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Canonical human page: [Maya: A wife’s name in the research orchard — Mango Rankings](https://mangoranking.com/stories/maya).

Description: Hanan Oppenheimer named his promising Israeli seedling for Maya.

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# A wife’s name in the research orchard

Hanan Oppenheimer named his promising Israeli seedling for Maya.

Maya — Rehovot, Israel

Documented history

On a visit to Rehovot, horticulturist Wilson Popenoe saw a local mango seedling that impressed him. His 1959 account records that Hanan Oppenheimer had named it Maya in honour of his wife. A personal dedication had become part of the research orchard.

Popenoe considered Haden a likely pollen parent, a useful reminder that even an eyewitness account can leave the pedigree uncertain. Later Israeli agricultural records describe Maya as an established local cultivar. Its first story is wonderfully direct: a horticulturist found a mango worth keeping and gave it the name of someone he loved.

## The names it answers to

**Maya**

Named by Hanan Oppenheimer for his wife Maya.

**Queen Maya**

A market description used by Israeli exporter Miriam Shoham.

## Where the story comes from

- [Wilson Popenoe — Avocados in Spain and Elsewhere, 1959 eyewitness account](https://www.avocadosource.com/CAS_Yearbooks/CAS_43_1959/CAS_1959_PG_55-66.pdf)

- [Miriam Shoham — Maya cultivar history](https://www.mshoham.com/mangosvarieties)

- [Volcani Center — new Israeli mango cultivars](https://www.agri.gov.il/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Set-of-elite-New-Israeli-Mango-Cultivars-AgroIsrael-10-16.pdf)

[Explore Maya](https://mangoranking.com/mango/maya.md)

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