Not only is the mango delicious and juicy but the oval-shaped fruit when ripened is coloured with brilliant hues and shades of reds, orange and yellow and its pulp is compared to peach or cantaloupe. The flowers are tiny, hairy and pink. Mango trees have been cultivated by man for over four thousand years and dot the landscape throughout the Caribbean. Fifty to sixty feet tall, they also make a good shade tree. Papayas have a short life usually lasting only a few years.
Most people refer to it as a tree, but it is actually an herb because it has a soft trunk or stem.
The papaya plant has huge, up to two foot long leaves, that grow from long, hollow stalks that grow out horizontally. The female flower will develop into a melon-like fruit that is yellow in colour and has a soft orange flesh under a thin outer skin when ripe. The green fruit may be cooked as a vegetable or used in preparing soup. This hardy tree which is resistant to salt spray and is often found on seaside properties is a member of the Mallow family along with cotton and hibiscus. The one to two bell-shaped flowers open in the evening.