Stats

Lifespan

Up to 100 yrs

Size

Large

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Tropical rainforest

Range

Central America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Toxins

Status

Uncommon

About

Sapodilla is a slow-growing tropical evergreen tree that produces sweet, honey-like brown fruits with grainy, malty flesh. It is also the original source of chicle — the natural latex harvested for centuries to make chewing gum.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

• Read on Wikipedia →
• View on iNaturalist →
• Watch on YouTube →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Ericales

Family

Sapotaceae

Genus

Manilkara

Species

Manilkara zapota