This easy method shows how to grow a mango tree from seed using a mango from the grocery store. Eat the mango, save the seed, and follow these simple steps to grow it into a plant.
You can also grow an avocado from seed using the same method.
Growing a Grocery Store Mango Seed
Did you know the husk inside mango fruit contains a seed? And it’s a nice big seed! And that’s what we sow to grow a new mango plant.
If you live in a cold climate, without outdoor tropical growing conditions, you can still grow mangos indoors as houseplants, beginning with a mango fruit.
I’ll show you a simple way to prepare the seed, make it sprout, and grow it as a houseplant. These are tropical plants, so you’ll want a sunny, warm place in your home to provide the best growing conditions.
So, what makes this method easy?
By starting the mango seed in damp paper towel (see below), we can first determine if the seed is viable (will grow).
You could also plant it directly in damp potting mix, but that means waiting to see if there is growth (for several weeks).
The easy method reveals which seeds are good ones so we don’t waste time on the duds.
Will it grow fruit?
Probably not, unless you manage to provide exceptional, tropical-like growing conditions for many years that eventually trigger flowering and fruiting. Grafted mango trees can produce fruit.
How long does it take to grow a mango tree?
A mango tree grown from seed indoors can take 5 to 8 years to mature.
A grafted mango tree may take 3 to 4 years to reach fruit-bearing age.
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How To Grow Mango From Seed
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Related: How to Grow Ginger Root from the Grocery Store
How to Grow a Mango from Seed
Supplies
To get started, gather your supplies. In addition to a ripe mango fruit, you will need these items.
Organic Potting Mix | Amazon
Flower Pots with Saucers | Amazon
Reusable Paper Towels | Amazon
or regular paper towels
Fiskars PowerCut Scissors | Amazon
Steps
1Buy a Ripe Mango
Every mango has a seed inside. It’s protected by that thick, husk-like thing you set aside when preparing the fruit for eating.
You have to start with a ripe mango because otherwise the seed within the husk may not be mature enough to grow into a plant.
2Remove the Husk/Seed from the Mango
Use the edible fruit (yum!) and set aside the husk. They tend to have stringy pieces of fruit attached to them and we’ll take care of that in the next step.
If you like propagating stuff like this, get my Kitchen Propagation Handbook here for more projects.
Want more propagation tutorials?
3Clean and Dry the Husk
Next you want to gently scrub off the pulp/stringy bits of mango fruit from the husk. The purpose of this step is simply to help the husk dry faster and make it easier to cut open.
You can hold the husk under tap water and use a soft scrub brush to push the pulp off.
Or, very carefully scrape it off with a small knife, always aiming away from yourself!
When the husk is fairly pulp-free, dry it off with a towel and set it somewhere to further dry for a day or two (not much more).
4Remove Seed from Husk
After 2 days, the mango seed husk is dry enough to cut open.
This is the part that amazed me the first time I did it. I have eaten a lot of mangos over the years, and I had no idea there was a great big seed in there!
- You want to cut the edges of the husk so you can pry it open without damaging the seed inside.
- I use good scissors that can cut thick things like leather (not your fabric or paper scissors or you’ll wreck them) and trim away the edges.
- You could also put the husk in a vice and use a fine wood saw to trim off the edges.
- Then, peel back the husk and see what’s inside.
5Clean Off the Seed
This is a mango seed found within the husk of the fruit.
Pretty cool! It’s like some sort of giant bean seed. And no two mango seeds look the same.
- Gently remove the seed from the husk and take off any loose paper-like layers around it but don’t force or peel anything.
Some mangos produce polyembryonic seeds, but the ones shown here are singles (monoembryonic). Plants from polyembryonic seeds produce fruit true to the parent (like grafted plants do since they are created from vegetative cuttings). Our grocery stores have very little variety so I’ve only ever seen two types of mango seeds here and they are always singles.
If the seed appears shriveled or rotten, start again with another mango.
6Sprout Seed
The mango seed is wrapped in moist towel and placed in a plastic bag.
I use this method for sprouting all sorts of the things including avocado seeds and ginger. I like this method because it shows me I have a viable seed before I go to the trouble of planting it in soil.
There is no need to buy plastic bags for this step. Just use any plastic bags or wrap you have.
- Dampen a cloth (can be a washcloth) or paper towel (see eco-friendly reusable ones here) in warm water so it’s moist but not dripping.
- Wrap your mango seed with the damp cloth and place it in the plastic bag.
- If you are sprouting several seeds, put one on the damp towel, fold over, add another, fold over and so on. I keep them apart with a layer of towel to prevent any roots from growing together or becoming entangled.
- Place the bag in a dark kitchen cupboard. You can also put it in a warm spot, which is always good to speed up germination, but be sure the towel does not dry out.
- Set a timer on your phone to check on it every 3 days. Take photos each time to keep track of changes.
7Check for Sprouting
After 3 weeks, the seed is sprouting.
- Every few days, open up the paper towel and check for signs of sprouting.
- Dampen the paper towel again if needed.
The mango seed pictured above (after 3-weeks) is growing a red sprout!
I wait until any new growth is 2 to 3-inches long before planting in potting mix.
My mango seed split open during germination. Is this normal?
Yes, some seeds will split open during germination. It happens when parts inside grow or swell, pushing open the shell. It’s fine.
Related: How to Grow an Apple Tree From Seed
8Keep Checking for Growth
After 5 weeks, there is enough new growth to plant the seed in potting mix.
At this point you can see how the red sprout is also growing roots, and there is another sprout on top. This took 5 weeks to grow.
That new sprout on top (right) is pale in color because it is growing without light. It will turn green when exposed to sunlight.
Now it’s time to plant the seed in potting mix.
9Plant the Sprouted Mango Seed
At week five (or when there is a few inches of new growth), we plant the seed in potting mix.
Some of the new growth will become roots and the other parts are shoots, but it’s very hard to tell what’s-what at this stage.
Because of this, it’s fine to plant the seed flat in the pot (the way it is in the photo, above). The plant will sort itself out just fine.
Your pot should be a few inches wider than the seed and have room for several inches of root growth. The pot I used is 8-inches deep total, but 6-inches would be fine too.
Also, be sure the pot has drainage holes and a drip saucer to avoid water-logging the plant.
- Fill the pot with potting mix (suitable for houseplants) leaving two inches below lip of pot.
- Water the potting mix thoroughly, let it settle, top it up to same level (2-inches below lip) and set sprouted seed on top.
- Cover seed in an inch of potting mix, water it and top it up.
- You want to end up with about an inch of space between top of potting mix and lip of the pot for easy watering without overflowing.
10Grow Your Plant
At six weeks, a shoot has emerged from the potting mix and leaves are forming.
Mangos are tropical plants and enjoy warmth and humidity.
- Place your plant in a sunny location but not in direct, hot sun where it could dry out.
- Keep soil moist but not damp.
The mango plant in the photo (above, 6-weeks old) decided to send its shoot up at the side of the pot. That’s fine! It’s approximately 4-inches tall and nice and healthy.
11Don’t Worry About Limp Leaves
During the early growth stage, the leaves may be limp. It’s normal.
Limp leaves! I’ve had this several times and I’ve seen others mention it so I’m confident it’s normal.
- As the mango grows its first leaves, they may look limp, as if the plant is over— or under—watered.
- Unless you have been a bit off with your watering and/or have stressed the plant, this limp stage is normal.
- Keep providing proper care and it will perk up. And don’t be tempted to change your water routine if you know it’s fine.
12Grow as Houseplant
Just a week later, my mango plant perked up:
After 9 weeks, the leaves have perked up and the plant is approximately 9-inches tall.
At this point the mango plant is approximately 9-weeks old (from the day we put it in paper towel) and it’s nine inches tall.
The five main leaves formed early (week 3) and no additional leaves have appeared since then.
It’s fairly cool in our home (just below 20°C / 68°F), so growth will be slower than you’d get in a warmer space with better humidity.
After 18 months, the main stem is starting to die off at the top of the plant but a lot of new side shoots with leaves have formed.
Basic Indoor Mango Plant Care Tips
Ideally, you will mimic tropical conditions in your home, or as close to it as you can manage.
- Warmth | Mango trees grow best in ambient temperatures ranging between 21º to 24ºC (70º to 75ºF).
- Temperature | Mango trees die at temperature below .5ºC (33ºF) but can tolerate up to 48ºC (118ºF).
- Humidity | 50-60% until/if flowers form (then lower it).
- Light | Needs heat more than intense light; do not allow the plant to dry out.
- Summer | Place outdoors in dappled sun for maximum warmth.
- Fall to Spring | Keep indoors.
- Fertilizer | I cannot find any research on specific fertilizer needs for indoor mangos. This is what is recommended for outdoor ones: Fertilizer may be a 1:1:1 or 1:2:2 N-P-K ratio formulation, such as 16-16-16 or 10-20-20 N-P-K.
- Warnings | Mango trees are in the same family as poison ivy. The skin, bark, and leaves can cause strong reactions. [Read more here at University of Illinois]
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can grow mango plants indoors. You can start a mango tree from the seed inside the fruit or buy a grafted tree, which is much more likely to grow fruit, although it does take several years and the right growing conditions.
It takes a few months to grow a small mango plant from seed. With the method listed above, it took 9 weeks from the day I started the germination process to having a 9-inch tall plant.
A mango seed will germinate as fast as possible when conditions are optimal. Because mango plants grow best in when the ambient temperature is between 21º to 24ºC (70º to 75ºF), it’s a fair assumption that the seed would sprout fastest at temperatures just above that.
After many years an indoor mango tree could reach six-feet tall whereas a mango tree growing in its native tropical climate during the same period of time could reach 35 meters if not pruned.
Growing indoors, both because conditions are not optimal and the plant is restricted to a container, will limit growth.
It is highly unlikely an indoor mango tree will ever produce fruit, especially when started from a grocery store seed. If you want fruit, start with a grafted mango tree (from a nursery that specializes in them). These are intended for growing fruit, although the quantity will be small.
Provide optimum growing conditions including intense heat without drying out the soil.
Grafted mango trees are reported to take 3-5 years to flower and fruit.
Some say mango seedlings (like we’re germinating here) can grow into fruit-producing trees after 5-8 years, but I have not yet found anyone to confirm this.
The fruit, if you do get some, will vary depending on the source. Mango seedlings cannot produce fruit true to the parent plant (because they are hybrids). But grafted mango plants can (because they are clones). But really, it’s such a cool achievement to grow the plant to produce fruit, either way I’d be happy.
Resources
Buy Grafted Mango Trees
If you want much better odds of eventually getting fruit, buy a grafted mango tree.
More Information
- How to Grow and Harvest Mangos | UCDavis.edu (PDF format)
- Mango Growing Information at www.extento.hawaii.edu/kbase/crop/crops/i_mango.htm
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7 Fruits & Vegetables To Regrow As Houseplants
by Melissa J. Will
Learn how to grow houseplants from avocado, oranges, lemons, ginger, and more using leftover pits, seeds, and roots.
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How to Grow Mango From Seed
Equipment
Supplies & Materials
- 1 whole Mango ripe
- 1 Tea towel or paper towels
- 1 Plastic bag or food container
- 1 8-inch Flower pot with drainage holes and saucer
- 1 bag Potting Mix
Instructions
Prepare Husk
- Carefully remove all edible fruit from mango and set aside the husk. This is the seed.
- Use a soft scrub brush to remove any remaining stringy bits from husk.
- Dry husk with tea towel and set aside to further air dry for 1-2 days maximum.
Prepare Seed
- Husk should now be quite dry (crisp). Carefully cut away edges and remove husk to reveal seed inside. Do not cut seed.
- Take before photo.
Sprout Seed
- Place seed between damp tea towels or paper towels and place in plastic food bag or container. Towel should be moist but not soaking wet.
- Place bag in dark, warm kitchen cabinet.
- Set reminder on your phone to check on it every 3 days.
Check for Growth
- Every few days, unwrap seed to check for signs of growth.
- Take photos to monitor growth.
- Over the next few weeks, the seed will start to swell a bit. Shoots or roots will start appearing from one end. Some seeds are polyembryonic and may sprout from several locations.
Plant Sprouted Seed
- When the new growth is around 3 inches long, the seed is ready to be planted.
- Fill 8-inch flower pot with potting mix leaving two inches below pot lip. Water thoroughly and top up soil as needed.
- Lay sprouted seed on soil and cover in one inch of potting mix. Water again and top up soil as needed stopping one inch below lip of pot.
Grow Your Mango Plant
- Mangos are tropical plants that enjoy warmth and humidity.
- Choose a sunny location but not in direct, hot sun where it could dry out.
- Keep soil moist but not damp.
Vilja K. says
Hello!
In the latest update to this article you said that the main stem started dying, does this always happen/can it be prevented? If it’s guaranteed to die what should one do about it?
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Vilja,
I wish I knew why. I’ve never seen an explanation or prevention tip. It’s just something people experimenting with this report. And no, it’s not every time, just sometimes. Best wishes,
Michele Lisowski says
Hi, I followed your instructions and my mango trees are growing nicely in my apt but will eventually be planted at my home in Florida. I’m hoping eventually they will produce fruit. Question…. About watering… you said keep soil moist but not damp. What does that mean? I don’t want to under water or over water. Thank you
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Michele,
Here are some watering tips that should help answer your question.
Use good quality potting mix.
When you water, use a moisture meter to check that the soil is getting dry at root level.
When you water, water thoroughly so the entire volume of potting mix gets moist.
If excess water collects in the saucer, pour it out after about 30 minutes.
Conditions are too damp when surplus water is present ongoing.
Happy growing,
Norene Germain says
When I plant my mango seed in a pot, will adding egg shells and coffee grounds be safe or should I not do this?
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Norene,
No need for either of those. Just use a good quality potting mix intended for food crops.
Nancy says
I just cut open some mango and noticed that there were little root sprouts coming right out of the seed, so that gave me the idea that I should try to grow it. Now I found your website with all this great information. Two of my seeds actually did have like three little roots -stem -stocks coming out, but I accidentally broke a couple off washing it. I’ll put them in the dark cupboard for those little roots to get a little longer. Or do you think I should just plant them now, I think they should be a bit longer. I live in Canada, I know I won’t get a tree out of this, but I have grown some beautiful pineapple plants so I’m excited for an mango plant. Thanks for the great information, wish me luck!
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Nancy,
The seed will continue growing if exposed to moisture. This can be in moist paper towel or potting mix. I prefer paper towel for the initial stage because it makes it easier to ensure the entire seed remains moist. Good luck!
Audrey says
Hi Melissa! I’ve been using your wonderful instructions to great success – up until a strange point, please advise!
First, the mango seed sprouts beautifully; I plant it, it shoots up; within days I have a little plant forming; within weeks it’s tripled in size and has big beautiful leaves, and a second, even third stem coming up! And then… It dies.
I’ve tried 4-5 mango seeds at this point, over a series of months – the first lasted the longest at around 2 months. The last barely made it two weeks. First the newest growth withers, than the leaves start to die, then the whole plant is dead. When I perform the autopsy, it seems the seed is rotting – is there a step I’m missing in planting? The first plant I watered regularly, the last I watered infrequently to let it dry out as much as possible in between, the middle was a mix, and regardless: DEAD, DEAD, DEAD. I can get the seed to sprout, grow, and become a beautiful little houseplant, but only for a brief period of time.
Incidentally, I have followed your instructions on avocado plants and have a successful little army of them happily growing away.
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Audrey,
You’re being such a good plant mom only to have disappointment!
There are lots of possibilities (or some combination of things):
Sounds like you’ve tried different watering approaches — could the water itself be a problem? Is it hard or soft(ened)?
Do you use a moisture meter to check moisture levels at root level?
Are you using the right potting mix? Are there any additives or signs of mold or fungi?
Have you tried growing at different times of year? Indoor climates vary alot through the year.
Light – is the sun too severe?
Are your indoor humidity levels fairly consistent? Around 50% is great. Mine drops to 30% in winter and that’s hard on my houseplants.
Food – are you using fertilizers? Too much or too little can be a problem.
As for the seed rotting — that’s normal. It’s just there to nuture the young plant until the roots take over.
It’s so hard to tell from afar without seeing the whole process. Let me know if anything I’ve mentioned might be a consideration. If everything seems right, you probably have me stumped.
I’ve had some mango and avocado plants just die suddenly over the years. In each case I’m pretty sure it was a delayed reaction to a drastic humidity change (at time of year when furnace is turned on).
Dani says
I planted from seed as per you instructions, the plant shot up in two weeks with lots of leaves. The leaves are reddish and very limp looking, am I doing something wrong, it is by a sunny window and the soil is moist. What more should I be doing?
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Dani, This is mentioned in the article – they tend to go limp after planting and then recover. The color can indicate the sun is a bit too strong. Set it back a bit from the window and keep growing. 🙂
Susan says
Hello, I am sprouting my first mango seed. So far 2.5 week in all is going well. Sprout is 2″ long. Only thing seed is splitting open. I am keeping it plenty moist and see no problems otherwise. But can find no information on this. Have you ever had this happen and should I be worried? Thanks for any advice.
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Susan,
Yes, some seeds split open while germinating. It’s normal. You can plant your sprouted seed now or wait a bit.
Susan says
Thanks so much Mellisa. I will be planting it on Friday then. I have been keeping notes and photos and will add this to it for future reference. Love your site.
Mary Ings says
My first try at planting from fruit seed. Directions are simple and clear. Hopefully,I will have success. Thank you! Mary
Ginger says
I like this site. Simple, easy, direct. That’s all this gardener needs. Thanks.
Margarita Molodow says
Ii have a mango plant in a very large pot, plant is 4 feet tall and pot 4 feet tall. Planted from seed not to produce fruit but just for a plant, plant is about 4 years old. I wish to plant in the ground. Where can I find s9me advice for transplanting. Thank you
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Margarita,
Do you live in a tropical climate? I only have experience growing them indoors in cold climates. I’d seek out advice from someone who grows them successfully in conditions similar to your own.