Family: RUTACEAE
Originating in Mexico, the white sapote is not related to the sapotes, but belongs to the same family as the citrus. It is a tall, evergreen tree reaching a height of 10 - 15 m. Although a sub -tropical tree, it grows surprisingly well in cooler regions. It prefers good, well drained soil and is moderately drought and wind tolerant. Mature trees are frost tolerant to - 4°C, although young trees are likely to be damaged by frost.
The fruit are a greenish yellow colour when ripe, sweet in flavour, but sometimes with a slightly resinous taste. They are best eaten fresh but can also be made into jams, jellies or drinks.
Nutritional composition of the white sapote per 100 grams of edible portion is: Water - 78.3%, Fat - 0.03 g, Protein - 0.143 g, Ash - 0.48 g, Calcium - 9.9 mg, Iron - 0.33 mg, Phosphorous -20.4 mg, Carotene - 0.053 mg, Thiamin - 0.042 mg, Riboflavin - 0.043 mg, Niacin - 0.472 mg, Ascorbic acid - 30.3 mgs and the digestion time is 3 hours.
The fruit is produced after about 3 years with grafted trees, or from 3 - 8 years from trees grown from seed. The fruit ripens mainly in early autumn. The plant is not always self - fertile, so it is a good idea to plant a few to ensure cross - pollination. The plant is a good bee forage.
The timber is fine grained, yellow, compact, moderately dense and heavy with medium strength, although not long term durable. It is resistant to most rots. The wood is sometimes used in Central America for furniture.
The fruit is claimed to induce sleep and extracts from the bark, leaves and seeds have been employed in Mexico as tranquillisers and sedatives. The extracts have been found effective in lowering blood pressure. The fruit is eaten throughout Mexico and Central America to relieve the pain of rheumatism and arthritis. In Costa Rica the leaf decoction is used to treat diabetes.
White sapotes grow easily from seed and are also produced by grafting. Seedlings should be pruned to encourage early branching, as they tend to become straggly. Many cultivars are now available. Minimum spacing of trees is 6 m apart.