A mango tree can live for over 300 years and keep producing fruit the whole time. The tree has large, dark-green leaves that provide wonderful shade, and its flowers are small, fragrant and creamy white. Whole communities often gather under old mango trees in the heat of the afternoon.
Inside every mango is a large, flat stone that takes up much of the middle of the fruit. The sweet orange flesh wraps all the way around it. The skin can be green, yellow, orange or deep red depending on the variety, but the colour of the skin does not always tell you if the mango is ripe - the best test is to squeeze it gently.
In the Dominican Republic it is very common to see people selling mangoes from a cart or basket on the street, often cut into slices and sprinkled with salt and lime juice. The combination of sweet, sour and salty is a classic Dominican flavour.
Mangoes are packed with vitamins, especially Vitamin C and Vitamin A, and also contain fibre and natural sugars that provide quick energy. They are sometimes called the 'king of fruits' across the Caribbean and much of the tropical world.