Black Sapote Growing Guide

Does the sound of chocolate fruit make your mouth water? Well, it does for us. Now imagine having such fruit growing in your garden or home.

The good news is you can as the black sapote is such a tree providing you with creamy and luscious fruit.

The best part is it tastes divine in a fruit loaf. So, where can you get your hands on these fruit trees?

If you stay a bit longer, we share our secret to finding such a tree. But for now, we want to help you first to take care of the black sapote tree.

What Is Chocolate Pudding Fruit?

black sapote

Okay, we did exaggerate a bit in the beginning that the black sapote has chocolate pudding fruit. So if you are looking for a chocolate taste, it does not taste like it.

Instead, it is delightful and has a honey yet caramel taste and mineral tones when approached with an open mind. The fruit comes from the black sapote tree, similar to the white sapote but is not an actual specimen.

It is close to your persimmon, but looking at the fruit shape gives the complete relationship away. The word comes from Aztec called tzapotl, describing soft and sweet fruit. It is a tropical evergreen, and some people call it the black persimmon.

Black Sapote Plant Care

The tree grows up to forty feet tall outdoors. So you can grow it potted standing on the patio. Still, you can grow it as a houseplant, and it is something of a novelty as growing them in pots barely produce fruit.

black sapote care card

Recommended Potting Mix

These fruit trees thrive in well-drained soil or even sandy ground. So if the soil is slightly acidic with alkaline, it will also survive. Still, if you live in a high water table, it is best grown on raised mounds.

sandy mix

But when you grow the black sapote trees in a pot, it helps to provide them with fast-draining soil. Yet, as mentioned, as an ornamental houseplant, the chance of growing chocolate fruit is rare.

If you grow your tree in different soil types, we recommend the following:

Growing in Sandy Ground

When growing your trees in the sand, the best is to remove at least three to ten feet diameter of grass sod. Then, dig a hole four times in diameter and three times deeper than the nursery container. Doing this loosens up the ground, making it easier for the roots to grow.

There is no need to add fertilizer, compost, or topsoil to that hole. If you want to add topsoil or even compost, mix it with a ratio of 1:1 excavated soil.

  • Remove your tree from the vessel.
  • Please place it in the hole with the soil media at the same level as the container.
  • Tamp the ground to remove the air pockets and water.

Planting in Rockland Earth

If you live in shallow ground with bedrock below the surface, remove up to ten feet in diameter of grass sod. As with the previous method, make the hole four times using up to 30% organic source. You can repeat this after eight weeks for the first year to increase the amount of fertilizer needed.

Mound Planting

If you experience occasional flooding, you can improve the growth by planting your trees up to four feet high and ten feet in diameter using native soil. First, make the mound and then make a hole four times the diameter and three times deeper than the pot. Use the previous recommendations for sandy soil.

Lighting Condition For Black Sapote Trees

black sapote lighting requirement

Tree care for the chocolate persimmon needs full sun away from buildings and trees. So for outdoor plant your smaller tree at least 30 feet away from anything causing shade.

When grown indoors or on the patio, it still needs to get full sun when possible. The best is a west-facing window that is sunny.

If you have black sapote seedling trees, it demands less light but needs to transition to sufficient light within weeks of sprouting.

Watering Needs

When planting your fruit tree, it needs watering every other day for the first week. Then you can change your water schedule to two times a week for a couple of months.

If you have prolonged dry periods, newly planted and young trees need watering once a week for the first three years. When the rainy season arrives, you can reduce watering or stop altogether.

As the tree matures, watering becomes beneficial in prolonged dry periods for growth and fruit production. Still, if you have mature trees, they do not need frequent watering, as overwatering causes the fruit trees to decay.

But if you have a potted black sapote, it needs watering at least twice a week.

Ideal Temperature & Humidity

The black sapote trees thrive in warm temperatures with high humidity as it comes from a tropical climate. If the temperature goes below 30 degrees F, it will perish.

Feeding Your Fruit Trees

Okay, one thing your black sapote is not demanding on its feeding. So when you plant your tree and new growth starts, you can apply a young tree fertilizer with a ratio of 6-6-6-2.

Repeat feeding every eight weeks for the first years and increase the amount to 1.0lb. From April to September, you can use a nutritional foliar spray. While iron deficiency is not always present in this tree, you notice chlorotic leaves with greenish veins apply the iron.

For mature trees, a 5.0lbs application three times per year is surface. Also, make sure it does not have phosphate or potash in it. You can use a 6-6-6 or 8-3-9 feed. And you can use a foliar spray that is nutritional from April to September per year.

Propagation of Black Sapote Trees

You can propagate your black sapote trees using the seed to air-layer, bud, or graft. Still, as this tree does not come true from seeds, the best option is seedling trees. The black sapote can take up to six years before it flowers.

Another concern is that these fruit trees with only male flowers do not produce any fruit. Yet trees with both female and male flowers can bear fruit. So the best method to use is grafting or budding.

USDA Growth Zone

It thrives in hardy zones ten to twelve to grow these fruit trees with their delicious black sapote fruit. But most people grow them as potted plants.

Planting and Pruning Advice

Okay, for planting the tree for a fruit harvest, it is best grown outdoors. But you can plant indoor in a massive container with good drainage and a standard potting mix. While you need not repot your tree, often prevent it from getting root bound as it affects the growth.

When the black sapote begins growing after several years, it grows faster. When grown outdoors, space your fruit trees at least 30 feet apart. With some pruning removing a few upper limbs it helps to contain the shape.

Harvesting Black Sapote Fruit

black sapote fruit

Your tree can take up to five years before it produces fruit. Then, when it is time to harvest, the fruit skins turn green to a dull yet muddy green. Leave the fruit after picking for up to 14 days to soften, making it edible.

Then, you can eat the pulp fresh or add them to your ice cream, drinks, or even a milkshake.

Black Sapote Varieties

There are quite some superior fruit varieties of black sapote to find at your local garden center.

Merinda

The tree produces a sweet fruit when eaten fresh from November to January.

Mossman

The fruit of this tree is enormous and only has a couple of seeds, making them excellent and rich in vitamin C.

Cocktail

The tree is known to provide you with excellent flavored fruit that is large and of outstanding quality.

Black Sapote Pests and Diseases

The fruit tree is trouble-free, but you can find some pests from mealybugs, whitefly, and aphids to scale on them. The best is to identify your infestation to treat them using a non-toxic option.

Frequently Asked Questions

The black sapote is an andromonecious tree with both male and female blooms for reproduction. But you can find some of them with only male flowers and will not bear fruit unless pollinated by insects.

The black sapote is a handsome tree with a broad top that helps to keep it pruned to create a lower tree canopy. It is slow-growing but can reach a height of 80-feet.

Most varieties of black sapote are self-fertile as it has male and female tubular flowers. But some of them might need cross-pollination with other types.

You can find the black sapote at your local garden center or even online. Yeah, we have good news for you as Planty sells this delicious fruit tree right here. So check them out today to start growing your chocolate pudding fruit.

Whether you want to buy, sell or simply reach out to other plant enthusiasts, Plantly is the right place to be!

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