Manilkara zapota, Manilkara achras, Achras sapota, Sapodilla, Ciku, Naseberry, Nispero, Sapote, Brown Sugar Fruit

TROPICAL PLANT CATALOG

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Manilkara zapota, Manilkara achras, Achras sapota, Sapodilla, Ciku, Naseberry, Nispero, Sapote, Brown Sugar Fruit

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Manilkara zapota, Manilkara achras, Achras sapota
Family: Sapotaceae
Sapodilla, Ciku, Naseberry, Nispero, Sapote, Brown Sugar Fruit
Origin: Tropical America
Big tree > 20 ft

Subtropical, cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time

Varieties: Makok, Tikal, Alano, Oxkutzcab, Hasya, Morena, Molix. Season: Sporadic throughout year, March - July. Sapodilla is well spread throughout the tropics. For centuries, It has been one of the most popular and most productive tropical fruit trees in the world, widely grown in India and Africa, West Indies, Philippines, Malaysia, Tropical America and Southern Florida.

Besides delicious fruit, the tree produces white, gummy latex that was an original source of chewing gum (chicle).

Sapodilla is a fairly slow-growing, long-lived medium-size tree, upright and elegant, dense and distinctly pyramidal, with thick glossy green leaves. Flowers are small and bell-like, borne on slender stalks at the leaf bases. The fruit has gray-brown rough textured skin and pinkish-brown, moist, soft and delicious flesh that tastes like a pear soaked in brown sugar. Unripe fruits are hard and unpleasantly astringent. Each fruit has a few hard, black seeds that can be easily separated from the flesh. There is great variation in the size and form of the fruit, from almost round and large, to small and elongated. Numerous varieties and hybrids have been selected throughout the world. Sapodilla trees fruit prolifically, at frequent intervals throughout the year. In the tropics, some cultivars bear almost continuously. The fruits mature 4 to 6 months after flowering.

Most often eaten fresh. After the peel is removed, the fruit is sliced into pieces which are often carved into decorative shapes.

Sapodilla fruit is usually cut in half and the flesh is eaten with a spoon. It is an ideal dessert fruit as the skin, which is not eaten, remains firm enough to serve as a "shell". The flesh may be scooped out and added to fruit cups or salads. A dessert sauce is made by adding orange juice, and topping with whipped cream. Sapodilla flesh may also be blended into an egg custard mix before baking. The fruit is sometimes fried or stewed with lime juice or ginger. Mashed sapodilla pulp can be added to pancake batter and bread mix before baking. Cooking with sugar changes the brown color of the flesh to a pleasing red.

Sapodilla wine is also very good. Young leafy shoots are eaten raw or steamed with rice in Indonesia, after washing to eliminate the sticky sap.

A major by-product of the sapodilla tree is the gummy latex called "chicle", containing 15% rubber and 38% resin.

The plant grows naturally in the calcareous marl and disintegrated limestone, and is well adapted to Florida soils; it flourishes also in other types of soil, from deep, loose, organic soil, to loam, light clay, sand or even gravel, but requires excellent drainage. It is strong, wind-resistant, highly drought-resistant, and can stand salt spray. In India, brackish or saline water is sometimes used to reduce vegetative growth and promote fruiting. Commercially grove trees receive no watering, although irrigation in dry seasons will increase productivity.

Unlike most of tropical fruit, Sapodilla seeds remain viable for several years if kept dry. They germinate readily but growth is slow and the trees take 5 to 8 years to bear. Grafted trees start fruiting right away.

Similar plants:

var. Silas Woods - dwarf, year round producer

Link to this plant: https://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/achras_zapota.htm

Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Alano, Air-layered

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4401 Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Alano, Air-layered ?

What is air-layered plant

Q: What is an air-layered plant?

Air-layering is a method of vegetative (or asexual) propagation woody ornamentals and fruit trees, when branches, while still attached to the parent plant, start producing roots where they come in contact with a rooting medium. Minimized water stress and stable nutrient levels make this method successful. Air-layering is used when grafting is not possible for a number of reasons.

Benefits of the air-layering:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a branch from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for the air-layered plant)
creates larger plant much faster unlike when growing from cuttings

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Sapodilla Alano was selected in Hawaii. It has a very sweet, top shaped fruit with excellent taste. Has a richer flavor than most other smooth-textured cultivars. The plant is very productive.This item is certified for shipping to California.

California certification

Most of our plants are certified for shipping to California, however, certain plants are not certified. Please do not order not-certified plants to California addresses. These plants may be added to CA certification in the future; please contact us for more information.

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Grown in 10"/3 gal pot, small plant

9 Plants in stock

$67.00

Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Brown Sugar, Air-layered

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4514 Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Brown Sugar, Air-layered ?

What is air-layered plant

Q: What is an air-layered plant?

Benefits of the air-layering:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a branch from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for the air-layered plant)
creates larger plant much faster unlike when growing from cuttings

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Sapodilla Brown Sugar, superior variety. Originated in Homestead FL. Introduced in 1948. Fruit medium small, 2 to 2-1/2 inches long, nearly round. Skin light, scruffy brown. Flesh pale brown, fragrant, juicy, very sweet and rich, texture slightly granular. Quality is very good. Tree is tall, bushy. A good, regular, high yielder; handles and keeps well.This item is certified for shipping to California.

California certification

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Grown in 10"/3 gal pot

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Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Gigantia, Air-layered

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5967 Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Gigantia, Air-layered ?

What is air-layered plant

Q: What is an air-layered plant?

Benefits of the air-layering:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a branch from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for the air-layered plant)
creates larger plant much faster unlike when growing from cuttings

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Sapodilla Gigantia has the largest fruit, tastes like Oxkutzcab but creamier. The Gigantia is a selection by Gary Zill from his Costa Rica farms. As the name suggests, the fruit are very large, almost as large as a some Mamey. The tree is not
as productive as other Sapodilla varieties.This item is certified for shipping to California.

California certification

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Grown in 10"/3 gal pot, small plant

4 Plants in stock

$67.00

Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Hasya, Air-layered

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4310 Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Hasya, Air-layered ?

What is air-layered plant

Q: What is an air-layered plant?

Benefits of the air-layering:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a branch from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for the air-layered plant)
creates larger plant much faster unlike when growing from cuttings

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Sapodilla Hasya - extra large, football-shaped fruit native to Mexico where it is the number one commercial cultivar grown. The fruit is of excellent eating quality and it has a reddish hue throughout the pulp. The tree is a large upright grower, and it is a prolific producer of large fruit that typically weigh thirteen ounces. The fruit ripens from November to June.This item is certified for shipping to California.

California certification

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Grown in 10"/3 gal pot

In stock

$72.00
Sale: $62.00

Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Makok, Air-layered

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3025 Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Makok, Air-layered ?

What is air-layered plant

Q: What is an air-layered plant?

Benefits of the air-layering:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a branch from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for the air-layered plant)
creates larger plant much faster unlike when growing from cuttings

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Sapodilla Makok - superior variety, the best producer. Makok is long, pointed, and one of the best tasting in the world. It is native to Thailand, and it is a recent introduction to Florida. This is an excellent variety for homeowners because the tree is a small compact grower perfect for limited spaces. The pulp is smooth and brown with a sweet aroma. It ripens from May to November.This item is certified for shipping to California.

California certification

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Grown in 10"/3 gal pot, small plant

6 Plants in stock

$67.00

Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Molix, Air-layered

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4420 Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Molix, Air-layered ?

What is air-layered plant

Q: What is an air-layered plant?

Benefits of the air-layering:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a branch from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for the air-layered plant)
creates larger plant much faster unlike when growing from cuttings

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Molix is a football shaped fruit native to Mexico. This fruit is similar to Hasya in many ways, but it tends to be darker brown outside, less red inside, and the tree has curly leaves. The pulp is exceptionally sweet with a fine pear texture and pleasant aroma. The fruit are large typically weighing thirteen ounces. The season differs slightly from that of Hasya, beginning in February and ending in May.This item is certified for shipping to California.

California certification

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Grown in 10"/3 gal pot

In stock

$72.00
Sale: $57.00

Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Morena, Air-layered

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4421 Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Morena, Air-layered ?

What is air-layered plant

Q: What is an air-layered plant?

Benefits of the air-layering:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a branch from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for the air-layered plant)
creates larger plant much faster unlike when growing from cuttings

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Sapodilla Morena is a football shaped Mexico native. This variety differs from the other Mexican cultivars ever so slightly in taste and appearance, but it tends to out produce all of them. The fruit are not quite as big as Hasya or Molix, but they are still large weighing up to twelve ounces. The fruit ripen from February to April.This item is certified for shipping to California.

California certification

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Grown in 10"/3 gal pot

In stock

$72.00
Sale: $57.00

Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Oxkutzcab, Air-layered

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3977 Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Oxkutzcab, Air-layered ?

What is air-layered plant

Q: What is an air-layered plant?

Benefits of the air-layering:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a branch from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for the air-layered plant)
creates larger plant much faster unlike when growing from cuttings

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Sapodilla Oxkutzcab (or Ox) - "gigantic sapodilla" - is originally from Oxkutzcab (Yucatan). Extremely large (up to 28 oz), roundish fruit with speckled, light-colored skin. Flesh is brown, with excellent taste. Heavily productive tree. Producing heavy crops from May to September.This item is certified for shipping to California.

California certification

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Grown in 10"/3 gal pot

In stock

$72.00
Sale: $62.00

Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Prolific, Air-layered

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4332 Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Prolific, Air-layered ?

What is air-layered plant

Q: What is an air-layered plant?

Benefits of the air-layering:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a branch from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for the air-layered plant)
creates larger plant much faster unlike when growing from cuttings

Close window

Sapodilla Prolific, heavy producer. The Prolific has smooth pinkish-tan flesh when ripe. The fruits are round to conical and are long and broad, they tend to loose much of the furry texture on the skin when they are ripe. Trees are heavy bearers. Variety was originated as a seedling grown at the Agricultural Research and Education Center, Homestead, and released in 1941.This item is certified for shipping to California.

California certification

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Grown in 10"/3 gal pot

In stock

$72.00
Sale: $62.00

Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Silas Woods, Air-layered

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3401 Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Silas Woods, Air-layered ?

What is air-layered plant

Q: What is an air-layered plant?

Benefits of the air-layering:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a branch from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for the air-layered plant)
creates larger plant much faster unlike when growing from cuttings

Close window

The 'Silas Woods' is an outstanding variety of Sapodilla. The tree has dwarf growth habit (under 20 ft in the ground) and adapts well to a container. This variety is highly productive. Trees are producing year round, the branches often require support as they get very heavy loaded with fruits.
Perfect fruit tree for small yards and container culture!
See picture of the fruiting tree and picture of the fruit

The best variety for potting culture - the most profuse producer, flowering and fruiting nearly year round providing bright light and warmth. Although the fruit are smaller than other varieties and average 4-5" size.This item is certified for shipping to California.

California certification

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Grown in 10"/3 gal pot

10 Plants in stock

$77.00

Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Tikal, Air-layered

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3764 Achras (manilkara) zapota - Sapodilla Tikal, Air-layered ?

What is air-layered plant

Q: What is an air-layered plant?

Benefits of the air-layering:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a branch from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for the air-layered plant)
creates larger plant much faster unlike when growing from cuttings

Close window

Sapodilla Tikal was selected in the United States. The fruit are ovoid in shape, but are fat at one end. This variety was one of the first superior commercial varieties planted in Florida. Fruit size can vary, but they can get as large as eleven ounces. The fruit ripen from December to March.This item is certified for shipping to California.

California certification

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Grown in 10"/3 gal pot, large plant

2 Plants in stock

$67.00

Achras zapota (Sapodilla) - seeds

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4486 Achras zapota (Sapodilla) - seeds

Achras (manilkara) zapota (Sapodilla). For centuries, It has been one of the most popular and most productive tropical fruit trees in the world.Besides delicious fruit, the tree produces white, gummy latex that was an original source of chewing gum (chicle). Sapodilla is a fairly slow-growing, long-lived medium-size tree, upright and elegant, dense and distinctly pyramidal, with thick glossy green leaves. The fruit has gray-brown rough textured skin and pinkish-brown, moist, soft and delicious flesh that tastes like a pear soaked in brown sugar. Sapodilla trees fruit prolifically, at frequent intervals throughout the year.
Unlike most of tropical fruit, Sapodilla seeds remain viable for several years if kept dry. They germinate readily but growth is slow and the trees take 5 to 8 years to bear.
Ordering seeds info

Per pack: 6 large seeds

In stock

$5.00

Achras zapota (Sapodilla) Silas Woods - seeds

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6237 Achras zapota (Sapodilla) Silas Woods - seeds

The Silas Woods is an outstanding variety of Sapodilla. The tree has dwarf growth habit (under 20 ft in the ground) and adapts well to a container. This variety is highly productive. Trees are producing year round, the branches often require support as they get very heavy loaded with fruits.
Perfect fruit tree for small yards and container culture!
See picture of the fruiting tree and picture of the fruit
The best variety for potting culture - the most profuse producer, flowering and fruiting nearly year round providing bright light and warmth. Although the fruit are smaller than other varieties and average 4-5" size.
Sapodilla varieties come true from seeds. Of course seedlings take much longer till fruit, a few years, while grafted

What is grafted plant

Q: What is a grafted plant?

Grafting is a method of vegetative (or asexual) propagation where a piece of one plant (scion) selected for its flowers or fruit and containing the desired genes to be duplicated is inserted into a piece of another plant (rootstock), with a strong vigorous root system, usually a seedling.

Benefits of the graft:

making a clone of the parent plant ensures the same cultivar, since most fruit trees will not come true to seed
taking a scion from a mature plant reduces time to flowering and fruiting (from 10-12 years for a seedling to 2-3 years or less for a grafted plant)
introducing dwarfing, hardiness, disease and pest resistance.
easier propagation method when other means like cutting or seed is not successful

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varieties start fruiting right away.
Ordering seeds info

Per pack: 6 large seeds

In stock

$5.00

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