Mamey Fruit Tree (Sapote)

A Versatile Tropical with Endless Benefits!

Make a unique, tropical statement with the one-of-a-kind Mamey Fruit Tree!

Native to Cuba and Central America, the Mamey Fruit Tree flourishes in warmer climates. It yields hundreds of Sapotes - a fruit that is celebrated in Caribbean, Cuban, and Central American cultures - each year. Each Mamey Fruit Tree can live up to 100 years, becoming a true landscape staple and providing fruit for generations.

The Mamey Fruit Tree reaches just 25 feet tall, making it a great medium-sized, manageable fruit tree for your backyard. It has a long harvest season, spanning May to September, and it can produce anywhere from 200 to 500 fruits each year.

The Sapote fruit is sweet and creamy, with a smooth texture. It's often said to taste like pumpkin combined with chocolate, honey, almond, and vanilla. It can be eaten raw, used it salads or smoothies, or cooked in savory dishes.

And before the fruit is ready to harvest, the Mamey Fruit Tree features beautiful yellow and white flowers reminiscent of the classic Southern favorite, the Magnolia tree. The ends of the curved branches are covered in large, lush green leaves.

Grab your Mamey Fruit Sapote Tree today, and experience all the advantages this versatile tropical tree has to offer!

Planting & Care

Planting: Plant the Mamey in a location that receives 8+ hours of sunlight per day. If the tree does not get sufficient sunlight, it will not produce fruit. Also avoid any areas that are excessively moist, since soggy soil can cause the Mamey Tree's roots to rot.

Dig a hole that is twice the diameter of the Mamey tree’s root ball and as deep. If the soil is overly sandy, mix the sandy soil with fertile garden soil at a ratio of 25 percent sandy soil with 75 percent garden soil, or amend some peat into the native soil to retain moisture. Place the soil/sand mixture around the tree’s root system and tamp to remove all air pockets. Mound the soil slightly around the tree’s trunk so it is about three to four inches higher than the surrounding ground level.

In areas where the water table is not sufficiently deep, the Mamey tree might need to be planted on a five-foot mound of soil to prevent the tree’s roots from becoming submerged in water as the tree grows.

Staking: In areas that sustain high winds or tropical storms, stake the tree using a bamboo or wooden stake. Tie the tree to the stake using cotton or natural fiber rope so it does not damage the tree’s trunk. Check the rope every month to make sure it is not too tight on the tree’s trunk. Staking is typically only necessary for about 8 months to 1 year. To determine if your tree is ready to stand on its own, shake the middle of the tree. Providing there is zero movement from the base, the tree is ready to stand on its own.

Watering: Water your Mamey Tree once every other day if the weather is warm and there is no rainfall. Keep the soil moist but not overly wet. Mulching can be very beneficial in maintaining soil moisture. Be sure to keep a steady supply of water going to the tree during flowering and fruit set/development.

Fertilizing: Feed the Mamey Tree in March, July, and September for the first three years using an 8-3-9 fertilizer formula. Follow the directions on the fertilizer’s label for application ratios. After the tree reaches four years of age, it usually does not require fertilizing to thrive.

In areas with calcareous soil, a foliar spray containing zinc and manganese should be applied every six weeks from March to September.

Pruning: When the Mamey Tree is young, it can be pruned to encourage three or four limbs to grow strong. Any damaged limbs should also be removed. Prune after the fruit is harvested.

Injury: The trunk of the Mamey Tree is highly susceptible to injury from lawnmowers and other gardening equipment. Great care should be taken not to damage the tree’s trunk or the tree may perish.