Tropical Fruits

Sapodilla Cultivars

August 5, 2016

By GreenGenie

Sapodillas trees range in size from 6' tall to as much as 100' in the tropics!

Manilkara Zapota

DAMAGE TEMPS: 30°F (zone 10a)

Mature trees have been known to withstand several hours of temperatures at 24-26°, though young trees can be killed at 30°.
Fruits mature 4-6 months after flowering.
Likes consistent water, but good drainage is essential.
Trees require very little pruning, unless you desire to keep it smaller than natural heights.

Sapodilla flowers just beginning to open

Here's a comparison of the most popular sapodilla cultivars:

NOTE: All our Sapodillas will be grafted trees !!!

SILAS WOODS -- South FL selection;

Our most popular because of size & flavor.

Dwarf tree: 6-10' tall; perfect for a container plant.
Mature trees have been known to be cold-hardy to 26°F
Ever-bearing, very prolific, heavy producing;
Small fruits: 9oz; 2-3" diameter;
Super sweet: tastes like brown sugar
Fine texture: white flesh

7g Silas Woods (dwarf) $125 when available

3g_makok

7g Makok growing in the nursery environment

Thailand varieties

ALANO -- #1 Thailand variety;

(#1 fav on the East coast of FL)

Small tree: 25-30' tall
Ever-bearing, heaviest production Nov-June
Small fruits: 9oz; same size fruits as Silas Woods;
Super sweet / ultra fine texture;

MAKOK -- Thailand variety; new to FL;

Small tree: 20-25' tall; ripens May-Nov;
One of the best tasting;
Pulp is smooth & brown w/ a sweet aroma;

Central American varieties

HASYA -- #1 commercial variety in Mexico

One of the bigger cultivars: 13oz fruits
Ripens Nov-June
Elongated / football shaped; more flesh / less seeds
Color: yellowish-reddish
Texture: finer texture than Morena
Common So FL favorite amongst the Mexican var.

MORENA -- Mexican variety

Trees grow to 20' tall
Ripens Feb-April
Hardy producer; produces as much as the Hasya & Molix
Up to 12oz fruits; exceptional flavor
Less seeds: 1-2 seeds total
Color: half red / half caramel

MOLIX -- Mexican variety; ripens Feb-May;

Very tall trees
Fine texture: 13oz fruits
Ripens Feb-May
Exceptionally sweet; only one that is less red;
Similar in color to the Mamey sapote

Other Florida varieties

TIKAL -- Central American seedling

Named at the Homestead Ag Experiment Station
Tends to grow very tall; can be kept trimmed to 12'
Prolific producer, small elongated fruits
Fine texture

PROLIFIC

1941 seedling released by the Ag Research Station in Homestead.
Mostly round, w/ smooth pinkish-tan flesh
Early bearing
Consistent, heavy producing

OX

Developed at the Ag Experiment Sta in Oxkutza, FL
Very different tree from all the rest: straight leaves, flattened edge on fruit, light colored speckled skin.
Small crops: i.e. small number of fruit sets
Huge fruits: up to 1 pound !

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