|
|
Tropical Plant "Black Sapote"
Diospyros digyna
The black sapote is not, as might be assumed, allied to either
the sapote (Pouteria sapota H.E. Moore & Stearn)
or the white sapote (Casimiroa edulis Llave & Lex.).
Instead, it is closely related to the persimmon in the family
Ebenaceae. For many years it has been widely misidentified as
Diospyros ebenaster Retz., a name confusingly applied
also to a strictly wild species of the West Indies now distinguished
as D. revoluta Poir. The presently accepted binomial
for the black sapote is D. digyna Jacq. (syn. D. obtusifolia
Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.). In
Spanish, it is known variously as sapote, sapote negro,
zapote, zapote negro, zapote prieto, zapote de mico, matasano
(or matazano) de mico, or ebano. It has
been called black persimmon in Hawaii.
Black Sapote Description
The
tree is handsome, broad-topped, slow-growing, to 80 ft (25
m) in height, with furrowed trunk to 30 in (75 cm) in diameter,
and black bark. The evergreen, alternate leaves, elliptic-oblong
to oblong-lanceolate, tapered at both ends or rounded at the
base and bluntly acute at the apex, are leathery, glossy,
4 to 12 in (10-30 cm) long.
The
flowers, borne singly or in groups of 3 to 7 in the leaf axils,
are tubular, lobed, white, 3/8 to 5/8 in (1-1.6 cm) wide,
with persistent green calyx. Some have both male and female
organs, large calyx lobes and are faintly fragrant; others
are solely male and have a pronounced gardenia-like scent
and a few black specks in the throat of the corolla.
The
fruit is bright-green and shiny at first; oblate or nearly
round; 2 to 5 in (5-12.5 cm) wide; with a prominent, 4-lobed,
undulate calyx, 1 1/2 to 2 in (4-5 cm) across, clasping the
base. On ripening, the smooth, thin skin becomes olive-green
and then rather muddy-green. Within is a mass of glossy, brown
to very dark-brown, almost black, somewhat jelly-like pulp,
soft, sweet and mild in flavor. In the center, there may be
1 to 10 flat, smooth, brown seeds, 3/4 to 1 in (2-2.5 cm)
long, but the fruits are often seedless.
Black Sapote Origin
and Distribution
The
black sapote is native along both coasts of Mexico from Jalisco
to Chiapas, Veracruz and Yucatan and in the forested lowlands
of Central America, and it is frequently cultivated throughout
this range. It was apparently carried by the Spaniards to
Amboina before 1692, and to the Philippines long before 1776,
and eventually reached Malacca, Mauritius, Hawaii, Brazil,
Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
In 1919, seeds from Guadalajara, Mexico, were sent to the
Bureau of Plant Industry of the United States Department of
Agriculture; cuttings and seeds were received from the Isle
of Pines, Cuba, in 1915; seeds arrived from Hawaii in 1916
and 1917; others from Oaxaca, Mexico, in 1920. Numerous seedlings
have been grown in southern California but all have been killed
by low temperatures. The tree does very well in southern Florida,
though it has been grown mainly as a curiosity. Outside of
its homeland, the fruit has not achieved any great popularity.
In Mexico, the fruits are regularly marketed.
Black Sapote Varieties
Certain
trees tend to bear very large, seedless or nearly seedless
fruits maturing in summer instead of winter as most do, but
no varietal names have been attached to them in Florida.
Black Sapote Climate
The
black sapote is not strictly tropical inasmuch as it is hardy
as far north as Palm Beach County, Florida, if protected from
frost during the first few years. Trees that have become well
established have withstood occasional brief exposures to 28º
or 30º F (-2.22º or-1.11º C). In Mexico, the tree is cultivated
up to elevations of 5,000 or even 6,000 ft (1,500-1,800 m).
Black Sapote Soil
The
tree has a broad adaptability as to terrain. In Mexico it
grows naturally in dry forests or on alluvial clay near streams
or lagoons where it is frequently subject to flooding. Nevertheless,
it thrives on moist sandy loam, on well-drained sand or oolitic
limestone with very little top-soil in southern Florida. It
is said to flourish on all the soils of Cuba.
Black Sapote Propagation
The
black sapote is usually grown from seeds, which remain viable
for several months in dry storage and germinate in about 30
days after planting in flats. Vegetative propagation is not
commonly practiced but the tree has been successfully air-layered
and also shield-budded using mature scions.
Black Sapote Culture
Seedlings
are best transplanted to pots when about 3 in (7.5 cm) high
and they are set in the field when 1 to 2 years old, at which
time they are 1 to 2 ft (30-60 cm) in height. They should
be spaced at least 40 ft (12 m) apart. Most begin to bear
in 5 to 6 years but some trees may take somewhat longer. The
tree is naturally vigorous and receives little or no cultural
attention in Florida though it has been noted that it benefits
from fertilization.
Black Sapote Season
In
Mexico, the fruits are common in the markets from August to
January. Most black sapotes in Florida ripen in December,
January or February. Certain trees, especially the large-fruited
types, regularly come into season in June, others in July
and August.
Black Sapote Harvesting
It
is difficult to detect the slight color change of mature fruits
amid the dense foliage of the black sapote tree. Many black
sapotes ripen, fall and smash on the ground before one has
the chance to pick them, and this is one reason why .the tree
is not favored for landscaping in urban areas. An experienced
picker can harvest the fruits at the green-mature or olive-green
stage with a cutting pole equipped with a cloth sack.
Black Sapote Yield
No
yield figures are available but the tree is noted for bearing
well. In 1899, the annual crop in Mexico was valued at $27,000,
a considerable sum at that time.
Black Sapote Keeping
Quality
Fruits
picked when full-grown but unripe (bright-green) have ripened
in 10 days at room temperature. Therefore it is at this stage
that they must be picked for marketing and shipping. Firm,
olive-green fruits will ripen in 2 to 6 days. Fruits displayed
on markets in Mexico are somewhat shriveled and wrinkled.
The black sapote is very soft when fully ripe. Though it may
remain fit for eating if held for a few days in cold storage,
it is too soft to stand handling.
Black Sapote Food
Uses
Unkind
writers have employed unflattering phrases in describing the
flesh of the black sapote and have probably hindered its acceptance.
This seems quite unreasonable because the color and texture
of the pulp closely match stewed prunes, to which there seems
to be no aesthetic objection. In the Philippines, the seeded
pulp is served as dessert with a little milk or orange juice
poured over it. The addition of lemon or lime juice makes
the pulp desirable as a filling for pies and other pastry.
It is also made into ice cream. In Mexico, the pulp may be
mashed, beaten or passed through a colander and mixed with
orange juice or brandy, and then served with or without whipped
cream. Also, they sometimes mix the pulp with wine, cinnamon
and sugar and serve as dessert. Some Floridians use an eggbeater
to blend the pulp with milk and ground nutmeg. A foamy, delicious
beverage is made by mixing the pulp with canned pineapple
juice in an electric blender. In Central America, the fermented
fruits are made into a liqueur somewhat like brandy.
Black Sapote Toxicity
Unripe
black sapotes are very astringent, irritant, caustic and bitter,
and have been used as fish poison in the Philippines.
Black Sapote Other
Uses
Wood:
The wood is yellowish to deep-yellow with black markings
near the heart of old trunks; compact and suitable for cabinetwork
but little used. Reports of dark wood utilized for furniture
are probably the result of confusion with other species of
Diospyros.
Medicinal
Uses: The crushed bark and leaves are applied as a blistering
poultice in the Philippines. In Yucatan, the leaf decoction
is employed as an astringent and is taken internally as a
febrifuge. Various preparations are used against leprosy,
ringworm and itching skin conditions.
Note:
The rare, wild relative D. revoluta Poir., mentioned
at the beginning, has not only been included with the black
sapote under the erroneous D. ebanaster, but has also
been dealt with as D. nigra Perr. and under at least
8 other binomials. In Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic,
Montserrat, Dominica and Guadeloupe it is variously called
black apple, barbara, bambarat, barbequois, bois noir,
bois negresse, ebene, guayabota, plaqueminier, and zapote
negro. It has smaller, thicker leaves and smaller fruits
than the black sapote and the calyx is square. Little, Woodbury
and Wadsworth say the fruits are poisonous and, with the bark,
used as fish poison.
|
DestinationTropicals.com 
