Manilkara zapota
A long-lived evergreen tree native to Central America, it bears very sweet edible fruit and yields a latex historically used to make chewing gum.
Common Names
Sapodilla, Sapota, Chikoo, Naseberry, Nispero
Summary
Manilkara zapota, sapodilla, is an evergreen native to southern Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. It is a slow-growing, long-lived tree with glossy leaves, small white bell-shaped flowers, and a round to oval brown-skinned fruit 5–10 cm in diameter with yellow-brown, very sweet flesh; a white latex (chicle) exudes from the trunk, and seeds range from 1 to 12 (seedless varieties occur); fruit ripens year-round in tropical climates.
Cultivation requires warm tropical conditions, full sun, and well-drained soil; drought tolerance develops after establishment and salt tolerance is noted, with hardiness in USDA zones 10–12. Propagation is by seeds or grafting, with grafting or other vegetative methods preserving traits; the tree can be grown in containers and benefits from regular irrigation and fertilization; uses include edible fruit eaten fresh or in desserts, with wood valued for lumber and latex historically used for chewing gum; some regions (e.g., Florida) report invasiveness.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
60-100 feet
Spread
20-40 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 10-11
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun; tolerates Partial Sun and Partial Shade
Soil Type
Well-drained soil, preferably loamy or sandy loam and rich in organic matter.
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
6.0-7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral), tolerating 5.5-8.5
Bloom Color
White
Bloom Time
Year-round
Foliage Color
Green, ranging from light to dark green and may be glossy.
Fall Foliage Color
No fall foliage color; evergreen.
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Slow-growing, about 12–24 inches (30–60 cm) per year in optimal tropical conditions, with growth slowing as it matures.
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter (year-round)
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Layering, Grafting
Attracts Wildlife
Bees pollinate flowers, Birds attracted to fruit
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (L.) P.Royen
- Publication
- Blumea 7: 410 (1953)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Ericales
- Family
- Sapotaceae
- Genus
- Manilkara
Synonyms
Lucuma mammosa Manilkara achras Manilkara breviloba Manilkara conzattii Manilkara gaumeri Manilkara grisebachii Manilkara meridionalis Manilkara meridionalis var. caribbensis Manilkara rojasii Manilkara striata Manilkara tabogaensis Manilkariopsis lobulata Manilkariopsis meridionalis Manilkariopsis petenensis Manilkariopsis rojasii Manilkariopsis tabogaensis Mimusops grisebachii Nispero achras Pouteria mammosa Achras breviloba Achras calderonii Achras conzattii Achras coriacea Achras dactylina Achras latiloba Achras lobulata Achras lucuma Achras mammosa Achras occidentalis Achras paludosa Achras petenensis Achras rojasii Achras sapatilla Achras sapota Achras sapota f. asperrima Achras sapota var. candollei Achras sapota var. globosa Achras sapota var. lobata Achras sapota var. ovalis Achras sapota var. sphaerica Achras striata Achras tabogaensis Achras tainteriana Achras tchicomame Achras verrucosa Achras zapota Achras zapota var. zapotilla Achras zapotilla Sapota achras var. lobata Sapota zapotilla Calocarpum mammosum Calospermum mammosum Lucuma zapota Lucuma sapota var. anguai Gambeya mammosa Manilkara calderonii Manilkara zapotilla Manilkariopsis striata Achradelpha mammosa Achras gaumeri Achras meridionalis Achras sapota var. pedicellaris Sapota achras Sapota achras var. sphaerica Vitellaria mammosa Achras zapota var. major