Common name: White Sapote or White Zapote
Scientific name: Casimiroa edulis
Botanical family:Rutaceae
Evergreen tree native to Mexico and Central America that can reach between 10 and 15 meters in height in a tropical climate. It can be grown in tropical and subtropical climates, being able to develop in the same climatic range as the avocado. It can tolerate frost down to -4º C. In Mediterranean regions, flowering occurs in late winter or early spring and the fruits are harvested in mid-summer.
It is an undemanding tree; resists punctual droughts; however, during the time of definition and development of the fruits, regular watering must be done to obtain good harvests. It can live in a wide variety of soils, although it does not tolerate salinity, waterlogging and excess moisture.
The white sapote wood is white and compact, very suitable for the manufacture of furniture and decorative objects.
The leaves have a long petiole, are compound and palmate, formed by 3 to 5 elongated and oval leaflets. The flowers are small and yellowish-green in color and are grouped in panicles. Cross-pollination by bees is essential for proper fruit set.
The fruits are rounded, with a diameter of between 6 and 12 centimeters, thin skin green in color, changing to yellow as they mature, at which point the pulp becomes soft, ready to eat. The pulp is sweet, buttery, light yellow in color, with a characteristic and unique flavor. It has 2 to 5 large seeds.
It is rich in vitamins A and C, sugars and proteins.
Excellent natural, it is recommended to consume it chilled and cut into halves, by spoonfuls. Avoid removing the part of the pulp adhered to the outside of the fruit, which can have an aromatic citrus peel flavor. Also excellent for the preparation of jellies, compotes, ice creams, smoothies and juices.
White sapote is an exotic fruit and very difficult to find in European markets.
The main pest is the fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata). It spoils the fruit it stings, causing uneven ripening. Ceratitis has been a very limiting factor in the expansion of this crop in the Spanish subtropics.