A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W · X · Y · Z
Other Names: Chicile Sapote, Nispero, Naseberry, Dilly Plant, Cheeku
Related To:
[Sapotaceae] Mamey Sapote, Canstel, Abiu
Main Uses:
Fruit, sap, ornamental, lumber.
Growth Rate:
Slow.
Mature Height/Spread:
Large evergreen tree, up to 100 feet in an ideal climate. Considerably smaller in the subtropics, or when grafted.
Flowering/Pollination:
Self-pollinating. Clusters of three, small, white to yellowish green, bell shaped. Occurring all year, but concentrated in summer.
Tolerance:
Tolerant of drought, but prefers frequent watering, especially for quality fruiting. Very tolerant of salt and bad soil conditions.
Soil/Nutrition:
Prefers fertile, well-drained, slightly alkaline soils, although the tree is very adaptable. Do not use nitrogen fertilizers after August, as this will reduce flowering and fruit set in spring.
Light:
Full sun.
Wind:
Excellent wind resistance, has strong wood. Establishes without much difficulty even on windy sites. Sapodillas are extremely sturdy trees when older, often one of the few trees left standing after major hurricanes.
Temperature:
Young trees, seedlings especially, are often killed by frost. Older trees will tolerate brief drops to 26 degrees.
Dangers:
None.
Diseases Prone:
Mildew, scale, rust, beetles and caterpillars, fruit flies. The fruit is a favorite of fruit bats.
Bearing Age:
6-8 years from seed, 2-3 years from grafting.
Fruit:
Brown scurfy skin, golf ball to softball sized fruits. Fruit is ready for eating when beginning to soften, and is easily cut with a knife. Unripe fruits will be astringent. The tan flesh is soft and sometimes mealy, concealing 1-10 black seeds depending on size and cultivar of the fruit. The taste is rather sweet and melting with slightly woody tones of pear, brown sugar, and caramel.
History/Origin:
Sapodilla (sap-oh-dee-ya) is native to Central America.
Species Observations:
Seems to grow happily in partial shade / dappled sunlight. Full sun is preferable for fruit production, but this tree also has much ornamental value.
Harvest peak for the fruit difficult to tell, as it does not necessarily go by fruit size or obvious coloration. Determining good ripeness takes close observation of subtle changes in an individual fruit's leathery skin surface. Often a bit of green will become visible through the rind. If picked prematurely, most fruit can often be ripened at room temperature.
Alternatively, one can leave the fruits to ripen on the tree, at which point they will pull off easily, or drop to the ground. At this stage are very soft and susceptible to insects and bruising.
Propogation:
Commonly grown from seed for fruit ornamental purposes. A mature wild tree with ample water can produce an enormous amount of fruit. Seedling grown trees are perhaps more practical if one is interested in fruit quantity. For superior fruit quality, sapodilla is grafted to procreate a specific taste, flesh-to-seed content, or fruit size.
Recommended cultivars:
"Alano" is a Hawaiian selection, and has a very fine, smooth, rich flavor. This is a quintessential cultivar.
"Oxkutzcab" or "Ox", a selection from the Yucatan, produces a massive fruit, similar in size to it's cousin, the mamey sapote. This is an excellent flavored fruit.
"Silas Wood" is south FL selection. It is a dwarf tree that produces copious amounts of 2-3" diameter fruits, with a very rich flavor. It exerts the majority of it's growing energy into the continuous production of fruit.
Container Culture:
Dwarf types, such as the prolific "silas wood" can be grown and fruited in 25 gallon container for many years.
Medicinal Uses:
The copious amounts of the tree's natural latex, better known as "chicile," is the original source of what we know today as chewing gum.
Nutritional Information:
Ounce for ounce, sapodilla is an outstanding source of soluble dietary fiber.
Preparation / Food:
Most people prefer the fruit fresh and ripened, then chilled. It is delicious on its own. It is also made into ice cream and used in shakes and other dessert-type preparations.
|
|
|
"Tree is in fine shape and budding! Packing was exceptional. Thank you so much!"
- Satisfied Customer 1
"WOW, Plant is 10X better than expected. Great condition. Thank you very much."
- Satisfied Customer 2
|
|
