Sapotaceae
How to identify a caimito tree
Chrysophyllum cainito · also called star apple, cainito
A purple- or green-skinned round fruit; sliced crosswise it reveals a signature star pattern in the sweet, milky pulp. The skin and unripe fruit carry latex and are not eaten.
Field marks
These features are typical of the genus Chrysophyllum, so they help confirm you are looking at the right group; the fruit and the details below separate the species.
- The undersides of the leaves are covered in golden-brown silky hairs, so the canopy flashes gold when the wind turns the leaves.
- Cut twigs and fruit bleed a white latex, as in other members of the sapote family.
Check a photo
Photograph one whole, mature leaf from above, or a flower or fruit, and the identifier will return ranked matches. If caimito is the top result, the field marks above are your second opinion.
Leaves, flowers, fruit, or bark — closer and sharper identifies better. Your photo is identified and discarded, never stored.
Where and when you will find it
- Origin / cultivation history
- Caribbean / Central America
- USDA zones
- 10b-11
- Climate
- Tropical lowland.
- Fruiting season
- January, February and March (typical, Northern Hemisphere)
- How often grown
- Uncommon in cultivation
Fruit is the most reliable way to confirm an identification, so January, February and March is the easiest window. Outside it, rely on the leaves and the overall habit. A tree growing well outside the climate above is more likely to be a look-alike.
Growing it: seedling or grafted?
A young tree with no fruit is harder to identify and easy to mislabel, so it helps to know how long it takes to reach fruiting age and how it is usually propagated.
- Years to first fruit
- Seedling 5-8 yrs; grafted 3-4 yrs
- Propagation
- Grafting, air-layering, or seed.
Relatives in the Sapotaceae family
Close relatives share many features, so these are the most likely mix-ups.
- Mamey sapotePouteria sapota
- SapodillaManilkara zapota
- CanistelPouteria campechiana
- AbiuPouteria caimito
- LucumaPouteria lucuma
- Miracle fruitSynsepalum dulcificum
Map your caimito trees
CanopyTwin keeps every tree on a map with its species, cultivar, photos and history, and counts flowers and fruit from survey photos. It is built for orchards, nurseries and collectors of tropical and rare fruit.
More identification guides: free plant identifier · tropical fruit tree identifier · fruit tree identifier · all species guides