Remembering Coconut Grove’s Leith Dunlop Kent and the First Kent Mango Tree
"Kent was just a kid when he was given a little Brooks Mango seedling for Christmas.
Six years later, Kent's tree produced its first crop of mangos."
January 1, 1933
On this day, the Kent Mango (Mangifera indica) is planted on land belonging to Leith Dunlop Kent in Coconut Grove, Florida.
Kent was just a kid when he was given a little Brooks Mango seedling for Christmas.
Six years later, Kent’s tree produced its first crop of mangos.
The tree was a prolific and consistent producer.
Kent brought some of the mangos to the Florida Mango Forum, and the Kent Mango became a vital part of the commercial mango industry in Florida.
By 1950, Kent was elected president of the Florida Mango Forum.
And here’s a caution for gardeners when it comes to mangos.
People can be sensitive to the plant's peel and milky sap.
It turns out that the substance, urushiol ("u-ROO-she-ol"), is also found in poison ivy, sumac, and poison oak.
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How to Propagate a Rubber Plant with Air-layering: Step by Step Instructions from 1935
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I have the original drawings and other details of the property my family purchased from Leith Kent in the 1960’s. Please contact me for any additional information.