Black Sapote at LCG (photo credit: Graham Bond)
Black Sapote (Chocolate Pudding Fruit)
Diospyros Nigra
Grown from seedling.
Also known as the Chocolate Pudding Fruit, this is a highly sought after rare tropical fruit tree. From the same plant family as the Persimmon. It is unrelated to the White Sapote.
Very mild, slightly sweet flavour. Delicious on its own - cut in half and scooped out with a spoon. Great in cakes, cheesecakes, muffins, bread, preserves, and smoothies, also makes a delicious ice cream.
Must be picked mature but still hard, when calyx has lifted slightly from the fruit and the shiny skin has lost some lustre, and bench ripened - only eat when very soft (almost ‘bruised’) and perfectly ripe (once ripe it can be stored in the fridge).
Black sapote, with a dash of lemon and lime, makes a delicious filling for sweet pastries.
A very good source of Vitamin A. Native to Mexico, Central America & Columbia.
Tree maintenance
Diospyros Nigra
Grown from seedling.
Also known as the Chocolate Pudding Fruit, this is a highly sought after rare tropical fruit tree. From the same plant family as the Persimmon. It is unrelated to the White Sapote.
Very mild, slightly sweet flavour. Delicious on its own - cut in half and scooped out with a spoon. Great in cakes, cheesecakes, muffins, bread, preserves, and smoothies, also makes a delicious ice cream.
Must be picked mature but still hard, when calyx has lifted slightly from the fruit and the shiny skin has lost some lustre, and bench ripened - only eat when very soft (almost ‘bruised’) and perfectly ripe (once ripe it can be stored in the fridge).
Black sapote, with a dash of lemon and lime, makes a delicious filling for sweet pastries.
A very good source of Vitamin A. Native to Mexico, Central America & Columbia.
Tree maintenance
- Pruning - the tree can grow to 10m tall, so best prune to 3-4m, keeping the canopy fairly open to aid sun exposure and fruit production in the lower branches, and to aid access the fruit.
- Fertilise once or twice a year with an organic fertiliser.
- After four years old, the tree will require watering only during extended periods of drought.
- Mulch and compost will be beneficial.
Black Sapote (Chocolate Pudding Fruit) at LCG December 2024 (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Black Sapote (Chocolate Pudding Fruit) at LCG August 2022 (photo credit: Graham Bond)
