Description
A large fruited cultivar, ‘Vernon’ is a great tasting white sapote which bears heavily in late summer. The tree has a unique slightly fuzzy texture to the leaves and young branches. ‘Vernon’ grows vigorously and can set fruit at a very young age (we have harvested fruit from 15 gallon trees)
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Latin name – Casimiroa edulis
White Sapote is one of our favorite lesser-known fruits, and lately it’s been surging in popularity! Still relatively unheard of, White Sapote is native to central Mexico and was introduced to California in the early 1800s. It’s a distant relative of citrus fruits, but tastes nothing like them– the flavor to us is comparable to vanilla pudding, with hints of pear and banana, and occasionally a slight caramel flavor. Ripe White Sapote fruits are a true delicacy, ripening through summertime in Florida.
White Sapote trees are cold hardy, down to 26º F. They are slow growing at first, but can eventually reach a mature size of 20 feet, although for management and fruit production we recommend pruning them annually to keep the size at around 10-12 feet. For those looking to add a rare delicacy to their food forest, you won’t regret planting a White Sapote tree!
Size: 15’ – 40’ tall, benefits from regular pruning
Sun Requirements: Full Sun (6-8+ hours)
Cold Hardy: Zones 9-11
Harvest Season: Late summer through fall
Watering requirements: Regular deep watering until established
Food Forest Layer: Overstory or canopy
