Author Topic: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?  (Read 11965 times)

NewGen

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White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« on: February 02, 2012, 03:26:23 PM »
Tried the fruit for the 1st time today. I like it, a lot.  ;D There's one seed in the fruit. If I can find a tree cheaply, I'll go that route. In the mean time, I'll try to germinate it. Anybody growing and fruiting white sapote?

FlyingFoxFruits

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2012, 03:29:13 PM »
about 3-6yrs depending...not quite certain though...just based on observations here in Central FL for last 6yrs.

Lovely fruit when a nice variety, and the worst when you get a bad one!

Same with pawpaw I hear!

Lots of fruits I guess are this way. :)
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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2012, 03:41:49 PM »
I'm growing Sue Bell. Younghan's Gold and Redlands.  Not having all that much luck fruiting them.  The Redlands is a large tree and has somewhat of a story behind it.  I have posted about this tree on both Garden Web and the Yahoo Group without too much success in getting an answer to my issues with the fruiting of the tree.  Let me search those posts up and I'll try to post them here.  You might get some insights into growing these things.  I know there is a Garden Web regular poster named Stanofh who always posted about his white sapotes.  I have never corresponded directly with him.  If anyone else has, they might consider extending him an invite to come on over to this forum.

Harry
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NewGen

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2012, 05:41:12 PM »
Is it OK/safe to eat the skin as well? On my ripe fruit, the skin is so thin, so I didn't bother peeling it off, it's as thin as grape skin.

Tim

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2012, 05:43:13 PM »
I don't know if it's safe but sure as heck bitter
Tim

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2012, 06:02:41 PM »
I have a small grafted one called "Homestead".  According to my friend that gave me the tree, Homestead is an old variety.  The fruit is big and has an excellent flavor. 

Ethan

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2012, 11:59:02 PM »
I have about 15-20? grafted varieties including some C. tetrameria selections, hopefully by the end of summer I'll be able to add another 10ish.  If you buy a mature tree, we can add more varieties to it, if you dont mind the wait you can come over and graft up a seedling.

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2012, 12:07:08 AM »
Hi Ethan

I have a Suebelle that has not flower this year and last year it did not set any fruits. The tree is super healthy it is now over 12 feet but for some reason it has not flower. Do you have any suggestions?


JF
« Last Edit: February 03, 2012, 12:15:54 AM by JF »

Ethan

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2012, 11:24:38 AM »
These might be dumb questions,
do you fertilize?  sprinkler watered or deep soak? full sun?

I treat mine like my citrus using organic granules and soaking about once a week, tons of sun.  My Vernon is covered in bloom spikes and many of my 'new' grafts on it are pushing blooms too.

-Ethan

NewGen

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2012, 11:41:13 AM »
I just "discovered" that I already have a white sapote planted in the ground. I thought it was another variety, but looking at my records, it was a white sapote from Home Depot. However, they're known to mislabel plants. Can you guys tell from these photos if it's a "white" sapote?

Ethan: does this tree look like it's ready for some grafts?



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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2012, 11:53:51 AM »
its a Casimiroa edulis, but is it grafted?

 ;)
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NewGen

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2012, 12:24:16 PM »
its a Casimiroa edulis, but is it grafted?

 ;)

It came like this in Sep 2009


I just went out and took a look at the trunk, and can't see any graft mark. See 2nd photo above.

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2012, 02:01:26 PM »
Nice discovery!  The answers to your questions, yes and yes though on the grafting we should probably wait another month or so.

My guess is it is grafted and usually the only grafted ones you find are Suebelle and rarely McDill.  It is really hard to tell but just below the start of the canopy, there is a mark on the bark (mostly covered by bamboo stake) that might be a cleft/wedge?

-Ethan

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #13 on: February 03, 2012, 02:20:55 PM »
about 3-6yrs depending...not quite certain though...just based on observations here in Central FL for last 6yrs.

A seedling fruiting after 3-6 years? Is think this is very very optimistic, or am I wrong? But I know grafted trees produce very early. I have seen trees flowering and fruiting a few month after grafted.

Ethan, which cultivars do you have? So far, which one tastes the best?

I have some very old trees, which I do not know if were grafted. The I have one which I think is Pike and a Mc Dill. This is the fist one last November:








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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #14 on: February 03, 2012, 04:32:01 PM »
Ya,

3 yrs is a little fast, looks like all other sources say around 6-8yrs.

So 6 at earliest.

Thanks Felipe!  My estimation skills are declining, thanks for noticing :P :) ;)
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JF

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #15 on: February 03, 2012, 11:31:20 PM »
These might be dumb questions,
do you fertilize?  sprinkler watered or deep soak? full sun?

I treat mine like my citrus using organic granules and soaking about once a week, tons of sun.  My Vernon is covered in bloom spikes and many of my 'new' grafts on it are pushing blooms too.

-Ethan


I will switch to organic granule and water often.
Thanks Ethan

JF

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #16 on: February 04, 2012, 05:03:40 AM »
JF, I would think it could be a nutrient issue, but as far as I know WS does not need/like too much water...

BTW, what is the difference between organic and non-organic granules? Marketing?

siafu

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2012, 08:01:02 AM »

Hi,

Are there White Sapote varieties that are reluctant to bloom, until the tree reaches a certain size?
I'm becoming really impatient with an unidentified air-layer that I have...

I also have a Pike that blooms and fruits readily, and started doing still very small.

I do not enjoy Pike white sapotes that much. For me, it lacks character.
I would like to try other varieties, maybe one of those with lemony overtones, to decide if I like white sapotes
or not.

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2012, 08:45:27 AM »
Sergio, WS can be airlayered??

As far as I know, in the spanish mainland you can find Vernon, Dade, Mc Dill and Wooly (C. tetrameria). I not sure if those cultivars are the best taste wise.

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2012, 11:28:17 AM »
Yes, I think so, but I've never tried it myself.

When I got this white sapote, it did look like an air-layer, with twisted branches, as one
would expect from an air-layer taken from the sides of an adult tree.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2012, 11:39:04 AM by siafu »
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Ethan

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #20 on: February 04, 2012, 03:06:19 PM »
Lemon Gold, Edgehill, Chestnut, Rainbow, Leroy, Michele, Walton, Nies, Cate, McDill, Malibu #1, Malibu #3, Snyder, Selck, Roa, Vernon, Reinke Comm, Salad plus C. tet. #6&#7.

Hopefully I'll be trying to regraft or just add Bravo, Ortega, Cuccio, Nettie, Suebelle, Redlands, Younghans, Homestead, Bonita Springs, Golden Globe, Clytia, Chris plus some others I cant think of now.  I also want to get C. tet. Ed's white.

As for taste, most of the grafts are only a year or two old some have a reputation for being excellent others have a reputation for being good rootstock. :o  My main tree is a Vernon which produces nice fruit.  I've also tasted McDill which produces giant fruits that are so sweet they almost crunch w/sugar.  Suebelle has a nice tropical flavor, plus I've had seedlings, a few were bitter, one from Exotica nursery was very nice.

-Ethan

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #21 on: February 04, 2012, 03:23:40 PM »
Local variety near me in orlando called, skipper...
the tree is exceptionally productive and delicious.
Well suited to climates like Central FL, humid, hot, low elevation.

Skipper's the name. :)
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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #22 on: February 04, 2012, 04:06:36 PM »
I've never fruited one from seed, but according to my notes, from Al Will's Subtropical Fruit Class.......fruit to seed time is highly variable.  The times quoted run from 3 to 12 years. From what I have seen, I would expect something closer to the 12 than it would be to the 3. Unless you are a lot luckier than I am.

Harry
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Ethan

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #23 on: February 05, 2012, 12:19:24 AM »
Now Adam,
if you knew of a Marianne or Ginger tree, I'd be all over it but a Skipper tree w/out Gilligan tree just ain't right.

Felipe, the 'organic' granules are made from bone, blood, feather, alfalfa, etc. meal that is formed into granules for easy distribution.

http://www.lillymiller.com/fertilizers.html

-Ethan

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Re: White sapote: how long to get fruit from seed?
« Reply #24 on: February 05, 2012, 05:42:22 AM »
I have a vernon from excalibur -grafted-6 yrs in the ground partially shaded that has never flowered and is about 12 feet tall. Also a suebell 4 yrs old with similar history that flowered last year- no fruit - which is flowering again this year-about 6 feet tall. Also have 3 seedlings about 4-5 yrs old that have never flowered and are about 8-10 feet tall.They are all well cared for .