Leggy Mango

Andrew Kenneth

Hi, 
I planted this Mango stone this Jan. It's about two feet tall now. I pinched it out  a couple of months ago and, it's regrow on the top again. Is it possible to make the plant more like a bush instead of just growing upwards?

Any help appreciated.

BobTheGardener

All you can do is keep pruning back the leader and pinching tips.  They naturally form trees up to 100ft high and 30ft across, so it will fight whatever you do to try and keep it small.  You can probably keep it at about 2.5m if you keep at it.

Silver surfer

Are you sure that plant has grown from the mango stone.
Leaves don't look like mango leaves.
Pic below is mangifera indica leaf

Silver surfer

More images from www.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mangifera+indica+leaves&client=firefox-b-d&hl=en-US&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiX0qXasI_sAhXURhUIHXfhC_sQ_AUoAXoECBsQAw&biw=1280&bih=579

They do grow into very large trees. Pics below.

Andrew Kenneth

BobTheGardener said:

All you can do is keep pruning back the leader and pinching tips.  They naturally form trees up to 100ft high and 30ft across, so it will fight whatever you do to try and keep it small.  You can probably keep it at about 2.5m if you keep at it.

Not sure what you mean by the leader, main stem maybe? . What I did was chop off the growing stem just below the new growth and now I seem to have three growing stems and I'm not sure which is the main one.

Andrew Kenneth

Silver surfer said:

Are you sure that plant has grown from the mango stone.
Leaves don't look like mango leaves.
Pic below is mangifera indica leaf

Indeed it has. I bought a Mango washed the stone and that's the result! Didn't realize they grew so large, impressive!

Silver surfer

Andrew Kenneth said:

Silver surfer said:

Are you sure that plant has grown from the mango stone.
Leaves don't look like mango leaves.
Pic below is mangifera indica leaf

Indeed it has. I bought a Mango washed the stone and that's the result! Didn't realize they grew so large, impressive!

Did you really plant the stone at the edge of the pot?
Would you not have planted it in the middle.
Strongly suggest you feel very gently at base of plant  to see if you can feel the stone .
Look at these baby Mango plants ...see link
The leaves are thick, glossy, waxy, evergreen. Leaf edges are smooth.
Nothing like your leaves which appear to be thin, dull, serrated edges, deciduous.

Sorry but that is not a mango plant!

https://www.google.com/search?q=mango+baby+plants&client=firefox-b-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiM9P2nwZHsAhWCqHEKHVTyC2IQ_AUoAXoECBYQAw&biw=1280&bih=579

Video here showing more detail of how to grow a mango tree.
Note the leaves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZcYn12Nds0

Dovefromabove

I agree with @Silver surfer ... those leaves look nothing like a mango which has thick shiny evergreen leaves. 

As @Silver surfer rightly says, those are the leaves of a deciduous shrub/tree. 

In fact, it bears some resemblance to our old friend Salix caprea ... although that’s not a firm ID.  🤔 

BobTheGardener

I'l admit to not really looking at the photo but now I have I agree with SS and Dove.  It does look like the common interloper, Salix Caprea.

Andrew Kenneth

I planted the stone in the centre of the pot but the shoot came out towards the side hence, the plant not being central in the pot.  
I have pulled out the plant and, as you can see, the husk of the stone is still visible.I will post photo asap but, I'm having problems uploading.

Andrew Kenneth

This was what it looked like originally