Cotton Candy is a rare Florida mango from Gary Zill's breeding program, released in 2016 and named for its sweetness. It has smooth, juicy, fiberless yellow flesh with an extremely sweet, robust flavor. It doesn't literally taste like cotton candy; the name is about the sugar.
Where does Cotton Candy come from?
Tropical Acres Farms reports that Cotton Candy came out of Zill's program as a Keitt seedling, possibly pollinated by the Gary mango, and was released in 2016. They call it one of the finest-flavored selections from the project.
What does Cotton Candy taste like?
Tropical Acres Farms describes the flavor as “extremely sweet and robust,” in the classic Florida flavor group, with yellow, fiberless flesh. If you like your mangoes very sweet rather than tangy, this is one to try. For a sweet-tart contrast, compare it with Pineapple Pleasure or Sweet Tart.
How do you know when it's ripe?
Cotton Candy is at its sweetest fully ripe. Leave it on the counter until it gives slightly to gentle pressure and smells sweet at the stem end. Don't refrigerate it before it's ripe; once ripe, the fridge holds it a few extra days.
When is Cotton Candy in season?
Our Merritt Island season runs roughly May through September. We're still confirming exactly when Cotton Candy ripens on our trees.
Read more in our grower's guide to Sweet Tart.
How to order
Cotton Candy is a Rare & Collector variety: $197 for a Small Box (4–5 lb) or $247 for a Large Box (8–10 lb), with USPS Priority shipping (2–3 days) included to the lower 48 states except California. We can't ship to Alaska, Hawaii or U.S. territories. It's a pre-order for the 2027 season, and harvest timing on our trees is still being confirmed; we email you before your box ships. If the harvest comes up short, you can choose a substitute variety or store credit for the full amount. Pre-order Cotton Candy mangoes.
Sources: Tropical Acres Farms variety notes (tropicalacresfarms.com). Season timing is from our own trees in Merritt Island, Florida.