Pouteria sapota the mamey apple.
by Eric on Aug.06, 2009, under TROPICAL FRUITS
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Scientific Name: Pouteria sapota. Common name: ‘Mamey sapote, mamey apple’. This is a very popular fruit in Florida, the Caribbean Islands, and Central America. Native to the seasonally dry forests of Mexico (including Yucatan), Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador. It has been cultivated by the native people of Central America for hundreds of years. The tree forms a large spreading canopy and the fruits are borne directly on the thick twigs and branches of the canopy and have an oval or football shape. The fruit are brown in color, and its flesh is red to salmon in color.
From Mamey sapote
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| From Mamey sapote |
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| From Mamey sapote |
Widely grown in the tropical regions and the fruit can be eaten fresh, used in cooking, pies, excellent in ice cream. This tree is easy to grow from seeds and can be used as a landscape tree urban environments.
Like most fruit trees, it is mainly propagated by grafting, which ensures that the new plant has the same characteristics as the parent, especially its fruit. It is also considerably faster than growing trees by seed
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| From Mamey sapote |
This is a grafted tree on the farm.
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| From Mamey sapote |
The trees range from 50-150 feet. Usually takes seedlings 10 years or so to fruit. A popular saying in Belize is “You plant a mamey apple tree for your grandchild to enjoy.”
Germination of Sapote seeds usually happens within 2 to 4 weeks after planting. The seeds need to be planted within a month after harvesting. After that time they will not germinate.
Seedlings need to be spaced about 25 to 35 feet apart.
Grafted trees will produce fruit in 1 to 3 years.
A long dry period will result in leaf loss.
Grows in Southern Florida in the USA. It is sensitive to frost.
