Fruit of Sapodilla 'Krasuey' at LCG (Photo credit: Graham Bond)
Sapodilla 'Krasuey'
Manilkara zapota
Sapotacea family
Grafted
This variety is up there with the best, if not the best, cultivar available - some people have been looking to find this variety for 10 years! It has the highest sugar content of any fruit in the world.
The Sapodilla is highly prized in Asia with its sweet, brown sugar caramel flavoured fruit, which have a slightly gritty texture, and contain several shiny, black seeds.
Also known as Chiku, Chico or Chicoo, it is related to Abiu, Canistel, Star Apple and Green Sapote. Historically, sapodilla sap was used as a base for chewing gum.
Normally eaten fresh (needs to be soft), and it can also be dried and used in yoghurt, ice cream, jam and jelly. Many flavours are lost when cooked. Has good levels of calcium and iron, and 20-25% carbohydrate.
Native to Thailand.
Tree maintenance
Manilkara zapota
Sapotacea family
Grafted
This variety is up there with the best, if not the best, cultivar available - some people have been looking to find this variety for 10 years! It has the highest sugar content of any fruit in the world.
The Sapodilla is highly prized in Asia with its sweet, brown sugar caramel flavoured fruit, which have a slightly gritty texture, and contain several shiny, black seeds.
Also known as Chiku, Chico or Chicoo, it is related to Abiu, Canistel, Star Apple and Green Sapote. Historically, sapodilla sap was used as a base for chewing gum.
Normally eaten fresh (needs to be soft), and it can also be dried and used in yoghurt, ice cream, jam and jelly. Many flavours are lost when cooked. Has good levels of calcium and iron, and 20-25% carbohydrate.
Native to Thailand.
Tree maintenance
- Pruning - when the tree is young prune to encourage a strong scaffold of lateral branches. When the tree is mature remove skirting, size maintenance by rotating heading cuts and importantly, tipping to maximise the number of fruit-bearing branch terminals.
- If the canopy becomes too dense, remove some inner branches to help air circulation and light penetration. Remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches. Low branches should not be cut, however, unless they are touching the soil.
- Fertiliser - would benefit from organic NPK fertiliser 2-3 times per year.
- The tree is drought resistant, but water if there is a dry period following fruit set and during fruit maturation.
- Susceptible to ants - place tape around the truck and a product such as Tanglefoot.
- Susceptible to fruit fly - net the tree after fruit has set.
Sapodilla 'Krasuey' at LCG February 2025, developing flowers (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Sapodilla 'Krasuey' at LCG December 2024 (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Sapodilla 'Krasuey' at LCG Augst 2022 (Photo credit: Graham Bond)
