Common Name: White Sapote

General Information

Casimiroa edulis is an evergreen tree with spreading, often drooping branches and a broad leafy crown; it can grow up to 18 metres tall[].
The edible fruits are greatly appreciated and are commonly consumed. 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[, ].

Known Hazards

The seed is said to be fatally toxic if eaten raw by humans or animals[].

Botanical References

Range

Central America north to Mexico.

Habitat

Subtropical deciduous woodlands and low forests[]. Dryish highland forests at elevations of 600 - 1,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	16.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants are about as hardy as a lemon (Citrus limon)[], which means that they can tolerate occasional frosts. In tropical latitudes the plant can be found at elevations between 700 - 3,000 metres, but it is best grown between 1,000 - 2,000 metres[]. In subtropical climate it can be grown at sea level[]. It is distinctly subtropical in its climatic requirements, surviving light frosts. On the other hand, flowering during the coldest months tends to result in poor fruit set[]. Plants are unlikely to do well in lowland tropical areas, especially in the wetter regions[]. Temperature range for growth is reported to be 14 - 31°c with the optimum between 18 - 26°c. Temperatures around -1 to -2°c may injure young growing shoots and cause fruit drop, whereas temperatures about -3 to -4°c may kill the tree to the ground. Annual rainfall range for growth is reported to be 500 - 4,000mm with the optimum between 1,500 - 3,000mm[].
Prefers an open, well-drained site on a loamy soil[], though it can succeed on a wide range of soil types from sands to clay-loams[]. Prefers a pH in the range 7 - 7.5, tolerating 6.5 - 8[]. Established plants are drought resistant, though they need adequate moisture if they are to fruit well[].
Seedling trees usually begin to bear in 7 - 8 years[]. Grafted trees start bearing in 3 - 4 years[].
Trees can flower and produce fruit at more than one time of the year[].
A mature tree can produce more than 100 kilos of fruit a year[].
There are many named varieties[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. A sweet flavour, though the butter-textured flesh can be resinous[]. The flavour is peach-like[]. The fruit has a remarkably high food value, almost as rich in protein, carbohydrate and vitamins as a banana[]. Sugar content can be up to 27%[]. The yellow-green fruit is up to 10cm long[, ].

Some reports say that the seed is toxic if eaten raw, whilst others say that it can be roasted and eaten like nuts[].

Medicinal

The leaves, bark, and especially the seeds contain a glucoside called casimirosine that has sedative activity[]. They have been employed as sedatives, soporifics and tranquilizers[].

In Costa Rica, the leaf decoction is taken as a treatment for diabetes[].

Eating the fruit produces drowsiness and it is widely claimed in Mexico and Central America that consumption of the fruit relieves the pains of arthritis and rheumatism[]. The fruit is also reportedly vermifugal[].

The seeds contain a number of alkaloids which are narcotic with soporific activity[]. Crushed and roasted seeds are effective in healing putrid sores[].

Vasodepressive activity of the white sapote is attributed to Na-dimethy-1-histamine, formerly found in nature only in the sponge, Geodia gigas[]

Other Uses

The seed is said to be fatally toxic if eaten raw by humans or animals. 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[].

The wood is yellow, fine-grained, compact, moderately dense and heavy, medium strong and resistant, but not durable for long. It is occasionally employed in carpentry and for domestic furniture[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in containers. Trees produce taproots, so the seed should be sown in deep containers and the plants moved straight to their permanent positions once they are large enough[]. Seed of cultivars does not breed true[].
Layering[]. Commercial growers in New Zealand have had success with air-layers[].
Cuttings are very difficult to root[].
Grafting. Seedlings of the cultivar 'Pike', being vigorous growers, are preferred as rootstock. Shield-budding and side-grafting in spring onto stocks up to 2 cm thick give good results. Cleft grafts and slot grafts are made on larger rootstocks and when top working mature trees[].

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