Xi Shi / Beiliao No. 1 / Shi Shu

Xi Shi, originated in Taiwan, is a hybrid mango variety derived from Guifei and Tu (native Taiwanese mango). It was developed in the south of the island and also registered as Beiliao No. 1. It is named after Xi Shi (西施) — one of the Four Great Beauties of ancient China — in reference to the fruit's slender, elegant form and rosy red blush. In Mandarin the name reads Xī Shī; in Taiwanese Hokkien it is pronounced closer to "Shi Shu". The often-heard "Eleven Shai" is a misreading — the Xi here is the Chinese syllable for "west," not the Roman numeral for eleven.

The fruit is elongated and highly colourful — ripening from green to a vibrant red. The pulp is golden yellow-orange, juicy, smooth, almost fibreless, and notably sweet (TSS up to 24 brix), with a mild, clean flavour and a gentle aroma rather than a heavy perfume. The average fruit weight is around 350 grams. This is a mid-season mango that ripens in the last week of June in West Bengal, India, and in August in Taiwan. The seed is small, flat, and monoembryonic. Trees are semi-dwarf with a compact canopy and behave as regular and heavy bearers, making the variety well-suited to high-density orchards, kitchen gardens, rooftop gardens, and large containers. With a workable shelf life of 8–10 days, Xi Shi is primarily a table-purpose mango and also performs well as a premium gifting and dessert variety. It can be adopted for commercial farming in India.

ColourAttractive RedPulp RecoveryMore than 80%Shelf LifeAverage: 8-10 daysSeed TypeFlat and monoembryonic seedBearingRegular and heavy bearer