Sapodilla

Overview

An ornamental tree native to Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Nicaragua, and Panamá.

Vernacular Names

Mamey colorado, Níspero, Sapote, Sapote mamey, Zapote.

Agroecology

Sapodilla can grow well from the wet tropics to the dry cool subtropical areas in a wide variety of climatic conditions, but they prefer a humid hot environment similar to that found at medium to low altitudes, typically below 600 meters, in tropical regions, such as in coastal regions. It grows best in areas where daytime temperatures range from 20-34 ° C per year. In full sun and in calcareous soil, it grows best. Dislikes the thick soils of clay. Well-drained soil is favored, with a pH range of 6-7.

Morphology

• Stems - reddish wood is hard and durable, it can range in diameter from up to 50 cm in cultivation and up to 150 cm in the forest, much-branched, straight cylindrical bole.
• Leaves - in spiral clusters at branch ends, oblong to broadly oblong-obovate, up to 9.45 cm long and 4.01 cm wide, stiff glossy appears. At both ends, pointed. Older leaves contain an alkaloid that is toxic.
• Flowers - small, bell-like, pinkish-white flowers bloom in the leaf axils in spring, but sometimes will appear throughout the year.
• Fruits - rough-skinned, brown, fleshy, ovoid to round, up to 6.42 cm long and 5.16 cm diam., containing 2 or more seeds.
• Seeds - shiny blackish-brown seeds.

Cultivation

• Generative transmission occurs by seeds. Seeds germinate without any therapy after around 30 days and with a success rate of up to 80%.
• Vegetative propagation is by cutting, airlayering, 45-60 cm long, 1 cm in diameter and suitably leafy, 2-year-old branches, and by grafting.

Chemical Constituents

• Leaves: alkaloid, flavonoid, tannin, saponin.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• The bark, febrifuge, and tonic are astringent. To treat diarrhea and fever, tannin from the bark is used.
• The seeds are aperient, diuretic, tonic, and antipyretic. They are used to clear stones from the urinary and gallbladder.
• The plant is used as a febrifuge.
• For fever, hemorrhages, wounds, and ulcers, a leaf decoction is taken.
• For neuralgia, on the temples, a leaf with tallow is added as a compress.
• Flowers are used in Indonesia as one of the components of a powder that is rubbed on a woman's body after childbirth.
• Tannin is used in Cambodia to treat diarrhea and fever.
• The fruit is consumed as an indigestion and diarrhea cure.
• Seed infusion is used as eyewash in Cuba.
• In infants, the pulverized roots are used for thrush care.