Author Topic: White Sapote for South Florida?  (Read 2808 times)

johnb51

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White Sapote for South Florida?
« on: January 16, 2022, 05:11:45 PM »
Does anyone have opinions/experience regarding white sapote in South Florida?  What would be the best variety to plant?  Where to get it?  Pine Island Nursery? Lara?

(Regarding my guerrilla tree-planting scheme in my "no-fruit-trees" senior community, I found a good spot to plant a sapodilla tree where it should go unnoticed until it's "too late," meaning already bearing fruit. The lady who lives in the nearest house is from Jamaica, and she said, "Be my guest." I decided on Alano since it's also a beautiful tree.  I'll be replacing a flowering tree that's almost dead.)
« Last Edit: January 17, 2022, 09:11:22 AM by johnb51 »
John

CarolinaZone

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2022, 05:46:12 PM »
Which one? Well, I can tell you it seems like there aren't that many places that seem to keep them in stock based on my travels. If you're dead set on it I would say get any one then graft on later. I have only ever tasted the one that was supposed to be a Suebelle. It's the one that is outside of Clausen's Nursery in Vista California. It was delicious. No bitter aftertaste that I heard that they could have. I ate it skin and all . Not the seed though ;D I;m a savage but not that much of a savage. 8)

achetadomestica

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2022, 06:28:25 PM »
I fruited Supersweet and Youghan's gold last year. The Youghan's
only had around 5 for the first time. I liked the Youghan's better
but want to wait and see a couple more years. My youghan's snapped
a big branch and I cut it back to almost a stump. I assumed it would
skip a year but it's growing back fast now. I am still waiting on my
Suebelle to fruit
The first year the Supersweet fruited it tasted like white icing. Last year it was
different? Not as sweet? Hopefully this year they all three will fruit? But I would
say the Youghan's is the best and also the darkest green leaves and seems to
be the happiest in Florida sun

johnb51

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2022, 07:04:22 PM »
But I would say the Youghan's is the best and also the darkest green leaves and seems to be the happiest in Florida sun
Thanks. That helps.  Do you know where to get one?  I see that PIN lists it on their website so I'll give them a call.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2022, 07:07:30 PM by johnb51 »
John

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2022, 08:30:23 PM »
I got a Redlands from PIN couple years back.
Fruit tasted good, but not much complex flavor? Just sweet like the others I have tried. I think the tree needs to fruit more before I can say my opinion on it.

Jupiter Farmer

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2022, 09:58:25 PM »
Planted a Denzler
 white sapote a few months which seems to be growing quickly.  It was the only variety of white sapote I could find in stock in Palm Beach County.  Picked it up from Jack and the Beanstalk Nursery in West Palm. 
« Last Edit: January 19, 2022, 07:27:55 PM by Jupiter Farmer »

skhan

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2022, 08:58:11 AM »
Laras grafts them but it doesn't seem like many people have much success with them in the tricounty area.
Or maybe the varieties that grow here aren't as good enough to make it worth while

johnb51

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2022, 09:07:25 AM »
Laras grafts them but it doesn't seem like many people have much success with them in the tricounty area.
Or maybe the varieties that grow here aren't as good enough to make it worth while
Those are my concerns.  It's an awesome fruit in SoCal, where everyone should have one.  But here?
John

dm

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2022, 10:29:03 AM »
Fruit and Spice Park in near Redlands/Homestead has several varieties.  I missed this last season, so I don't know how well they fruit, but I managed to try 2 small ones on the ground.  Nice flavor and sweet, so I will keep my eye on them next season before I decide to plant.

johnb51

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2022, 01:02:22 PM »
There was this discussion from 2015.
https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=15889.0
John

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2022, 01:07:51 PM »
The Fruit and Spice has a Smathers that I thought was pretty fkn good. And it was a nice size too.

Bush2Beach

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #11 on: January 17, 2022, 01:30:59 PM »
“Smathers” is Casimiroa Tetrameria “Wooly” , not Casimiroa Edulis.

The Fruit and Spice has a Smathers that I thought was pretty fkn good. And it was a nice size too.

Bush2Beach

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2022, 01:32:16 PM »
I have “Denzler” growing and fruiting well. I wonder which one of us has the typo. I haven’t seen anyone else growing it yet.

Planted a Denzel white sapote a few months which seems to be growing quickly.  It was the only variety of white sapote I could find in stock in Palm Beach County.  Picked it up from Jack and the Beanstalk Nursery in West Palm.

CarolinaZone

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #13 on: January 17, 2022, 05:08:25 PM »
Well, johnb51. I think the forum has spoken. They are all good. ;D I am looking for another Suebelle and a supersweet to add to my collection. My supposed USDA and SES 2 just started flowering last summer. I had a chance to get a smathers but now I want one. Superweet is the priority though.

sc4001992

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #14 on: January 17, 2022, 11:47:27 PM »
Carolinazone, I just cut some of my Supersweet branches today, if you want to buy some I can sell it for $4 each plus $9 shipping.
Also have the Younghan's Gold and Bonita Springs. Send me a PM if you're interested in the cuttings this week.

johnb51

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #15 on: January 18, 2022, 08:39:11 AM »
Carolinazone, I just cut some of my Supersweet branches today, if you want to buy some I can sell it for $4 each plus $9 shipping.
Also have the Younghan's Gold and Bonita Springs. Send me a PM if you're interested in the cuttings this week.
How do you like Younghan's Gold?  I'm thinking I should go with that one.
John

CarolinaZone

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #16 on: January 18, 2022, 12:19:34 PM »
Carolinazone, I just cut some of my Supersweet branches today, if you want to buy some I can sell it for $4 each plus $9 shipping.
Also have the Younghan's Gold and Bonita Springs. Send me a PM if you're interested in the cuttings this week.
How do you like Younghan's Gold?  I'm thinking I should go with that one.
I am curious too. I have had conflicting information about Younghan's vs Young Hands, vs Younghan's Gold. Some say they are the same some say they are different.  Just to confirm what do you think about grafting in low temps? All my stuff is in the unheated greenhouse and I running about 33 degrees F average.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2022, 06:57:01 PM by CarolinaZone »

sc4001992

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #17 on: January 18, 2022, 12:26:40 PM »
My grafted branches have only had small fruits so I couldn't tell you yet. I do notice that the branches flowers/fruits well. Fruit seems to be smaller size than some of the other varieties I have grafted on my tree. Cuccio fruits are large and taste good. McDill is also very good tasting but fruit is not as large as Cuccio. My Suebelle fruit is small and taste was just ok, but now I have grafts from a large old tree which has many good size fruits and the tree owner says it tastes very good. This season I should be able to do some taste comparison since most of my different varieties (28) have small fruits now. Got my Younghan's Gold scions from Mike (FL).

sc4001992

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #18 on: January 18, 2022, 12:34:02 PM »
CarolinaZone, my grafted branches are the real Younghan's Gold, got it from FL (Mike). He mentioned he tasted Supersweet and Younghan's Gold and said he liked the Younghan's Gold better. I don't know of any other variety with a name similar such as Young Hand. I would not graft until your temperature is above 60F during the day since the graft won't do much until it is warmer.

johnb51

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #19 on: January 20, 2022, 09:11:00 AM »
Baby Alano sapodilla, Deerfield Beach, Florida.  (You're looking at the backs of houses so we have a great deal of common space.  Permaculture and a food forest in the future.  Most likely after I've gone to the Great Beyond!)

Hopefully white sapote joins it soon!
« Last Edit: January 20, 2022, 10:47:53 AM by johnb51 »
John

johnb51

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #20 on: January 31, 2022, 11:29:47 PM »
NEWS FLASH:  I was just listening to the Q&A with Julian Lara from Jan. 20 on Fruitful Trees YouTube channel, and he raved about a white sapote called Campbell (named for Carl Campbell), which he said he'll be propagating this year.  (He also said he'll be propagating Butterscotch sapodilla--for those who were interested in that variety of sapodilla.  I hope he won't be charging an arm and a leg, but you never know.)
« Last Edit: January 31, 2022, 11:57:08 PM by johnb51 »
John

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #21 on: February 01, 2022, 07:03:05 AM »
NEWS FLASH:  I was just listening to the Q&A with Julian Lara from Jan. 20 on Fruitful Trees YouTube channel, and he raved about a white sapote called Campbell (named for Carl Campbell), which he said he'll be propagating this year.  (He also said he'll be propagating Butterscotch sapodilla--for those who were interested in that variety of sapodilla.  I hope he won't be charging an arm and a leg, but you never know.)

Ive been growing a 1g Campbell from I purchased from Lara last summer and its growing fast. My sue bell I bought as a 3g cant keep up with it.

johnb51

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #22 on: February 01, 2022, 10:02:14 AM »
Ive been growing a 1g Campbell from I purchased from Lara last summer and its growing fast. My sue bell I bought as a 3g cant keep up with it.
Very nice.  Thanks.
John

CarolinaZone

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #23 on: February 02, 2022, 07:01:54 PM »
NEWS FLASH:  I was just listening to the Q&A with Julian Lara from Jan. 20 on Fruitful Trees YouTube channel, and he raved about a white sapote called Campbell (named for Carl Campbell), which he said he'll be propagating this year.  (He also said he'll be propagating Butterscotch sapodilla--for those who were interested in that variety of sapodilla.  I hope he won't be charging an arm and a leg, but you never know.)

Ive been growing a 1g Campbell from I purchased from Lara last summer and its growing fast. My sue bell I bought as a 3g cant keep up with it.
I'm a little jelly. What time were you there? I'm planning on doing a caimito run in about a month.

sc4001992

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Re: White Sapote for South Florida?
« Reply #24 on: October 30, 2022, 11:42:40 AM »
Ok, now that I had more than a few ripe fruits on my Supersweet and Younghan's Gold grafts, I can give you some feedback on taste.  Younghan's Gold is the one you want, it tastes good, fruit is medium size, much better than Supersweet. So far, this year is the first time I had fruits from Supersweet and there were many on my grafts but I did not like the taste of this fruit.

I would say of the fruits I tasted so far, these are the ones I like and will keep on my trees:
1. McDill
2. Cuccio
3. Younghan's Gold
4. Yellow Sapote

I have one Walton fruit now, it should be ready to eat in another month so I should be able to comment on my first fruit.