Ebenaceae family with about 500 species in the genus Diospyros. Logged fruitlovers. When ripe the flesh is dark brown to almost black and may enclose 0-12 brown seeds. As the fruit matures over about 4 months, the calyx ends rise slightly from the fruit and the shiny skin loses some lustre. Over-fertilizing is contraindicated for yield. Pollination is by insects. Related to persimmon and mabolo but not to white, green, yellow or mamey sapote. Most of these are difficult to source in WA. Less commonly it is structurally but not functionally hermaphroditic with rudimentary staminodes and pistillodes, & less frequently monoecious or polygamous (leaky dioecy). Harvesting is usually autumn-late winter and fruit should be cut rather than pulled from the tree. Inflorescences are axillary cymes, and males typically have more flowers (3-6) than females (1-2). Skin is a shiny bright green colour. It is not demanding in fertilizer requirements. The specimen from Daley's looked rather weak and spindly and is extremely slow growing in part shade. The most common use is to flavour ice-cream, milk shakes, cakes, mousse etc. Black sapote trees are sensitive to drought and fruit best with regular rainfall or deep watering. It is a sub-tropical/tropical tree that grows at altitudes up to 2000m in the tropics, favouring moist conditions and can even tolerate sporadic flooding. The alternate leaves are simple, glossy dark green, leathery and elliptic-oblong, 10-25cm long. They need protection from strong winds. They need protection from strong winds. The fruit can be eaten by spooning out the flesh; a sprinkle of lemon juice may improve flavour. Over-fertilizing is contraindicated for yield. Young trees need regular rainfall or supplemental watering to establish. Grafting and budding is preferred, usually onto seedling rootstocks. Black sapote can be a large tree if not managed, but can produce copious quantities of fruit. It is sensitive to drought. It is a sub-tropical/tropical tree that grows at altitudes up to 2000m in the tropics, favouring moist conditions and can even tolerate sporadic flooding. Named cultivars are commonly female, and the presence of male or monoecious types is usually required for good pollination and fruit set, with insects being the main vectors. Ebenaceae Family. It can be picked at this stage and will ripen in 7-14 days (often miraculously overnight) at room temperature, the skin turning to a dull olive-green and the fruit becoming very soft. Related to persimmons, mabolo. There are only a few named cultivars, including Tahiti, Bernecker (seedless), Mossman, Maher, Reineke and Manilla. The most common use is to flavour ice-cream, milk shakes, cakes, mousse etc. Seedling trees may take 4-6 years to fruit, and harvesting is usually autumn-late winter. Self-incompatibility has been reported for some isolated trees; others may produce only male flowers. Less commonly it is structurally but not functionally hermaphroditic with rudimentary staminodes and pistillodes, & less frequently monoecious or polygamous (leaky dioecy). When young, small and frequent applications of NPK rather than infrequent larger amounts can be given to hasten growth. It has a rounded crown, black bark, and glossy, dark green leaves. The fruit is an oblate climacteric berry, 5-10cm wide, with a prominent undulate green calyx, occurring singly or in clusters. Flowering and Pollination: Black sapote is usually andromonecious, ie it has both male and hermaphrodite flowers on the same tree. Mature but not ripe fruit should be cut rather than pulled from the tree. Native to the lowlands of Central America and Mexico. It’s a stately tree with large foliage and can reach 20 m in height. When young, formative pruning should be undertaken to develop a spreading canopy permitting light penetration throughout the tree. They are white and tubular-lobed with a persistent 4-lobed green calyx and an ovary with 8-12 carpels. It is also known as chocolate pudding fruit, chocolate persimmon, and zapote prieto. Seedlings grow slowly at first, they do not come true to type and may take 4-5 years to begin fruiting. Black Sapote - Superb (Grafted) 9/10 Edward3's Edible Fruits Update: 295 days 7hrs. The Black Sapote fruits grow on lovely trees with long, glossy dark green leaves. Skin is a shiny bright green colour. Scale insects may need to be dealt with but trees are generally free of problems. Black sapote or Diospyros digyna is a tropical fruit tree native to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and Colombia. It can be picked at this stage and will ripen in 7-14 days (often miraculously overnight) at room temperature, the skin turning to a dull olive-green and the fruit becoming very soft. If your tree is flowering but not setting fruit try growing another with it.” In Florida, usually a medium sized tree. Black sapote is usually dioecious, meaning that some trees produce only male flowers and no fruit and other trees produce female or bisexual flowers and fruit. When young, formative pruning should be undertaken to develop a spreading canopy permitting light penetration throughout the tree. Males usually have many stamens (4-20) and a much reduced non-functional ovary, whereas in females the superior ovary is well developed with 8-12 carpels and stamens are reduced to a few (4-8) staminodes. Seedling trees may take 4-6 years to fruit. Black Sapote is a wonderful tropical tree famous for its fruits that look like bright-green tomatoes, but taste like chocolate. The fruits are bright green at first and not edible at this stage. A ripe, jumbo and seedless fruit from a seedling tree in Palm Bay, Florida, compared with three common Black Sapote fruits from three different trees. Young plants need regular watering but mature trees are often more self-sufficient unless there is a prolonged dry period. Visually, its general attraction as a fruit crop is handicapped by a non-flashy skin colour and the unusual dark brown flesh. The axillary flowers are normally solitary if hermaphrodite and in clusters of 3-7 if male. This is an undemanding species. The alternate leaves are simple, glossy dark green, leathery and elliptic-oblong, 10-25cm long. Mulch is beneficial. Size containment will probably be necessary when older. Pulp or whole fruits can be frozen. It is not demanding in fertilizer requirements. There are only a few named cultivars, including Tahiti, Bernecker (seedless), Mossman, Maher, Reineke and Manilla. That definitely sounds like a pollination issue. Black sapote is usually dioecious. Inflorescences are axillary cymes, and males typically have more flowers (3-6) than females (1-2). Isolated trees of some varities can be seedless. Medium (25 to 30 ft; 7.6 to 9.1 m) to large trees (30 to 80 ft; 9.1 to 24.4 m) with an oblong canopy. A handsome, slow-growing, perennial evergreen tree with a broad canopy, 6-9m tall, but can be much larger in favoured environments. Maintenance at a size convenient for harvesting and spraying also assists. Do not try to tree-ripen fruit as they are soft and will self-destruct if allowed to drop. Mature trees can withstand light frosts but young plants need protection. Black Sapote apparently can have female flowers, male flowers, and hermaphroditic flowers. This is an undemanding species. The fruit can be eaten by spooning out the flesh; a sprinkle of lemon juice may improve flavour. It is sensitive to drought. Scale insects may need to be dealt with but trees are generally free of problems. Size containment will probably be necessary when older. With cross pollination most of those same varieties have a small central seed cavity. They should be planted in full sun for best fruit production. It is evergreen that can grow up to 25 m in height with trunk diameter of up to 45 cm.