My Edible Fruit Trees: Black Sapote Trees

Black Sapote - Superb (Grafted) ^7/10

Comments: -

Needed a second black sapote to aid in pollination. The specimen from Daley's looked rather weak and spindly and is extremely slow growing in part shade. However, first fruit (just one) in 2013 was delicious, so this variety definitely passes the taste test.Have now bought a second plant from Daley's as I am convinced it's needed for cross pollination for the large seedling tree. But the grafted trees are growing extremely slowly. One of the grafted trees suddenly dropped its leaves and died. Somewhat puzzling, but, growing close to the large seedling black sapote, it might not have been able to compete for water.

Bought one more grafted tree in 2018 and planted in a different location where it won't have to compete with other trees. This time it is growing well. However, 5 years later still not getting any fruit. Flowers drop off.

Fruiting Months December

Planted: 2010

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control: Need to protect leaves from being eaten by possums when tree is young.

Black Sapote

Black Sapote

Black Sapote - Superb (Grafted)

Comments: -

Plant arrived in May 2020 in great condition with soil still damp. Will plant this into a pot after 1-2 weeks outside and provide updates. 

We will see how it copes with winter in Toowoomba - may have to bring it inside on cool nights.

Spring 2020: After bringing inside every night in winter is now putting on new growth.

Feb 2021: Flowered for the first time.

September 2021: Now in 45L planter bag. Survived Toowoomba winter outside - looking slightly worse for wear, but beginning flush of new growth.

Planted: 2020

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Beneficial - Colossal

Black Sapote - Colossal (Grafted)

Comments: -

Plant arrived in in Feb 2020 in great condition with soil still damp. Will plant this into a pot after 1-2 weeks outside and provide updates.

May 2020 - has put on no new growth since purchase thus far. We will see how it copes with winter in Toowoomba - may have to bring it inside on cool nights. 

Jan-Feb 2021 - Flowering (no fruit set)

September 2021 - Has now branched. Now in 45L planter bag. Survived 1x Toowoomba winter outside - looks mildly unhappy, but has new leaf shoots currently.

Planted: 2020

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Beneficial - Superb variety

Black Sapote (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: - just bought it, can't wait to see how it does

Planted: 2021

Pollination: No

Black Sapote - Bernicker (Grafted)

Height 1 metres

Black Sapote - Mossman (Grafted)

Planted: 2021

Height 1 metres

Black Sapote (Seedling) ^7/10

Comments: -

tried growing grafted types but had no success.  This seedling tree is tough and has produced it's first 5 fruits this year 2008 (took 11 yrs).                 1st Photo taken 2009.

Fruiting Months June

Planted: 1997

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2008 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Summer

Pollination: No

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control:

so far, pest free

Organic Status:Organic

Comments

You are lucky because my seedling black sapote (5m tall) gets plenty of flowers but they all drop off. Seems they are self-infertile.

Black Sapote ^5/10

Planted: 2020

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

First Fruited: 6 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Question:

What type of fertilizer does the Chocolate Tree require, i do know from experience that my soil is nearly totally devoid of Phosperous..

Black Sapote

Planted: 2019

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Black Sapote - Tahiti (Grafted)

Planted: 2020

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Shade

Water Given in: Winter

Black Sapote - Maher (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: -

UPDATE MAY 2020: can confirm flowers have continued and we have around 7-8 fruit in various sizes forming. I keep applying pea straw to the base - does not get a lot of supplemental water now as we have had some good rain. Hoping it survives Winter in the ground and I get to harvest the fruit.   Think the key has been more along the lines of making sure it gets enough water, rather than protecting from cold. The winds here can be quite drying, even when icy.

UPDATE DECEMBER 2019: has now had two Winters in Melbourne, survived, continued to grow, continued to flower and we have one fruit forming on it. I keep it well mulched with pea straw, lucerne, coffee grounds and compost. Was in pot up until recently. First Winter was moved inside to protect from cold, second Winter was left outside - survived freezing temperatures (think layer of mulch helped a lot) and had good water, now in ground in full sun and growing well. Is next to a Bernicker variety. Fingers crossed it keeps growing well; the fruit are hard to find in Victoria and I really like them; this is a novel plant that a lot of people are interested in to see how it grows.

INITAL JUNE 2018: Can never find the fruit this far south and always wanted to try one. Again, will need to have absolutely everything on my side for this but I don't mind a challenge.

Planted: 2018

Height 1.2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: compost, manure, pea straw, lucerne,

When I Fertilise: Winter and Spring

Pest Control: Does not seem to have any pests yet, so nothing has been required. 

Organic Status:Organic

Black Sapote Geffner (Cutting) ^8/10

Planted: 2019

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Composted cow manure

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting, Yearly, Spring

Pest Control: Bat

Organic Status:Organic

Black Sapote - Bernicker (Grafted)

Comments: - love chocolate pudding fruit. This grafted one has already set two fruit, hoping they get to size! Loves heaps of water

Planted: 2019

Growing: In a Pot

Black Sapote - Bernicker (Grafted)

Comments: -

Has flowered but not yet fruited (in Sydney) and will need another year or so before fruit.  I have it with a Ricks Late for cross-pollination. We sometimes get a bit of light frost and it does not like that but will endure it.  It's in a pot for now but will need to be planted out eventually.

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control:

None needed

Black Sapote (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: - Great looking tree that has finally after 20 years begun to give fruit and wow what a great taste, all my friends and family love the taste too

Fruiting Months January, November, December

Planted: 2010

Height 5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 15 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Black Sapote

Black Sapote - Mossman

Comments: - Plant has been moved 3 times and not photogenic after all that, yet. It's handled all that fine though, surprisingly.

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Balanced Acid lovers (summer) alternating with slow release organic chook manure pellets (in winter)

Black Sapote

Qty: 3

Pollination: Self Pollination

Black Sapote - Chocolate (Grafted) ^6/10

Comments: - Espaliered. Takes a few years of growth before trunk is thick enough for tree to hold fruit. Only one fruit last summer at 4y mark. I see both male and female flowers, female come out later (early november when I spotted this). Rainforest tree, roots do spread in yard in cool/wet/mulched spots so I would be careful to not plant too close to a structure as not sure if roots would expand and damage. Must trim regularly in summer to keep it small. Was told grafted versions grew shorter and less aggressively than seedlings. Hope I get more fruit this year, a pretty waxy leaved plant.

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

First Fruited: 4 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn and Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Organic Status:Certified

Black Sapote

Black Sapote (Seedling)

Comments: -

Update:09-Dec-2011: Growing slowly but surely.

Never tasted this chocolate pudding fruit either and i hear its the best. Love the glossy leaves.

I know that this seedling will form into a huge tree if not pruned. I intend to keep it small with regular pruning.

Height 0.75 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Question: When will this seedling produce fruit?

Black Sapote - Chocolate ^5/10

Height 5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 4

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Black Sapote - Ricks Late (Grafted) ^6/10

Planted: 127

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: No

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting, Yearly, Winter, Spring

Organic Status:Organic

Black Sapote - Maher

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Black Sapote ^8/10

Comments: - Chocolate Fruit.  Child doesn't like fruit but likes chocolate

Black Sapote - Maher (Cutting) ^10/10

Comments: - This is the start of my tropical plant growing. The picture shows my 1st, and cheapest  greenhouse - an old fridge with the sides jigsawed out, and replaced with piecess of perspex and glass that I had lying around. At the moment it is a temporary home for black sapotes, coffees, blueberries, dragon fruit, and a pepino - with more on the way. When it gets a little too hot - the thermometer inside shows >=35oC, I crackopen the top door. It is kept warm - around 24oC O/N, even on below zero, frosty nights here in Clare, with a 70W incandescent glope, old quit and a tarp if it is raining. Next GH will be a shuttle with a clear polycarb top, before progressing to a poly tunnel, and finally, a twin walled polycarbonate GH with summer cooling and winter heating.

Planted: 2017

Height 90 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Organic Status:Organic

Black Sapote (Seedling) ^8/10

Comments: -

Has flowered profusely for several years, but not much fruit set. Hence I planted a second variety of black sapote more recently and this seems to have helped with fruit set. In 2014 the tree had many flowers but the second variety had no flowers (still small tree), and again there was no fruit set, So it does seem that cross pollination is essential for the seedling tree.

Fruiting Months December

Planted: 2007

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 5 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2013 Years from purchase in pot

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: superb

Black Sapote - Seedling (Seedling) ^7/10

Comments: - Looking forward to trying the fruit.

Planted: 2017

Height 51 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Low Sun

Pollination: No