The fruit is bright-green and shiny at first; oblate or nearly round; 2 to 5 in (5-12.5 cm) wide; with a prominent, 4-lobed, undulate calyx, 1 1/2 to 2 in (4-5 cm) across, clasping the base. Black sapote fruit are tomato-like and measure 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) in diameter, with an inedible skin that turns from olive to a deep yellow-green when ripe and a pulp which is white and inedible when unripe but assumes a flavor, color and texture often likened to chocolate pudding when ripe. [8][9], 'Maher' has very large, flattened fruit of good to very good quality with few seeds. The tree grows fairly slowly for the first 3–4 years, perhaps just 1 foot/year for the first couple of years. Propagation is usually from seed, which can retain viability for several months and require around 30 days for germination. In Mexico, the fruits are regularly marketed. Carefully examine the growth habits and mature size of the type you choose; those best suited for container growing may not be the best for fruit production. Some varieties can be grown in Australia's cities without diseases like the muscadine grapes. Most of the Black Sapote varieties are self-fertile. No yield figures are available but the tree is noted for bearing well. [8][9], 'Superb' is a selection from North Queensland that bears large quantities of superb quality, small fruits that may be completely seedless if not cross pollinated. Most begin to bear in 5 to 6 years but some trees may take somewhat longer. The black sapote is very soft when fully ripe. **The ascorbic acid content is said to be about twice that of the average orange. Black Sapote, also called Chocolate pudding fruit (Diospyros nigra), is a tropical plant cultivated for its tasty, chocolate-like flavor fruits. They should be spaced at least 40 ft (12 m) apart. Black sapote grow best when grown in full sun. In Mexico it grows naturally in dry forests or on alluvial clay near streams or lagoons where it is frequently subject to flooding. Though it may remain fit for eating if held for a few days in cold storage, it is too soft to stand handling. The tree is naturally vigorous and receives little or no cultural attention in Florida though it has been noted that it benefits from fertilization. Certain trees tend to bear very large, seedless or nearly seedless fruits maturing in summer instead of winter as most do, but no varietal names have been attached to them in Florida. [3] Some trees are seedless however, and can be propagated by air-layering or shield budding. Note: The rare, wild relative D. revoluta Poir., mentioned at the beginning, has not only been included with the black sapote under the erroneous D. ebanaster, but has also been dealt with as D. nigra Perr. [4][6][8][9], 'Ricks Late' originated in NSW Australia and produces heavy, late crops with excellent quality. Reports of dark wood utilized for furniture are probably the result of confusion with other species of Diospyros. In Yucatan, the leaf decoction is employed as an astringent and is taken internally as a febrifuge. 99. In Spanish, it is known variously as sapote, sapote negro, zapote, zapote negro, zapote prieto, zapote de mico, matasano (or matazano) de mico, or ebano. On ripening, the smooth, thin skin becomes olive-green and then rather muddy-green. [8][9], 'Cocktail' is described as having excellent flavor. It is difficult to detect the slight color change of mature fruits amid the dense foliage of the black sapote tree. A foamy, delicious beverage is made by mixing the pulp with canned pineapple juice in an electric blender. Mature trees can grow to over 25 m (82 ft) in height and are evergreen. Special. Certain trees, especially the large-fruited types, regularly come into season in June, others in July and August. It produces 70 kg or more of very sweet, small to medium-sized fruit of very good quality with 5-10 seeds, beginning 6–8 weeks earlier than other varieties (November in Florida). Some have both male and female organs, large calyx lobes and are faintly fragrant; others are solely male and have a pronounced gardenia-like scent and a few black specks in the throat of the corolla. Black. These include 'Mossman', 'Cocktail', 'Maher', 'Ricks Late', and 'Superb'. The tropical fruit tree is native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. The tree does very well in southern Florida, though it has been grown mainly as a curiosity. In 1899, the annual crop in Mexico was valued at $27,000, a considerable sum at that time. When unripe (right) it is firm, bright green and very unpalatable. The black sapote is usually grown from seeds, which remain viable for several months in dry storage and germinate in about 30 days after planting in flats. In Mexico, the pulp may be mashed, beaten or passed through a colander and mixed with orange juice or brandy, and then served with or without whipped cream. [8], 'Mérida' (also 'Reineke' or 'Reinecke') is named after the origin of its seed. Black sapote is best consumed when the outside of the fruit looks past its prime. Nevertheless, it thrives on moist sandy loam, on well-drained sand or oolitic limestone with very little top-soil in southern Florida. Native to Central America, Black Sapote is a culinary delight in Mexico, Guatemala, Caribbean, Colombia and Central America. FREE Shipping. Black Sapote $ 14.75 ($ 14.75-$ 24.75 choose a size) Wood: The wood is yellowish to deep-yellow with black markings near the heart of old trunks; compact and suitable for cabinetwork but little used. Boning (2006) describes the ripe fruit as having "the taste and consistency of chocolate pudding. It is also made into ice cream. Trees that have become well established have withstood occasional brief exposures to 28º or 30º F (-2.22º or-1.11º C). Some Floridians use an eggbeater to blend the pulp with milk and ground nutmeg. Most of the Black Sapote varieties are self-fertile. [3] Later however it grows much more rapidly. Many black sapotes ripen, fall and smash on the ground before one has the chance to pick them, and this is one reason why .the tree is not favored for landscaping in urban areas. Finger Lime Trees. There are a number of other varieties that are not available locally yet. In Central America, the fermented fruits are made into a liqueur somewhat like brandy. Black Sapote Diospyros Nigra Chocolate Pudding Seedling Plant Tropical Fruit Tree 10-13" $35.99 $ 35. [3][4] Fruiting takes about 3–4 years from seed and the trees are heavy bearers. Diospyros nigra, the black sapote, is a species of persimmon. When ripe (left) it looks bruised and shrivelled. The entire family heading of "Sapotaceae". Within is a mass of glossy, brown to very dark-brown, almost black, somewhat jelly-like pulp, soft, sweet and mild in flavor. In the Philippines, the seeded pulp is served as dessert with a little milk or orange juice poured over it. Soil. Fruiting of the evergreen Black Sapote occurs in 3 to 4 years, and mature trees can grow to … The black sapote is native along both coasts of Mexico from Jalisco to Chiapas, Veracruz and Yucatan and in the forested lowlands of Central America, and it is frequently cultivated throughout this range. It has smaller, thicker leaves and smaller fruits than the black sapote and the calyx is square. more_vert. Seedlings are best transplanted to pots when about 3 in (7.5 cm) high and they are set in the field when 1 to 2 years old, at which time they are 1 to 2 ft (30-60 cm) in height. Therefore it is at this stage that they must be picked for marketing and shipping. It was apparently carried by the Spaniards to Amboina before 1692, and to the Philippines long before 1776, and eventually reached Malacca, Mauritius, Hawaii, Brazil, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Vegetative propagation is not commonly practiced but the tree has been successfully air-layered and also shield-budded using mature scions. The tropical fruit tree is native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. [7], 'Bernicker' (also 'Bernecker') is a prolific producer of nearly spherical, medium to large fruit with few seeds and of superior quality. The evergreen, alternate leaves, elliptic-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, tapered at both ends or rounded at the base and bluntly acute at the apex, are leathery, glossy, 4 to 12 in (10-30 cm) long. Trees that have become well established have withstood occasional brief exposures to 28º or 30º F (-2.22º or-1.11º C).