Kesar mangoes are classified asMangifera indica , a specie within the Anacardiaceae family , which also includes cashew , pistachios , and shumac . The genusMangiferacomprises around 35 - 40 coinage of tropical fruiting Tree , withM. indicabeing the most extensively cultivated , encompassing one C of cultivars worldwide . Kesar is a monoembryonic diversity , entail its source produces a unmarried shoot , aligning with Indian - case mangoes rather than the polyembryonic Southeast Asiatic types . originate as a cultivated selection in India , it reflects the robust heritage of mango tree breeding within this specie .
Kesar mangoes trace their origins to Gujarat , India , specifically the Girnar Hills near Junagadh , where they were first cultivated by the Nawabs of Junagadh in the belated 19th or early twentieth hundred . Named “ Kesar ” ( Hindi for “ saffron ” ) due to their vibrant saffron - orange flesh , they emerge as a seedling selection , possibly fromAlphonsoor a related cultivar , though accurate parentage remain incertain . By the early 20th hundred , Kesar gained bump in Gujarat ’s waterless regions , particularly around Talala Gir , where it thrived despite challenging consideration . Today , it ’s India ’s secondly - most - popular Mangifera indica afterAlphonso , lionise for its exportation quality and use in work trade good like pulp and succus , with culture extending to parts of Maharashtra , Karnataka , and even Florida ’s specialty orchards .
Kesar mangoes are medium - sized , typically weighing 7 - 10 oz. ( 200 - 300 grams ) , with an ellipse - to - stave shape and a slimly flattened profile . Their skin is sturdy and smooth , remaining green even when right , though it may develop a faint xanthous or orangish blush near the stem , requiring touch ( slim give ) to judge ripeness . The flesh is a striking orange yellow - orange , juicy , and moderately fibrous — less so than some old variety show — encasing a single , flat , monoembryonic germ . Ripening from May to July in India , it ’s an early - to - mid - time of year cultivar with a warm , sweet smell . The taste is intensely honeyed and robust , with a creamy grain and marked notes of honey and caramel , lacking meaning tartness , making it a dessert - like Mangifera indica prized for its luxurious nip .
Mangifera indica‘Kesar ’ thrive in USDA zone 10 - 11 , where hoarfrost - free , tropical to subtropic conditions prevail , with temperature ideally between 70 - 95 ° F ( 21 - 35 ° speed of light ) . It can digest brief dips to 30 ° F ( -1 ° coke ) , but prolonged frigidness below this restitution or kill the tree diagram , restricting its U.S. cultivation to southerly Florida , coastal California , Hawaii , and Puerto Rico . In zones 9b-10 , it can be grown with shelter ( for instance , greenhouses or hoar material ) if started indoors and shielded from wintertime chill , though yield quality may turn down outside optimal warmth . It command full sun ( 6 - 8 hours daily ) and well - drained , sandy loam soil ( pH 5.5 - 7.5 ) , excelling in humid regions with 30 - 100 in of one-year rainfall or irrigation , though it ’s notably drouth - tolerant once established .
