The Julie Mango

[Coconuts]

Coconuts and Plumeria are a bit unusual among St. John villas; located on the flat summit of the westward facing ridge of Gifft Hill, they feature level driveways, lushly landscaped and walkable grounds, and even lawns. These lawns include a number of mature fruit trees: guavaberrys, key limes, papayas, soursops, and mangos. The mangos are our favorites, although we are not always there when they ripen in late July and early August. There is a large mango tree down at the western boundary between Coconuts and Plumeria, and another on Coconuts' ocean-view lawn. The one at the boundary between the properties tends to bear ever other year, but the one on Coconuts' lawn has a good set in most years, and several unusual attributes: its fruits are elongated, a bit misshapen, and don't get very red; they also dangle on the end of vines from their original branches. It turns out that this is the locally revered Julie Mango, and we can attest to its fruits being especially delicious.

Well, it turns out that we aren't alone in savoring the fruits of the Julie Mango. Late last summer, the Thirtieth Legislature of the Virgin Islands submitted a bill, #30-0201, naming the Julie Mango the "Virgin Islands Fruit of Choice", and encouraging every VI homeowner to plant at least one Julie Mango in their yards. The bill was promptly signed into law by Governor de Jongh in the following month. We were inspired to plant a young Julie Mango on a side lawn at Plumeria, so now both homes will have one. A link to the bill follows, which I would encourage forum members to read. Legislation often makes for very dry reading, but despite all of the "Whereas", this one is awesome. Here's a link to the bill (now law):

http://www.legvi.org/CommitteeMeetings/ ... 0-0201.pdf

And here is a photo of the Julie Mango on the ocean-view lawn at Coconuts (facing north, towards Plumeria). The tree on the right is a Guavaberry, whose small fruits are made into a holiday liquor.

Julie Mango (and sundial)

For folks interested in learning more about the Julie Mango, here is a great YouTube clip, and its Wikipedia entry. Fitting comment: "This is like eating desert!":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P37yVdS0PR4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_mango

July and August of this year are already fully booked at Coconuts and Plumeria, but for mango aficionados, there is always next year...

Oh, and no discussion of mangoes would be complete without a link to this tune, sung by Diana Coupland, from the very first James Bond film, Dr. No:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-3Qtu6YA9s

All the best,

Kevin

[Knolmom]

Thanks for posting this, Kevin. If my memory serves me correctly, and it has been awhile since we were there, there is a mango tree like this in the side lower yard at Villa Capiz. Several different ladies who told us they were housekeepers at the property arrived on different days to pick the mangos. That was the first time I ever tasted a mango, and any that I have tasted since were not as good. Now I know why.

[Coconuts]

Knolmom: "Several different ladies who told us they were housekeepers at the property arrived on different days to pick the mangos".

Classic!

All the best,

Kevin

[nancyr84]

We will be at Coconuts in less than 2 weeks. Looking so forward to it . It's probably a good thing that the Mangos won't be ripe, I might eat them all lol.
Nancy

[betsyv]

Coconuts has been in my short list of places to stay when we come to St. John...or when I can save enough to stay there... ( Its just a bit beyond my budget)
With this new info ..it just went up a few notches!...
Love this place....Some day....Some day!!

Thanks for sharing your info and beautiful photo.

[kklay]

I have a question about mangos - are there a couple of different kinds? When traveling in Mexico a few years back - I had a fruit salad that had mango in it and I really liked it, later the same trip I had mango and did not care at all for the taste. One of the locals told me there were different kinds of mangos and the taste was different. I thought perhaps someone in this thread would know.

Thanks!

[mizarumonkey]

Apparently 1000+ cultivars! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mango

I'd like enough acreage for one of each...