Green Sapote (Photo courtesy Rare Fruit Club WA - rarefruitclub.org.au)
Green Sapote
Pouteria viridis
Sapotaceae family
Grafted
Variety is 'Lara'
The Green Sapote tree has been planted on higher ground within the garden, as it doesn't like to be waterlogged. At the time of planting, a mound was created to keep it even higher, though this has since subsided.
The fruit is a very rich dark orange colour on the inside. The sweet pulp is generally eaten fresh, but is also great in milk drinks or with ice cream. It has a similar taste to Mamey Sapote. Harvest as we come into the cooler months - the end of Autumn and into Winter. Pick when the green skin changes colour slightly and the fruit gives a little to the touch.
It is a rare tree. We are yet to be certain that it is self-fertile. So far we have only had a handful of fruit (as of 2025). Flowers form on the bigger wood. The tree hasn't been a particularly vigorous grower, so it is easy to control the size.
Native to South America, it is related to Mamey Sapote, Sapodilla, Canistel and Abiu trees.
Tree Provenance
Grant Jenkins obtained the scion wood (small branch/twig from a mature tree) from a 'Lara' variety of Green Sapote belonging to John Picone, west of Byron Bay NSW, and grafted it onto a Green Sapote rootstock. The intention is to graft another variety onto the tree, to help with cross-pollination and fruit set, however, it is not easy to graft.
Tree Maintenance
Pouteria viridis
Sapotaceae family
Grafted
Variety is 'Lara'
The Green Sapote tree has been planted on higher ground within the garden, as it doesn't like to be waterlogged. At the time of planting, a mound was created to keep it even higher, though this has since subsided.
The fruit is a very rich dark orange colour on the inside. The sweet pulp is generally eaten fresh, but is also great in milk drinks or with ice cream. It has a similar taste to Mamey Sapote. Harvest as we come into the cooler months - the end of Autumn and into Winter. Pick when the green skin changes colour slightly and the fruit gives a little to the touch.
It is a rare tree. We are yet to be certain that it is self-fertile. So far we have only had a handful of fruit (as of 2025). Flowers form on the bigger wood. The tree hasn't been a particularly vigorous grower, so it is easy to control the size.
Native to South America, it is related to Mamey Sapote, Sapodilla, Canistel and Abiu trees.
Tree Provenance
Grant Jenkins obtained the scion wood (small branch/twig from a mature tree) from a 'Lara' variety of Green Sapote belonging to John Picone, west of Byron Bay NSW, and grafted it onto a Green Sapote rootstock. The intention is to graft another variety onto the tree, to help with cross-pollination and fruit set, however, it is not easy to graft.
Tree Maintenance
- Pruning requirement is minimal, mainly just needed to control tree size. Prune in Summer after fruit set. This may result in some fruit loss but it is better than to risk it not flowering. Remove any shoots below the graft.
- Apply an organic NPK fertiliser 2-3 times a year.
- Water during dry spells.
- Mulching to keep the soil moist (leave a gap around the truck to avoid collar rot).
- Bag the fruit to exclude pests.
Green Sapote at LCG January 2025 (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Green Sapote at LCG July 2023 (Photo credit: Graham Bond)
