My Sapodilla Story…
When I first decided to fill my yard with fruit trees, I had no idea what to choose. There were the obvious ones - mango, avocado, and citrus (bleh). But I wanted something more unique… a fruit that you couldn’t find in the grocery store. And preferably, easy to grow.
I went to my local nursery in search of a tree. I didn’t exactly know what to ask for, but the staff was happy to show me around anyway. My tour guide made a suggestion:
“Have you heard of Sapodilla?”
I had not. And quite honestly, the name didn’t sound all that appealing.
But, I was enamored by the lush tropical fruit vibes and my guide’s expertise, so I answered: “Sounds great – give me one!”
My first sapodilla tree - bought as a little 3 gallon. Planted in early 2018.
I brought my new tree (more like “twig in a pot”– that thing was tiny!) home, quickly planting it in a prime location in the front yard. At first, it was like watching paint dry. But, over a few seasons I watched it slowly and steadily grow. It didn’t seem to need a lot of care, or be bothered by much. Spring drought, intense Summer heat, tropical storm winds– my Sapodilla tree shrugged them all off. The tree seemed bulletproof, and I was impressed.
About halfway through the second year, my baby tree had grown enough to start fruiting! I was delighted to see the dainty little flowers, followed by tiny fruits. After what seemed like forever, they turned ripe. I finally got to try Sapodilla fruit for the first time.
I remember all I could say at first was: “Wow… that’s really good.”
Imagine the essence of brown sugar… rendered into a soft, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth fruit. There’s a hint of aroma that points toward malt or molasses. After taking the first bite, you’re already regretting your decision to share. It’s really that good.
Some compare Sapodilla fruit’s texture to a pear, which makes sense, but I’ll take it further:
It’s like the best tree-ripened pear you’ve ever had, marinated in brown sugar syrup and tenderized to perfection. A true dessert fruit, without the downsides: Sapodilla comes packed with vitamins, minerals, and a long list of health benefits.
Since that first taste, and the delight of watching my tiny tree grow to fruition, I’ve been passionate to share Sapodilla fruit with everyone who’ll try it. I’ve yet to meet a single person who hasn’t loved this fruit!
Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) is a totally underrated fruit tree, worthy of planting in your yard.
This year our Sapodilla crop is quite abundant, and recipe ideas are in the works. We’re thinking Sapodilla flan, Sapodilla turnovers, and Sapodilla butter. I also have a wild dream of stirring Sapodilla syrup into my morning coffee… Stay tuned for the results!!
In the meantime, we have plenty of beautiful grafted Sapodilla trees to share with you!
https://ftmbuc-21.myshopify.com/collections/sapodilla