Kampala Tree and Palm Directory

Tree Species
Common Name
Tree Description
Tree Uses

English: White sapote, Mexican-apple, White sapote, Casimiroa, Sapote blanc

+ Tree Species

Casimiroa edulis

+ Tree Family

Rutaceae

+ Ecology

White sapote is native to Central America north to Mexico. It is found in subtropical deciduous woodlands and low forests. It is also found in Dryish highland forests at elevations of 600 - 1,000 meters.

+ Description

Small to medium-sized spreading or erect, evergreen tree reaching 10-18 m in height.

BARK: smooth, first bright green, later ash-grey or pale brown.

LEAVES: alternate and compound with 3 5 lobes, each long oval and shortly stalked to the center, surface shiny green, small pale green to cream colored.

FLOWERS: small, green-white-yellow in loose heads beside leaves, 5 petals.

FRUIT: green and rounded at first ripening green-yellow, with soft skin and sweet white pulp around 2–5 large dark seeds, 8–10 cm across.

+ Uses

Medicine: leaves, bark, fruit and seeds. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Casimiroa+edulis

Extractions from the kernels are an attractive and lethal bait for American cockroaches, having the advantage of killing on the spot rather than at some distance after ingestion of the poison.

Edible: fruit can be eaten raw or cooked, fruit can be used as a flavoring for dairy products such as milkshakes and ice-cream.

Can be planted as an ornamental.

The wood is occasionally employed in carpentry and for domestic furniture.

Agroforestry: can be planted as a wind break, bee forage.

The wood is a source of firewood.

+ Propagation

Seeds, layering, cuttings, grafting.

+ Management

Fast growing. Regular (4 - 6 times per year) light pruning is required for the more vigorous types during the first two years to obtain adequate branching without delaying fruiting too much.

+ Remarks

The tree is often cultivated as a fruit crop in warm temperate, subtropical and higher elevations of the tropics, and is also often grown as an ornamental. The seed is said to be fatally toxic if eaten raw by humans or animals.



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