TopTropicals Plant Catalog

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Manilkara zapota, Manilkara achras, Achras sapota Family: Sapotaceae Sapodilla, Ciku, Naseberry, Nispero, Sapote Origin: Tropical America Varieties: Tikal, Alano, Oxkutzcab, Hasya, Morena, Molix. Season: Sporadic throughout year, March - July. Dense, beautiful tree. Thick glossy green leaves. Milky sap was original source of chewing gum (chicle). Fruits prolifically. Gray/brown rough textured fruit. Exquisite flavor tastes like a pear soaked in brown sugar. Most often eaten fresh. Somewhat resembling a small brown mango in shape, the fruit is eaten when ripe. After the peel is emoved, the firm reddish-brown flesh is sliced into pieces which are often carved into decorative shapes. There is great variation in the size and form. Under favourable conditions, a seedling tree may grow to a height of 12"-22" but under sub-optimal conditions it may be no larger than a large shrub. Fruits are produced at frequent intervals throughout the year. The fruits are round or oval, about 2"-7" long. Mature fruits have a dull pale to rusty brown thin skin. When ripe the flesh is yellowish to pinkish brown, soft, sweet and delicious. Unripe fruits are hard and unpleasantly astringent. Each fruit has 2- 3 seeds which are hard, black, shining, obovate and somewhat flattened. They are easily separated from the flesh. Ciku, a native of tropical America is well spread throughout the tropics. It is widely grown in parts of India and Africa, West Indies, Philippines, Malaysia, Tropical America and Southern Florida in the USA. Ciku grows well in alluvial soils and in loamy soils with high organic content but does not do well in poorly drained soil. It thrives in the tropical rainforests and is well adapted to warm and humid areas. It will yield well under irrigated conditions and is highly tolerant to shades. See flowers. Link to this plant: http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/achras_zapota.htm