Botanical illustration of Sapodilla
🎨 AI-generated botanical illustration
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🌱 Sapodilla

Manilkara zapota
tropical_perennials evergreen tree
☀️ Sun
full sun
💧 Water
low to moderate (drought-tolerant)
🗺️ Zones
[10,11]
🧪 Soil pH
6.0-8.0
🪴 Soil Type
well-drained, tolerates poor/sandy
📏 Spacing
25-30 ft
📐 Height
30-80 ft
⏱️ Maturity
5-8 years

🤝 Companions (3)

🤝 Aloe Vera
Xeriscape companion beneath sapodilla canopy
🤝 Banana
Windbreak while sapodilla establishes
🤝 Pigeon Pea
Nitrogen fixer; tolerates partial shade

⚠️ Keep Apart (1)

⚠️ none — but extremely slow growing; interplant with annuals while waiting

📝 Growing Notes

Chicle — the original chewing gum base — is tapped from sapodilla tree bark. The fruit tastes like brown sugar dissolved in a pear. Extremely slow-growing but lives 100+ years. Extremely wind-resistant — survives hurricanes.

🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Johnny's Selected Seeds Botanical Interests True Leaf Market Burpee Territorial Seed Company

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