his wife Florence cared for trees at their property in Coconut Grove, which first fruited in 1910. [http://www.stcarlos.ca/mangos.htm] One tree in particular produced superior quality fruit, which was selected and given the family name.

Mrs. Haden, realizing the potential of the cultivar, reported its success to the Florida State Horticultural Society, and sent two specimens of the fruit to the United States Department of Agriculture, and another larger mango to Mr. Ed Simmons of the Plant Introduction Station at Miami. [http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/docs/m/mangos.htm] Simmons was immediately intrigued and eventually took up propagating the Haden in south Florida, where it became an instant commercial success and would dominate the mango industry in the state for roughly 25 years before falling out of favor due to low disease resistance and the availability of new varieties, many of which were seedlings of Haden.

Description

The fruit typically reaches maturity from June to July, averaging 1 to 2 pounds in weight. it is of round, oval shape and has yellow color with a red crimson blush. The flesh is slightly fibrous but has a full, sweet flavor.

The tree is a fairly large and vigorous grower, with a rounded canopy capable of attaining heights between 20 and 30 feet.

Disease Resistance

While the Haden enjoyed early popularity among growers in the mango industry due to its widely accepted flavor and relatively good shelf life, the tree proved to be highly susceptible to anthracnose, a fungus that affects both the tree and the fruit. The fruit also sometimes had a tendency to develop "jelly seed". These issues ultimately resulted in Haden being surpassed in the industry by other cultivars with better disease resistance (such as Tommy Atkins). Nevertheless, Haden has remained one of the more popular varieties of mangoes in south Florida to this day.

Notes

[http://www.stcarlos.ca/mangos.htm] http://www.stcarlos.ca/mangos.htm

[http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/docs/m/mangos.htm] http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/docs/m/mangos.htm