Mamey sapote Pouteria sapota
Mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) is an evergreen perennial fruit plant in the Sapotaceae family, native to Southern Mexico and Central America. It grows 10–25 m (33–82 ft) tall and 8–15 m (26–49 ft) wide, wants full sun and moderate water, and is hardy to about -1 °C (30 °F). Space plants about 9 m (30 ft) apart.
Plan Mamey sapote in your garden →
Free. Draw your beds, then watch it grow through the year in 2D and 3D.
Mamey sapote at a glance
| Type | Perennial fruit plant, evergreen |
|---|---|
| Family | Sapotaceae |
| Mature height | 10–25 m (33–82 ft) |
| Mature spread | 8–15 m (26–49 ft) |
| Spacing | 9 m (30 ft) centre to centre |
| Sun | Full sun, at least 6 h of direct sun a day |
| Water | Moderate; drought tolerance low, waterlogging tolerance none |
| Soil pH | 6–8 |
| Cold hardiness | About -1 °C (30 °F) once established (roughly USDA zone 10) |
| Heat stress | Likely above about 38 °C (100 °F) |
| Flowering | from about April for 9–17 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones) |
| Wind tolerance | Low |
| Pollinator value | Moderate |
| Edible | Yes: fruit |
| Native to | Southern Mexico and Central America |
| Common in gardens of | 🇲🇽 Mexico, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇨🇴 Colombia, 🇵🇭 Philippines, 🇻🇳 Vietnam |
Is Mamey sapote toxic?
- People: not known to be toxic
- Cats: not known to be toxic
- Dogs: not known to be toxic
The flesh is eaten; the large seed is not.
If a child or pet may have eaten part of a plant, call a poison centre or vet straight away.
Companion planting: what to grow with Mamey sapote
No well-documented helpful pairing. Group it with plants that like full sun and moderate water.
Questions about Mamey sapote
- How far apart should I plant Mamey sapote?
- About 9 m (30 ft) apart, centre to centre. A mature plant spreads 8–15 m (26–49 ft).
- Does Mamey sapote need full sun?
- Full sun: at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
- How much water does Mamey sapote need?
- Moderate water. Drought tolerance is low and waterlogging tolerance none.
- How cold-hardy is Mamey sapote?
- It tolerates about -1 °C (30 °F) once established, roughly USDA zone 10.
- When does Mamey sapote flower?
- From about April for 9–17 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones).
- Is Mamey sapote poisonous to cats and dogs?
- For cats it is not known to be toxic; for dogs not known to be toxic; for people not known to be toxic. The flesh is eaten; the large seed is not.
- What grows well with Mamey sapote?
- There is no well-documented companion pairing for Mamey sapote. Group it with plants that like the same sun (full sun) and water (moderate).
Sources and evidence
Evidence grade A (A: strong evidence).
- UF/IFAS Extension tropical and subtropical fruit and landscape publications, University of Florida
- Fruits of Warm Climates (Morton, 1987), Purdue University NewCROP
- GRIN-Global Taxonomy, USDA ARS
Notes and assumptions
- Rough brown football-shaped fruit with salmon-red, creamy flesh (sweet-potato-and-almond flavour); takes 13–24 months from flower to ripe fruit. Young trees are damaged near 0 °C.
Reference values for planning, not horticultural, veterinary or medical advice. Varieties, soils and local climates differ: check with a local nursery or extension service.
Related plants
- Lúcuma Pouteria lucuma
- Argan tree Sideroxylon spinosum
- Shea tree Vitellaria paradoxa
- Sapodilla (chico, lamut) Manilkara zapota
- Star apple (caimito) Chrysophyllum cainito
- Spanish cherry (bullet wood, phikun) Mimusops elengi
- Abiu Pouteria caimito
- African star apple (agbalumo, udara) Gambeya albida