From the Manual Of
Tropical And Subtropical Fruits
by Wilson Popenoe
The Green Sapote
Calocarpum viride, Pittie
The sapotaceous fruits are so named from the family Sapotaceae, to
which they belong, and which in turn is named from the old generic name
Sapota (now represented in Achras Sapota,
the sapodilla). The species are mostly tropical, although a few species
of little economic importance are native in the United States north of
the Florida Keys.
While greatly superior in flavor to its congener the sapote (C. mammosum)
, the green sapote is much more limited in its distribution. It is
common in the Guatemalan highlands and is found also in Honduras and
(rarely) in Costa Rica. Else where it is not known, but it deserves to
be cultivated through out the tropics.
In habit and general
appearance the tree greatly resembles the sapote, from which it can be
distinguished (according to Pittier) "by the smaller leaves, downy and
white beneath, the smaller and differently shaped sepals, the shorter
staminodes and stamens, the latter with broadly ovate anthers, and
above all the comparatively small, green, and thin-skinned fruit and
the smaller, ovate seed." It is most abundant in northern Guatemala
(the Alta Verapaz), where it grows usually at elevations of 4000 to
6000 feet. Unlike its relative the sapote, it does not thrive in the
hot lowlands. The lower limit of its cultivation is approximately 3000
feet, the upper between 6000 and 7000 feet. The fruit, which is known
in Guatemala as injerto (Spanish) and yash-tul (Kekchi, green sapote),
is much prized by the Indians of the Verapaz. The flavor is similar to
that of the sapote, but more delicate, and the flesh is finer and
smoother in texture. The largest fruits are nearly 5 inches long,
turbinate to elliptic in outline, and brownish green to pale yellowish
green in color; the skin thin, almost membranous, and easily broken.
The flesh is pale red-brown in color, melting, sweet, and somewhat
juicy. The seeds are commonly one or two, elliptic in form, and about 2
inches long. Usually the fruit is eaten fresh, but in some parts of
Guatemala a preserve is prepared from it, similar to that made from the
sapote.
The tree is productive, but has the disadvantage of not
coming into bearing earlier than eight or ten years from seed. It is
not systematically cultivated, but is met with in dooryards and around
cultivated fields. The fruits are in great demand in the markets of
Guatemalan towns. They ripen from October or November (depending on
elevation) to February. When picked from the tree they are hard and can
be carried long distances without injury, but after they have softened
and are ready for eating they must be handled carefully, since the skin
is thin and easily broken.
This species has been planted
recently in California and Florida. It is more likely to succeed in the
latter state than the sapote, since it is somewhat more
frost-resistant. It is doubtful, however, whether it will survive
temperatures below 27° or 28° above zero. Seed-propagation is the only
method which has been employed up to the present time.
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