From the
Tropical Fruit News, Rare Fruit Council International Miami RFCI
by Gene Joyner
Caimito
Chrysophyllum cainito,
or star apple is one of the most attractive tropical fruits so far as
its foliage. This evergreen tree, native to tropical America, can reach
a height of 40 to 50 feet in its native areas, but in Florida it rarely
reaches more than 40 feet with about the same width. The trees have
very attractive leaves which are deep green above and a silky golden
brown beneath and as the wind rustles the foliage this gives a
strikingly beautiful effect.
Trees can grow over a wide range of
soils and are one of the few trees that actually grows well in highly
alkaline soils, even at pH's up to 7.5. Trees produce a delicious fruit
too, and the fruits are born during the early to late spring. The fruit
size can be from 2-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter and there are two
varieties, one with purple skin and one with green skin. Both have very
sweet whitish flesh which is very good and is usually eaten as a fresh
fruit.
Trees grow rapidly, often three to four feet or more in a
single growing season. Propagation can be by seed, air layering, or
grafting. One of the major problems to the widespread use of the star
apple in Florida is its sensitivity to cold. It sill get very badly
damaged at 29 to 30° F. and mature trees can be frozen to the
ground by hard freezes. it cannot be planted close to salt water
because it also has poor salt tolerance and should be protected by
buildings or other more salt tolerant plantings if used close to the
ocean or Intracoastal areas. There are no serious pest problems of
trees except birds and other animals that attack maturing fruit.
There
are some named varieties of star apple available from nurseries but
they are difficult to find. Many nurseries that propagate star apples
do so simple by planting seeds. Seedlings take about six years to more
to bear fruit and if you want superior varieties, plant seedlings and
then try to get graft wood from mature bearing trees and do shield
budding, or veneer grafting. Trees can also be air layered but air
layering usually takes four to six months to be successful.
Plant
trees in a rich, well-drained soil; once well established, they are
quite resistant to most conditions including high winds as long as
they are protected from cold winds or freezing temperatures, trees have
very few problems and produce quantities of delicious fruit each year
of one to enjoy.
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