Sapota
Manilkara zapota commonly known as sapodilla sapota.
is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico and Central America. It can grow to 30-40 feet tall, producing a dense, spreading crown. The tree features glossy, dark green leaves and small,unnoticeable flowers.Its fruit is round to oval,about the size of a baseball,with a rough,brownish skin and sweet,juicy pulp.
Leaves:
Elliptic, entire, leathery, and hairy, with a dark green color. They are clustered towards the apex of branchlets, sometimes in a whorled manner.
Flowers:
Small, greenish-white or cream-colored, solitary or in pairs from the leaf axils. They have 6 sepals and 6 corolla lobes.
Fruit:
An ovoid to globular berry with a rough brown skin, containing 1-12 seeds. The flesh is brownish, sweet, juicy, and scented. The fruit is known for its sweet, chocolate-like flavor and is commonly eaten fresh.
Bark:
Dark brown and deeply fissured, forming small rectangular pieces.
Growth:
The tree is slow-growing and can reach heights of 5-20 meters in cultivation, but can be up to 40 meters in the forest.
