Mango Tree

The fruit that enjoys unrivalled dominance over the collective consciousness of South Asia is undoubtedly none other than the Mango. School children are taught that the Aam is the King of fruits, and this claim is certainly not unjustified. 

Mango trees have a thick trunk, shady canopy and can grow to 40 feet tall in Karachi. Their leaves are thick and linear, growing on spreading branches which often form a crown-like formation. The leaves are highly fragrant when crushed. The Mango tree, which blooms in January and February, has tiny flowers which grow in bunches at the ends of branches. These flowers are quite the spectacle, draping the tree in a dress of white. 

New leaves emerge in the spring and post monsoon season. The leaves emerge a bright red, though this varies in brilliance. These red leaves turn lime green before finally fading to a dark green. These lime green appearance can last for weeks at a time and is a refreshing mark of the season.

The scientific name Mangifera Indica refers to Mango or Manga the name for the fruit in most languages and Indica which refers to its origin in India. The word Mango goes back to a proto-south Dravidian Languages, which explains its prevalence in South Indian languages from where it was transported to the west via Portugese. Aam, the word in Urdu and Hindi goes back to a Sanskrit root. In certain predecessors of Hindustani it is referred to as “Ambwa” such as in Ameer Khusro’s Bidai (Farewell Song) “ Ambwa Talay”.