✔ Updated · plant family, citrus list, mango vs orange
Mangoes taste bright and tangy, so I get why so many of us file them next to oranges. Botanically they live in a completely different family, and the real relatives are a fun surprise.
No, mango is not a citrus fruit. Mango (Mangifera indica) belongs to the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, alongside cashews, pistachios and sumac. Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and limes belong to the rue family, Rutaceae. A mango is a drupe, or stone fruit: one large flat seed wrapped in soft flesh, with no juicy segments and no oily, fragrant citrus peel.
- Mango family: Anacardiaceae (cashew family)
- Citrus family: Rutaceae (rue family)
- Fruit type: mango is a drupe (stone fruit); citrus is a hesperidium with segments
- Shared trait: both are tangy and rich in vitamin C, which is where the mix-up starts
Why Mango Isn’t Citrus
Botanists group fruit by the plant it grows on, not by how it tastes. Citrus trees all sit in the genus Citrus inside the rue family, Rutaceae. The mango tree, Mangifera indica, sits in Anacardiaceae, the cashew family, according to the USDA Forest Service.
You can see the difference the second you cut one. Slice an orange and you get wedges of juice sacs held in thin skins, under a peel dotted with fragrant oil glands. Slice a mango and you hit one big, flat, fibrous pit. That single stone puts mango in the same fruit type as peaches, cherries and plums.
| Mango | Citrus (orange, lemon, lime) | |
|---|---|---|
| Plant family | Anacardiaceae (cashew family) | Rutaceae (rue family) |
| Fruit type | Drupe (stone fruit) | Hesperidium (a berry with a leathery rind) |
| Inside | Smooth flesh around one large, flat seed | Juicy segments, often with several seeds |
| Peel | Thin, tough, not used for zest | Oily, fragrant, great for zest |
| Close relatives | Cashew, pistachio, sumac, poison ivy | Grapefruit, mandarin, pomelo, kumquat |
| Growing climate | Tropical | Subtropical to mild |
Why People Think Mango Is Citrus
Honestly, it’s an easy mistake. Mangoes are tangy, juicy, sunny orange inside, and they turn up in the same smoothie and salsa recipes as oranges and limes. Both are also good sources of vitamin C: 1 cup of mango pieces has about 60 mg, close to a medium orange at about 70 mg, according to USDA FoodData Central.
Under-ripe green mangoes are much sourer, which is why they show up in pickles and chutneys the way lemon or lime would. Same pucker, different family tree.
Which Fruits Are Citrus?
If it grows on a Citrus tree, it’s citrus. These are the ones I actually find at the grocery store:
- Oranges: navel, Valencia, blood and Cara Cara
- Mandarins: tangerines, clementines and satsumas
- Lemons and limes: including Meyer lemons and Key limes
- Grapefruit and pomelo: the big ones
- Specialty citrus: kumquat, yuzu, citron and bergamot
Tropical Fruits That Aren’t Citrus
These get lumped in with citrus all the time, and none of them are:
- Mango: cashew family, a stone fruit
- Pineapple: bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae)
- Papaya, kiwi and passion fruit: each from its own unrelated family
- Banana and coconut: not citrus either, even in a tropical fruit salad
The Surprising Mango Relatives
This is the bit that made me laugh the first time I read it. The cashew family also includes pistachios, sumac and poison ivy. The University of Hawaii botany department notes that some people react to the sap in mango skin for exactly that reason.
The juicy flesh is what we eat, and the peel goes in the compost. If poison ivy gives you a rash, I’d wear gloves when you peel mangoes and let someone else handle the skin.
How I Use Mango Instead of Citrus
Mango can stand in for orange in a smoothie, a fruit salsa or a glaze, but it can’t replace lemon or lime juice where you need sharp acid. Here’s how I swap:
- Smoothies: frozen mango instead of orange gives a thicker, creamier drink. I add a squeeze of lime to keep it bright.
- Salsa: diced mango plus lime juice, red onion and cilantro. The lime does the sour work, the mango brings sweetness.
- Baking and dressings: keep the lemon. Mango has nowhere near the acid of lemon juice, so dressings taste flat and cakes can bake up differently.
- Ripeness check: a ripe mango gives slightly when pressed and smells sweet at the stem. Hard ones ripen in a paper bag in 1 to 3 days.
Keep Reading
Got a rock-hard mango? Here’s how I ripen a mango at home. Cooking with real citrus instead? See how much juice you get from one lemon, or blend up my creamy copycat Orange Julius.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is mango a citrus fruit?
No. Mango belongs to the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, while citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and limes belong to the rue family, Rutaceae. Mango is a stone fruit with one large seed, not a segmented citrus fruit.
What family is mango in?
Mango (Mangifera indica) is in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae. Its relatives include cashews, pistachios, sumac and poison ivy, which is why some people react to the sap in mango skin.
Is mango a stone fruit?
Yes. Botanically a mango is a drupe, the same fruit type as peaches, plums and cherries. The flesh surrounds one large, flat, fibrous pit, so I always cut along either side of it.
Is pineapple a citrus fruit?
No. Pineapple belongs to the bromeliad family, Bromeliaceae. Like mango it's tropical and tangy, but it isn't related to oranges or lemons.
Does mango have vitamin C like oranges?
Yes. One cup of mango pieces has about 60 mg of vitamin C, close to the roughly 70 mg in a medium orange, based on USDA FoodData Central figures. That shared vitamin C is part of why mango gets mistaken for citrus.
Can I use mango instead of lemon or lime?
Not where a recipe needs acid. Mango is much less sour than lemon or lime juice, so dressings and marinades taste flat. I swap mango for orange in smoothies and salsas and keep a little lime for brightness.
