Name: SAPODILLA 'Manilkara Zapota'
SKU: sapotiglia
Availability: OutOfStock

Description

PLANT

Manilkara zapota, also called Sapotilla or Sapodilla is a plant of the Sapotaceae family, native to southern Mexico and Central America. In Yucatán it is one of the dominant tree species. It is cultivated for the chicle (traditional ingredient of chewing gum), extracted from its stem, for the precious wood and for its fruit, the sapodilla or sapotilla.

In Mexico it is marketed as “chupeta” or “chicozapote”. The latter name derives from the Nahuatl language and means honey zapote, indicating the sweeter flavor of the other fruits of the Sapotaceae family. By the Mayans of the Yucatan it is called “zaya”. Other traditional names by which it is known elsewhere are “zapote chico”, “chicu”, “àcana”, “korob”, “muy”, “muyozapot”, as well as, more generally, as “níspero” (which, however, more properly indicates in Spanish the European species medlar (winter medlar).

FRUIT

The fruit of the sapodilla (technically a large berry) is brown, round or slightly oblong, with a diameter of 4–8 cm and a thin skin. The pulp is sweet and delicate, and is reminiscent of caramel, pear and honey. The fruits have two to five seeds that are black, hard and elongated.

PROPERTIES

Sapodilla is generally eaten fresh.

The fruit is famous for its aroma and is used for sorbets, cocktails, jams and ice creams, as well as in the preparation of cakes, syrups and sauces; fermented it gives flavor to wine and vinegar.

In Indonesia, young shoots are also eaten raw or cooked with rice.

Historically, the latex of the plant (such as that of the similar Manilkara chicle) was (and is) used as a chewing agent (chicle), constituting the precious basic ingredient of chewing gum (or chewing gum). The common industrial production of chewing gum is instead based on synthetic products.

Latex is also used in the production of toothpastes, to produce high quality (and expensive) rubber, in transmission belts and for insulation of electrical conductors.

Wood is used for furniture production.

COLTIVATION

Growing sapodils are not strictly tropical and adult sapodilla fruit trees can survive in temperatures from -2 to -3 C., for a short period of time. The cultivation of Sapotiglia does not require large quantities of water. They can do just as well in arid or humid environments, although more severe conditions can result in a lack of fruit.