Green Sapote (Pouteria viridis) is a species in the True Sapote family of plants. The fruits have a thin but sturdy green skin – much like Fuerte Avocado and the flesh of the fruit is red-brown. The taste of the fresh fruit is similar to cooked yams. Although its native range is limited to central America, the Green Sapote is cultivated in many locations with USDA hardiness zone 10b or greater. It’s care is much like Guatemalan strains of Avocado as they grow side-by-side in native forests.
Two years ago I acquired 3 saplings (shown below) from Roger Meyer. I grew them on in 15 gallon pots and trained them into a branching form. One I gave to a fellow member of the CRFG, the second I’ve offered to a member here, and the third I’m getting ready to plant 
.
3 Likes
Late this afternoon I managed to get it in the ground 
. This is perhaps the last planting hole for a tree I need to prepare!
Perimeter stakeout.
Leveled.
The hole.
Planted.
4 Likes
All this time I’ve thought that was a loquat tree sitting in the background of other pics. Now its identity is revealed. 
1 Like
I’ve had many a guest think the same thing – even last year when my house was on the CRFG Festival of Fruit tour.
Richard, that is one beautiful and bushy Green Sapote tree you have! I wish you the best of luck with it. I’ve gotten a few Green Sapote trees recently and they are all pretty lanky, so I have a lot of work to do to make them look as good as yours.
How long do you expect to wait for the first flowers? I’ve heard it can take a long time.
1 Like
I’ve heard a dozen years from folks in Santa Monica canyon and Camarillo CA. So probably 6-8 years from now.
1 Like
Today I took a leisurely walk around the San Diego Zoo, admiring both their animal and plant collections. Here’s a photo from the NE corner of the premises with a Dragon Fruit (H. undatus) on the left, Red Guava on the right, and a Green Sapote tree casually in the middle of the sidewalk 
2 Likes
Our Green Sapote is blooming!
4 Likes
About a dozen per branch are hanging in there 
3 Likes
Very very exciting and rewarding for all your patience. I sure hope it holds on to a few fruit. A friend in Silver Lake had fruit set on his GS last year and fruit took something close to a year to ripen.
1 Like
Yes, my expectation is about that – similar to avocado in my climate.
1 Like
Late this afternoon Janet and I looked at the Green Sapote buds and to our surprise found buds opening, flower bracts closing, a few flowers on the ground and fruit sets. The flowers appear to be perfect (bisexual).
4 Likes
Just about every branch on the tree has buds now. You can also see “scars” where buds have dropped off.
2 Likes
Very unique way of setting fruits!
1 Like
Cacao, Durian, Jakfruit, … Cauliflorous fruits
1 Like
If you aren’t getting enough fruit set, consider trying a technique that has been successfully used to coax fruit set out of shy Sapodillas (a Pouteria relative of Green Sapote). When the flower is open, give it a light squeeze to move the pollen to the stigmas. I’m going to try this once the flowers open on my Green Sapotes.
1 Like
