The Tropical Fruit Forum

I got lucky with my single allspice tree and it produces fruit, although I have heard that they can be dioecious.

I have found the seedlings to be very slow growing during the first year and then take off.

My tree handles pruning well so I think it had good potential as a hedge.

Do you have photos of the flowers?

TFH is correct. The late William "Bill" Whitman of Bal Harbour (think North Miami Beach) had several fruiting trees outdoor, in the ground. His location between the Atlantic ocean and Biscayne Bay had a moderation effect on temperatures when compared to the mainland. It took 17 years to get the first fruit. Three trees grafted from Mr. Whitman's trees , further supported with nurse grafts, produced fruit somewhat quicker (guessing maybe 10 years?) in the Whitman Rare Fruit Pavillion at Fairchild Gardens, which had a 17 foot soil base of acidic sand. Ultimately 2 of the original trees, and numerous other rare fruit trees, were destroyed to make room for...and aroid garden. The current woman who has a fruiting tree has it growing in a large pot with potting soil. Her tree is growing outside, protected from the north winds, also took 17 years before it first fruited.

Bottom line....it can be fruited in South Florida if one is patient, and can provide a slightly acidic soil. As TFH also said, a greenhouse would be very helpful to lessen the time to first fruiting.

In contrast, I planted a 6-foot tall mangosteen in the ground, including amendments to lower the natural 8.2 pH soil of western Dade County, and it was dead within 6 months! 🙁

Fruit guy, how many crops do you get out of your tree and what time(s) of the year?

Honest Abe,

There is usually some fruit on the trees most of the year. The largest crops occur starting in Spring (the trees are loaded with flowers now) and are fairly continuously flowering or fruiting (or both) until the Fall. I have 3 trees, all about 20 years old.

During the warmer months of the year, I have noted that something (fruit fly, wasp?) punctures the skin and there may be larvae inside. Easy to spot the brown/black puncture spots on the yellow/orange skin. Fruit still tastes good.

The taste of green sapote is quite similar to mamey sapote - both are delicious IMHO. The green sapote has smaller fruit and can easily be eaten in a single sitting compared to a Magaņa type mamey sapote which is more of a challenge. It is visually easier to determine when the green sapote fruit is ripe as the skin color changes from green to orange as it ripens, so you do not have to scratch the skin as one does with a mamey sapote.

First 2 panicles this year....

Healthy looking plant 

Lots of excellent suggestions on this thread. I would throw in any of the Physalis ssp. fruits (poha berry, ground cherry, winter cherry, etc.).

What a great event! I wish we had something like this in Florida.

I have a few available.

I have used black sapote in place of pumpkin in a cheesecake. It had a beautiful  chocolate  colored appearance and tasted like cheesecake.

There are few things as frustrating as going out to check on you planted seeds and finding them chews or removed. I built some frames with spare material to protect them. The other night I planted a tray and failed to protect them and every single one was gone in the morning. One night was all it took and the local mice had a feast. These are the frames I built.