The White Sapote tree is becoming popular among home gardeners who want a versatile and tasty fruit. This fruit tree is pretty easy to grow in many areas. The White Sapote tree thrives in USDA zones 9-11. It also grows nicely in containers for those without space for a full orchard.
The White Sapote fruit has a sweet and creamy taste. Some compare it to a cross between mango and avocado. Its texture resembles custard. You can enjoy White Sapotes fresh, in smoothies, pies, ice cream, and more. Kids love the mild sweet flavor too.
Provide well-drained soil and plenty of sun. This tropical doesn't handle frost well but thrives in warm zones. Grow your own sapote fruit tree, or white sapote seeds, or purchase a white sapote tree for sale from local nurseries.
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Attribute |
Detail |
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Scientific Name |
Casimiroaedulis |
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Common Names |
White sapote, Mexican apple, zapoteblanco |
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Origin |
Native to central and northern Mexico |
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Plant Type |
Fruit tree |
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Family |
Rutaceae |
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Growth Habit |
Medium to large tree, up to 15-20 meters |
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Leaves |
Evergreen, glossy, palmate compound leaves |
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Flowers |
Small, greenish-white, fragrant |
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Fruit |
Large, green-yellowish, creamy texture |
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Taste |
Sweet, custard-like |
Growing White Sapote Tree: Tips for Your Home Landscape
Adding white sapote to your home landscape can reward you with delicious fruit. But this subtropical evergreen needs some specific conditions to thrive.
Follow these key tips when selecting the planting spot, caring for young trees, and maintaining healthy, productive white sapote trees.
Choosing the Best Location
Like most fruit trees, white sapote trees need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Less sun means fewer fruits. Make sure to pick a sunny south-facing location without large buildings or trees shading the site to plant white sapote seeds.
Excellent drainage is crucial to prevent fungal root diseases. Select a spot with sandy loam soil on a slope if possible or build a raised planting bed to improve drainage. Those large, tender leaves can easily shred in high winds. Consider putting up a windbreak such as a fence or fast-growing shrubs. Just be sure not to block the all-important sunlight.
Planting New White Sapote Trees
Late winter to early spring gives young sapote trees time to establish roots before summer. But container-grown white sapote trees can be planted in fall as well.
White sapote doesn’t grow properly from seeds. For desired fruit qualities, propagate by grafting or air layering instead. Go to your local nursery and shop for white sapote trees for sale. Dig a wide planting hole and fill it with rich organic matter like compost or rotted manure. Also, mix in balanced fruit tree fertilizer as directed. Adjust soil pH to slightly acidic around 6.5.
Water Needs in First Years
For at least the first two years, water young trees thoroughly twice a week in warm months if it doesn’t rain. Slow, deep watering encourages deep root growth.
As white sapote fruit trees mature, shift to less frequent but deeper weekly irrigation to encourage drought resistance. Constant shallow watering leads to superficial root systems. While the soil should never dry out completely, it also shouldn’t stay waterlogged for over 24 hours. Improve drainage with organic material if needed.
Fertilizing and Mulching Mature Trees
Apply balanced fruit tree fertilizer or citrus feed in early spring and again halfway through the summer growing season.
In the fall, mix 1-2 inches of quality compost into the top 6 inches of soil under the canopy. Compost boosts nutrients and beneficial microbes. Maintain 3-4 inches of organic mulch over root zones in spring. Mulching conserves moisture, suppresses weeds, and feeds the soil as it decomposes.
Pruning Matters
In late winter before spring growth, prune back overlong, crossing, or inward-facing branches. Also, remove any dead or diseased wood. This maintains an open shape for sunlight and air penetration.
Every 2-3 years, selectively remove inner branches crowding the center of the white sapote plant. Good air circulation and light exposure deter fungal diseases and pests. Don’t prune more than 15% branches at once.
Pest Patrol
White sapote leaves attract aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, and scales. Catch infestations early by inspecting the undersides of leaves twice monthly. Remove pests with a jet of water or use insecticidal soap sprays before the infestation increases.
Tiny spider mites suck juices from leaves, causing stippling damage. Apply summer miticide sprays containing abamectin at first signs.
Humid conditions breed fungal leaf spot, root rot, and powdery mildew diseases. Improve airflow via pruning. Allow soil to dry between waterings. Quickly treat diseased white sapote leaves and roots with fungicides containing chlorothalonil or neem oil.
Harvest Time
White sapotes ripen from late summer into fall. Light green skin turns yellowish as fruits sweeten. Harvest when fuzzy skin gives slightly under gentle pressure. But fruits should still feel firm, not squishy soft.
Avoid yanking ripe fruits off branches. Instead, cut each fruit’s stem cleanly with a stem cutter or sharp knife. Pulling can tear branches and damage the thin skin. Handle picked fruits very gently to prevent ugly bruising.
Room temperature storage allows maximum flavor and sweetness for immediate eating. For longer enjoyment, refrigerate ripe fruits for up to 3 weeks. Just bring to room temperature 20 minutes before serving for the best flavor.
Conclusion
Are you interested in growing something unique? We offer an affordable selection of plans for sale, including the increasingly popular white sapote. Come check out our nursery's wide range of high-quality plants for sale.
We provide vigorous, healthy specimens that are ready to transplant to your garden or containers. You'll appreciate our fair prices and excellent customer service. Our affordable plants for sale deliver great value. Contact Everglades Farm today!
Disclaimer- The information provided in this content is just for educational purposes and is written by a professional writer. Consult us to learn more about white sapote growing.Also Read:How to Grow a Guava Tree?
