Family: SAPOTACEAE
Other common names; lucmo, lucuma, lucumo, lucmarucma, mamon.
Lucuma (pronounced luke - mah) is an attractive, evergreen, medium sized (8 - 15 m) tree native to the sub - tropical Andes where the tree blooms and fruits all year. The tree is adapted to fairly dry conditions and tolerates seasonal rains well but does not like waterlogging or extended humid weather. Lucuma can be killed by temperatures below - 5°C. As a rule of thumb it should grow wherever a lemon will grow. It will grow in most soil types provided that they are well drained. It yields best in deep alluvial soils which are rich in organic matter.
A single tree can produce up to 500 fruit each year. A fruit can weigh up to 1 kg and is rich in provitamin A (carotene), vitamin B3 and is a good source of carbohydrate, calories and iron.
The fruit falls to the ground when ready but then is stored in dry hay or sawdust until soft.
The fruit has smooth, bronze coloured skin and bright yellow or orange flesh. Although variable, the fruit can smell and taste like maple syrup. It is frequendy blended with milk to make milkshakes. The fruit can be dried and stored as a flour which keeps for years and which is added to other flours to make desserts. The fruit is a valuable chicken forage which promotes eggs with bright orange yolks. The wood is used in construction. The tree is grown from seed and cuttings, but grafting is reported difficult.