Mamey Sapote: The Caribbean Salmon-Fleshed Fruit
Mamey sapote has the texture of a sweet potato and the flavor of pumpkin, almond, and sweet cherry. A Caribbean staple of remarkable richness.
The mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) is a large brown football-shaped fruit with stunning salmon-pink to deep orange flesh. The texture is dense and creamy like a baked sweet potato, with a flavor combining pumpkin, almond, cherry, and honey. Native to Central America, it has been cultivated for over 1,000 years.
Origin and history
Native to southern Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. Cultivated by the Maya and other Mesoamerican peoples. The name "mamey" comes from the Taรญno language of the Greater Antilles.
Where mamey sapotes grow today
Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Florida produce commercially. Most fruit is consumed locally.
How to grow
Tropical, USDA Zones 10-11. Tall tree (15-25m). Slow-growing; first fruit in 5-8 years from grafted tree.
Bottom line
Among the most distinctively-flavored tropical fruits. The texture and flavor are unforgettable.
More Exotic & Rare
Jackfruit: The Largest Tree Fruit in the World
Native to the Indian rainforest, the jackfruit can weigh over 50kg and feed a family. The story of this overlooked giant, and how to grow one.
Lychee: The Chinese Imperial Fruit
Lychees were so prized in 8th-century China that Emperor Xuanzong built imperial relays to deliver fresh fruit to his concubine. A 2,000-year history.
Rambutan: The Hairy Cousin of the Lychee
Native to Southeast Asia, the rambutan looks alien and tastes like a relative of lychee โ fragrant, sweet-tart, and tropical.
Mangosteen: The Queen of Fruits
Often called the world's most delicious fruit. The mangosteen is a Southeast Asian rainforest tree producing snow-white sweet-tart segments.
Pomegranate: The Persian Fruit of Kings
One of the oldest cultivated fruits on Earth, the pomegranate is featured in religious texts from Persia to Israel to ancient Greece. A guide.
Fig: The Oldest Cultivated Fruit on Earth
Carbonized fig remains from 11,400 years ago suggest figs may be the oldest cultivated plant. The story of this Mediterranean staple, and how to grow it.