Scientific name: Mimusops coriacea
Tropical evergreen tree of the Sapotaceae family, a botanical relative of sapodilla and canistel (black sapote, Diospyros nigra, belongs to a different family, Ebenaceae, and is not related), reaching 6-15 m with thick leathery leaves (coriacea = leathery) and notched leaf tips. Flowers are small (about 1.5 cm), whitish and fragrant, and bisexual (8 fertile stamens alternating with 8 staminodes) — so a single tree can set fruit. The fruit is round-oval, 3-5 cm across, with smooth skin turning from green to yellow-orange when ripe, soft buttery cream-yellow flesh and 1-3 glossy brown seeds. Taste varies greatly between trees: botanical sources describe the pulp as sweetish but mealy and little appreciated, while selected specimens are mildly sweet, reminiscent of a less sugary sapodilla with a canistel-like buttery texture. Currently out of stock.
אין במלאי
Prices are updated according to nursery stock. Nationwide shipping in Israel; self-pickup is free.
Monkey's Apple (Pomme Jacquot) (Mimusops coriacea) — Tropical evergreen tree of the Sapotaceae family, a botanical relative of sapodilla and canistel (black sapote, Diospyros nigra, belongs to a different family, Ebenaceae, and is not related), reaching 6-15 m with thick leathery leaves (coriacea = leathery) and notched leaf tips. Flowers are small (about 1.5 cm), whitish and fragrant, and bisexual (8 fertile stamens alternating with 8 staminodes) — so a single tree can set fruit. The fruit is round-oval, 3-5 cm across, with smooth skin turning from green to yellow-orange when ripe, soft buttery cream-yellow flesh and 1-3 glossy brown seeds. Taste varies greatly between trees: botanical sources describe the pulp as sweetish but mealy and little appreciated, while selected specimens are mildly sweet, reminiscent of a less sugary sapodilla with a canistel-like buttery texture. Currently out of stock.
During the first two years water regularly — 2–3 times a week in summer, and in winter according to rainfall and soil moisture, letting the top layer dry between waterings. Established trees need less frequent irrigation. Good drainage matters most: standing water at the roots is more harmful than under-watering.
Protect young plants from frost with fleece, mulch, or by growing them in a container that can be moved to a sheltered spot. Mature trees are more resilient; in colder areas plant in a wind-sheltered corner.
Time to fruiting depends on plant size and propagation method: grafted plants fruit earlier than seedlings. Buying a larger, developed plant shortens the wait considerably. Regular watering, seasonal fertilizing, and correct placement have the greatest influence on first flowering.
You can buy Monkey's Apple (Pomme Jacquot) plants directly at Fill the Land nursery, 27 HaSe'ora St, Tzrufa, with nationwide shipping. Details and ordering: https://malo-et-haaretz.com/en/plant/mimusops-coriacea.