Black Sapote
Diospyros nigra
Those of you with a penchant for botanical names will note that the black sapote is a relative of the persimmon, Diospyros kaki. Those of you who don’t care about Latin names might care that the black sapote also goes by the name ‘chocolate pudding fruit’. That’s right, cut one of these beauties in half and you have a ready-made, chocolate-flavoured dessert! The tree itself slowly reaches about 5-6m tall and is evergreen, proving a lovely canopy of shade. Hailing from Central America, black sapotes will handle light frosts, but be careful not to let them dry out. They love regular moisture; a dripper hose laid under the tree is a great idea during dry spells. For top-quality fruit, choose a seedless cultivar such as ‘Superb’.
