Sapodilla , scientifically known asManilkara zapota , belongs to the Sapotaceae home , a grouping of tropical and semitropical tree diagram and shrub that include species like mamey sapote ( Pouteria sapota ) and shea ( Vitellaria paradoxa ) . Within the plant kingdom ( Plantae ) , it falls under the phylumTracheophyta(vascular plant ) , classMagnoliopsida(dicotyledons ) , and orderEricales . The genusManilkaracomprises about 80 species , withzapotabeing the most economically significant due to its edible fruit and latex ( chicle gum ) . Its assortment ties it to other latex - grow , evergreen yield trees , pick out it from moderate fruit families like Rosaceae .
sapodilla tree is native to southern Mexico , Central America , and the Caribbean , with its ancestral range spanning the Yucatán Peninsula , Belize , Guatemala , and northerly Honduras down to Costa Rica and part of the West Indies . This tropic lowland region , plenteous in biodiversity , provide the lovesome , humid conditions ideal for its ontogeny . Pre - Columbian peoples , let in the Maya , cultivated it extensively , and its spread follow business deal routes to northern South America ( e.g. , Colombia and Venezuela ) . Today , it ’s wide grown in India , Southeast Asia , the Philippines , Hawaii , and Florida , far beyond its original home ground , thriving in exchangeable equatorial climates .
The Achras zapota tree is a slow - spring up , evergreen species , typically reaching 30–60 foot ( 9–18 meters ) in the wild , though domesticate trees are pruned to 15–25 feet for manageability . Its dull canopy swash shiny , glum unripe , elliptical leaves , 2–5 inch long , arranged alternately . lowly , bell - shaped , white flowers blooming year - cycle in affectionate climates , producing round to oval fruits , 2–4 inches in diameter . The fruit ’s rough , browned , sandpapery peel incase indulgent , creamy , tan - to - orange form with a granular grain akin to pear , constellate with 1–6 sheeny , black , inedible seeds . good sapodilla plum ooze out a honeyed , malty flavor , often likened to brown sugar or caramel , intensify by its high clams substance .
Sapodilla ’s story see back millennia , with evidence of cultivation by the Maya in Mesoamerica as early as 2000 BCE , prized for both its yield and latex , called chicle , which they chewed as gum . The Aztecs also valued it , nominate ittzapotl(Nahuatl for “ soft fruit ” ) , a ascendent for its scientific name . Spanish colonist encountered it in the sixteenth century , spread seed to the Philippines and other colonies by the seventeenth one C . By the 19th century , British and Dutch bargainer introduced it to India ( where it ’s called chikoo ) , Sri Lanka , and Malaysia , cementing its tropical diaspora . Chicle became a global commodity in the tardy 1800s , fueling jaw gingiva industries until synthetics give the sack it mid-20th century , while the yield acquire culinary celebrity in Asia .
Sapodilla boom in USDA Hardiness Zones 10–11 , require frost - destitute condition with temperature rarely below 32 ° F ( 0 ° C ) . It ’s happiest above 60 ° F ( 15 ° ampere-second ) , with optimal growth at 70–90 ° F ( 21–32 ° blow ) , take a shit southern Florida , Hawaii , and coastal Southern California ideal U.S. spots . In Zone 9b , it endure with aegis ( e.g. , blankets or microclimates ) , but dusty snatch below 28 ° F ( -2 ° century ) damage new trees or halt fruiting . Its tropic nature limits outside cultivation in cool zone — glasshouse or containers suit Zones 8 and below , though fruit yield drop indoors due to sluttish constraint .
Sapodilla is a nutritional gem , delivering energy and health fringe benefit in its sweet human body . A 100 - Hans C. J. Gram portion offers about 83 kilocalorie , for the most part from carbohydrates ( 20 grams , mostly sugars ) , with decent fibre ( 5 grams ) for digestion and bowel health . It ’s rich in vitamin C ( 25 % DV ) , bolstering immunity , and provides vitamin A ( for vision ) and B vitamins like folate ( electric cell resort ) . Minerals include atomic number 19 ( centre function ) , Fe ( oxygen transport ) , and atomic number 20 ( off-white forcefulness ) . Traditionally , its latex paint soothed gum , while fruit and leaf decoctions treated cough , diarrhea , and inflammation in Ayurvedic and Mesoamerican recitation — antioxidant like tannin and polyphenols support these effects , though overeating unripe fruit ( high in tannin ) may cause mouth astringency .
Sapodilla ’s scrumptious sweetness shines in diverse culinary roles , best enjoyed ripe when soft to the touching . Fresh , it ’s peeled , deseeded , and eaten solo , its malty flavor starring in fruit bowl or smoothies with milk , yogurt , or burnt lime for balance . In India , chikoo milkshakes and ice creams are beloved , blend its mush with sugar and emollient . It ’s squeeze into jamming , Indian relish , or dessert like halwa , and baked into cakes or pies in the Caribbean , often spice up with cinnamon . Dried sapota slices offer a chewy snack , while its succus flavors sorbets or cocktails . In savory twists , unripe fruit pairs with chilies in relishes , though its delicate texture limits cooking versatility — raw or lightly swear out is its forte .
Sapodilla (Chikoo): Cultivation
mood Requirements
Sapodilla thrives in tropical climate within USDA zone 10–11 , demand warm temperatures between 70–90 ° F ( 21–32 ° vitamin C ) yr - round and no frost . It tolerate abbreviated dip to 28 ° F ( -2 ° carbon ) in mature trees , but untested plants stand below 32 ° F ( 0 ° ampere-second ) , necessitating protection in Zone 9b . High humidness ( 60–80 % ) mime its aboriginal habitat , though it withstands dry spells once established . Extreme heating above 95 ° F ( 35 ° C ) may slow growth unless shaded , prepare lowland tropics like southerly Florida or India saint .
Soil Preferences
sapodilla plum favor well - drained , sandy loam or loamy soils with a pH of 6.0–7.5 , though it adapts to clay or limestone if drain is ensured . Waterlogged condition cause root buncombe within day , so raised beds or pitcher’s mound help in wet regions . constituent thing like compost heighten natality and water retention , while saline solution soils stunt growth — test and amend with gypsum if salinity outperform 0.5 dS / m. Its shallow roots require escaped , aerate soil for vigor .
Sunlight need
Full sun—6–8 hours daily — drives sapodilla ’s growth and fruiting , though untried trees benefit from partial shade ( 20–30 % cover ) during their first year to invalidate tan . Mature trees in sear climates tolerate light shade without take deprivation , but deep tint weakens flowering . industrial plant in undetermined , southward - confront dapple out from taller tree ; shelterbelt like hedges shield against drying blow common in tropic zones .
Watering praxis
Sapodilla needs moderate watering—1–2 inches hebdomadally — for young tree diagram , tapering to biweekly for install ace unless rainfall transcend 50 inches per annum . Drip irrigation target its shallow roots , avoiding trunk saturation that invites moulder . During fruiting ( post - flowering ) , logical moisture prevents drop , but overwatering mimics monsoon woe — mulch with Mrs. Henry Wood fleck or straw locks in soil wet and curbs drying up .
Propagation Methods
sapota is propagated by seeds , graft , or air layering . Seeds evolve in 2–4 week , producing variable yield after 8–10 year , often used for rhizome . Grafting ( for example , crevice or facing ) onto seedling rhizome speed fruiting to 3–5 years , continue traits of cultivars like ‘ Makok ’ or ‘ Brown Sugar ’ . Air layering , rooting branch in 6–8 weeks , suits small - scale raiser seeking true - to - type tree quicker than seedling .
Planting Guidelines
Plant sapodilla in give or early rainy season , spacing trees 20–30 feet aside to accommodate their 25–40 - foot canopy . Dig a hole 2–3 time the root ball ’s width , blending soil with compost , and set the tree at its nursery depth , stave off inhume grafting unions . piddle deep post - planting , stake against flatus for 1–2 years , and mulch 3–4 inch deep , keeping it 6 inches from the tree trunk to dissuade rot .
Fertilization agenda
inseminate sapodilla with a 6 - 6 - 6 or 8 - 3 - 9 ( N - P - K ) commixture , applying 1–2 Irish punt per tree three times annual — spring , summer , gloam — for vernal trees , increase to 3–5 pounds for mature ones . Organic alternatives like manure or Pisces photographic emulsion ( 2–3 inches annually ) suffice , with atomic number 30 and manganese sprays correcting want if bequeath yellow . Over - fertilizing goad leafy growth over fruit ; dirt tests take precise nutrient needs .
Pruning Techniques
Prune sapodilla plum lightly in late winter or post - crop to remove dead wood , slender crowded branches , and hold a 15–25 - foot tallness for harvesting . open up the canopy for light and air , cutting back vigorous uprights to outward bud — grievous pruning stresses this slow grower . Remove suckers and low branches yearly ; hygienize tool to keep sap - borne pathogens likePhytophthora . Shaping immature trees sets a strong scaffold .
Pest Management
Sapodilla face up pests like yield flies , scale leaf insects , and mealybug . bunker yield flies with hook station , treat plate with horticultural oil , and use insecticidal soap for mealybug — monitor during fruit peaks . foliage - eating caterpillars command script - picking or Bt ( Bacillus thuringiensis ) sprays . rotter and birds slip ripe fruit ; netting or scare twist deter them . Healthy tree diagram resist infestations better with proper aid .
Disease Control
Fungal disease like anthracnose and leaf spot boom in besotted conditions — utilize Cu fungicides post - rainfall and prune for air flow to keep them . Root rot ( PhytophthoraorFusarium ) murder soggy soils ; ensure drain and ward off overwatering . Bacterial leaf wilt , rare but terrible , demands removal of infected parts and sterilization of tools . Resistant cultivars like ‘ Prolific ’ thin risk in humid tropical zone .
Harvesting Timing
Harvest Achras zapota when fruit turns brown and yields slightly to pressure , typically 6–9 months after flowering , year - round in tropic or previous summertime in semitropics . Clip fruit with stems intact — ripeness is n’t skin - deep ; green 1 are astringent from tannins . Handle lightly to avoid offend ; memory at elbow room temporary worker for 1–2 weeks or refrigerate for a calendar month . Test a few fruits to gauge peak sweetness .
Yield Expectations
A mature Manilkara zapota ( over 8 years ) yields 150–400 pounds yearly with beneficial maintenance , grafted trees starting at 50–100 pound in 4–6 years . High - surrenderer like ‘ Morena ’ push 500 pounds in fertile Torrid Zone ; poor soil or neglect cutting end product . Regular water , fertiliser , and pest controller have harvests for decades , often 40–60 year .
