How to Grow a Mango Tree from Seed (157-Day Time Lapse & Care Guide)

Young mango tree grown from seed in a pot

TL;DR – Grow a Mango Tree from Seed

You can grow a mango tree from seed using a ripe supermarket mango – it just takes patience.
Clean the kernel, open the hard husk and sprout the inner seed before potting it up.
Mango trees love warmth, bright light and well-draining soil with compost, perlite and coco coir.
Keep the soil slightly moist, not soggy, and give the plant several hours of strong light every day.
Fruit takes years, but even as a houseplant a mango tree is a super fun long-term project.
I filmed a 157-day mango tree time lapse; the full video is embedded below.

Growing a Mango Tree from Seed: 157-Day Timelapse Adventure

Mango trees are not the fastest project on earth – grown from seed they can take years to produce fruit – but watching a plain mango seed turn into a real tree is ridiculously satisfying. In this guide I’ll show you how I grew a mango tree from seed and captured the whole process as a 157-day time lapse.

We’ll walk through every step: preparing the seed, germinating it in water, potting the seedling, and the basic mango tree care conditions (soil, temperature, light and watering) that helped my plant thrive indoors.

Step 1 – Preparing the Mango Seed

Everything starts with a tasty mango and a little curiosity. After enjoying the fruit, don’t throw away the seed – that flat, fibrous thing in the middle is your future tree.

First I cleaned off as much flesh as possible and let the seed dry for a few hours so it was easier to handle.

Cleaned mango kernel after removing the fruit

The actual embryo is hidden inside the tough outer husk. To speed things up, I carefully opened that husk with a knife and my fingers – a bit like opening a huge sunflower seed.

Mango seed inside the opened wooden husk

Inside you’ll find a beige, bean-shaped seed. Discard any that are moldy or flat – you want a plump, healthy one for good germination.

Step 2 – Germinating the Mango Seed in Water

To start the seed quickly, I used the water method. I placed the cleaned mango seed in a shallow glass of water so that only the bottom part was submerged. You can also wrap it in a moist paper towel inside a plastic bag – both methods work.

Mango seed germinating in water with visible root and shoot

After a while (be patient – mangos can take a couple of weeks), the first white root appeared, followed by a green shoot. Once the root was a few centimeters long and the shoot started to develop, the seed was ready to move into soil.

Step 3 – The Soil Mix for Mango Trees

To grow a mango tree from seed indoors, drainage is everything. Mango roots hate sitting in cold, wet soil. Here’s the mix I used for my pot:

Components of mango soil mix: compost, perlite, pine bark and coco coir

Compost / humus: Provides slow-release nutrients.
Perlite: Improves aeration and keeps the mix fluffy.
Pine bark: Adds structure and helps with drainage.
Coco coir: Holds moisture without becoming heavy.

Mix everything together and fill a pot with drainage holes. I planted the sprouted mango seed just below the surface with the shoot pointing upwards, then watered gently to settle the mix around the roots.

Step 4 – Mango Tree Care: Temperature, Light & Water

Once the seedling is in soil, the real long-term care begins. Here’s what worked for my 157-day mango project.

Temperature

Mango trees are tropical. They grow best at around 70–85°F (21–29°C). I kept my plant in a consistently warm room away from cold drafts and open windows. If your house is cooler, a heating mat under the pot can help during winter.

Light

Mango seedlings love bright light. Outdoors in the tropics they’d get full sun; indoors I aimed for at least 8–10 hours of strong light per day.

I used a grow lamp set to roughly 14–16 hours of light daily to keep growth compact and healthy. If you’re growing on a windowsill, choose the sunniest spot you have (south-facing if possible) and rotate the pot occasionally so the tree doesn’t lean too much.

Watering

Mango trees like evenly moist soil, but not swamp conditions. I watered whenever the top inch (2–3 cm) of soil felt dry to the touch.

If leaves droop and the soil is dry – water.
If the soil still feels wet and heavy – wait.
Always let excess water drain out of the pot; never leave it standing in a saucer.

With this routine my mango seedling stayed healthy and avoided root rot – the number one mango killer in pots.

Step 5 – 157-Day Mango Tree Time Lapse

Now for the fun part! I photographed the mango plant regularly and turned the images into a time lapse so you can watch months of growth in just a couple of minutes.

Mini Mango Tree Progress

Over time the single shoot turned into a cute mini tree with glossy green leaves and a sturdy stem. It’s still far away from bearing fruit, but as a houseplant it already looks impressive.

Small potted mango tree with several sets of leaves

If you start your own project now, you’ll get to watch all the subtle changes – new leaves unfolding, stem thickening and the plant constantly reaching for the light. It’s like a long-term pet that doesn’t complain if you forget to talk to it.

FAQ – Growing a Mango Tree from Seed

How long until I get mangoes?
From seed, a mango tree can take several years (often 5–8+) to flower and produce fruit, and indoor trees might stay ornamental only. Think of this as a botanical passion project, not a quick snack plan.

Can I grow a mango tree indoors permanently?
Yes, as a foliage plant. Just keep it in a large enough pot, prune occasionally and give it as much light as possible. Fruit indoors is possible but not guaranteed.

Is growing from seed better than buying a grafted tree?
Grafted mango trees are way faster and more reliable if your goal is fruit. Growing a mango tree from seed is mainly about learning, experimenting and enjoying the long journey.

External Resources for Mango Tree Care

If you want to dive even deeper into mango growing, these guides are worth checking out:

If You Enjoyed This Mango Tree Project, You Might Also Like:

Dragon Fruit Cactus from Seed: Watch the Magic Unfold: Dragon Fruit Cactus Timelapse

Avocado Bonsai from Seed: Growing an Avocado Bonsai from Seed – 1 Year Time Lapse

Growing Tomatoes from Seed: Growing Tomatoes from Seed: A Journey from Seed to Harvest with Time-Lapse Magic

Recommended Materials

If you want to create your own long-term plant timelapses, check out my complete Plant Time-Lapse Equipment Guide, where I share my camera setup, interval settings and lighting tips.
👉 https://blog.interesting-as-fck.com/plant-time-lapse-equipment-all-you-need/