Sapodilla or Chiku

Manilkara zapota (syn. Achras sapota)

Evergreen tree to 20m, reasonably hardy and prefers well drained soil. Fruit prolific with yellow brown translucent flesh 5-10cm diam. Salt tolerant.

Evergreen tree originally from tropical Central America grown for sweet fruit.

FEATURES: Tall elegant tree with dark glossy green foliage. Branches have a white sap and can withstand tropical cyclones.

Fruit look like potatoes but have light brown soft very sweet flesh. Flesh is sometimes gritty and contains black seeds. Ripe fruit taste like sweetened cooked pears. Harvest mainly September to November. Prolific fruiting tree.

CONDITIONS: Will grow in most free draining soils in warm situation. Will tolerate light frosts.

FOR BEST RESULTS: Supply ample water over hot periods. Fruit are picked hard and left to ripen preferably half embedded in uncooked rice. (Unripe fruit are astringent and sticky). Fruit are eaten when ripe, i.e. when fruit are soft .

PLANTING IDEAS AND USES:

• eat fresh fruit or use ripe pulp in desserts