Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota)

Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) is a plant species in the Sapotaceae family; it is a large, shady tree reaching heights of 30-40 meters with low-set branches and rough bark ranging from blackish-gray to dark brown. All parts of the tree contain a thick, milky-white latex.

M. zapota features simple, alternately arranged leaves that often cluster at the tips of the twigs. The leaf blades have entire margins and are dark green and glossy; they range in shape from elliptic-ovate to somewhat lanceolate, measuring 1.5–7 cm in width and 3.5–15 cm in length. Both the base and apex are pointed, the stalks are 1–3.5 cm long, and the midrib is prominent on the underside.

The flowers are solitary, appearing in the leaf axils near the twig tips on 1–2 cm stalks; they often hang downwards and reach up to 1.5 cm in diameter. The exterior is covered in brownish hairs. The calyx is usually arranged in two whorls, while the corolla is bell-shaped, white, and lobed up to halfway down the tube.

The fruit is a short-stalked berry—round, ovoid, or ellipsoid in shape and measuring 3–6 by 3–8 cm. It ranges from reddish-brown to yellowish, featuring rough brown scales that easily peel off, and often retains the dried remains of the style at the tip. The skin is thin, while the flesh is soft—sometimes with a slightly grainy texture—and ranges from reddish-brown to yellowish; it is sweet and very juicy.

The fruit contains up to 12 seeds, though usually fewer than six; these are flattened-oblong, glossy black or brownish, and 2 cm long, with waxy-white cotyledons.

The fruit is highly popular in Southeast Asia, a region that serves as both a major global producer and consumer. Sapodilla is prized primarily for its sweetness and soft flesh; it is most commonly eaten fresh as a table fruit. It is also frequently processed into sherbet by blending the fruit with ice cream and jam. The juice can be concentrated into syrup or fermented into wine and vinegar.

The sap is used to make glue and varnish. It is thickened into chicle, a natural base for chewing gum. The sap is also processed into various industrial raw materials, serving as a substitute for gutta-percha and as a material for dental fillings.

The wood is of high quality—hard, heavy, fine-textured, and featuring attractive color patterns. It is prized for furniture making and woodcarving, including sculpture. It is easy to work with and takes a polish well. The wood is durable and resistant to fungal and insect attacks.

The bark yields tannins. Various parts of the tree are used in traditional medicine to treat diarrhea and fever, and as an ingredient in body powders for postpartum recovery. In vitro studies show that extracts at concentrations of 0.5%, 1%, and 2% can increase the solubility of kidney stones and other calcium salts. Methanol extracts demonstrate greater solubility than aqueous extracts.

The tree is abundant in lowland areas, though it can grow well at elevations up to 2,500 meters. It is tolerant of drought, high salinity, and strong winds. It thrives best in fertile, well-drained sandy loam soils.

The fruit matures in approximately 29 weeks. It is typically harvested by carefully detaching it from the stalk, then placed on the ground or soaked in water to allow the sap to drain out; the skin is subsequently washed and scrubbed to remove the outer scales. Freshly picked fruit is hard and requires 3–7 days of storage to soften. Low-temperature storage can extend its shelf life.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Ericales
Family: Sapotaceae
Genus: Manilkara Adans. in Fam. Pl. 2: 166 (1763)
Species: Manilkara zapota (L.) P.Royen in Blumea 7: 410 (1953)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Achras zapota L. in Sp. Pl., App.: 1190 (1753)
Lucuma zapota (L.) Urb. in Symb. Antill. 5: 99 (1904)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Achradelpha mammosa (L.) O.F.Cook in J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 3: 160 (1913)
Achras breviloba (Gilly) Lundell in Phytologia 17: 445 (1968)
Achras calderonii (Gilly) Lundell in Phytologia 16: 445 (1968)
Achras conzattii (Gilly) Lundell in Phytologia 16: 445 (1968)
Achras coriacea Lundell in Wrightia 6: 12 (1978)
Achras dactylina Lundell in Wrightia 6: 13 (1978)
Achras gaumeri (Gilly) Lundell in Phytologia 16: 445 (1968)
Achras latiloba Lundell in Wrightia 6: 14 (1978)
Achras lobulata (Lundell) Lundell in Wrightia 5: 350 (1977)
Achras lucuma Blanco in Fl. Filip.: 237 (1837)
Achras mammosa L. in Sp. Pl., ed. 2.: 469 (1762)
Achras meridionalis (Gilly) Lundell in Phytologia 17: 446 (1968)
Achras occidentalis Cels ex Ten. in Cat. Ort. Bot. Napoli: 77 (1845)
Achras paludosa Lundell in Wrightia 6: 15 (1978)
Achras petenensis (Lundell) Lundell in Wrightia 5: 350 (1977)
Achras rojasii (Gilly) Lundell in Phytologia 16: 446 (1968)
Achras sapatilla J.Paul & W.Arnold in Jam. Phys. J. 1: 315 (1834)
Achras sapota L. in Sp. Pl., ed. 2.: 470 (1762), orth. var.
Achras striata (Gilly) Lundell in Phytologia 16: 446 (1968)
Achras tabogaensis (Gilly) Lundell in Phytologia 16: 446 (1968)
Achras tainteriana Lundell in Wrightia 6: 16 (1978)
Achras tchicomame Perr. in Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 3: 95 (1825)
Achras verrucosa Stokes in Bot. Mat. Med. 2: 294 (1812)
Achras zapota f. asperma M.Gómez in Anales Soc. Esp. Hist. Nat. 19: 253 (1890)
Achras zapota var. candollei Pierre in I.Urban, Symb. Antill. 5: 97 (1904)
Achras zapota var. globosa Stokes in Bot. Mat. Med. 2: 292 (1812)
Achras zapota var. lobata (A.DC.) Pierre in I.Urban, Symb. Antill. 5: 97 (1904)
Achras zapota var. major Jacq. in Select. Stirp. Amer. Hist.: 56 (1763)
Achras zapota var. ovalis Stokes in Bot. Mat. Med. 2: 292 (1812)
Achras zapota var. pedicellaris Pierre in I.Urban, Symb. Antill. 5: 97 (1904)
Achras zapota var. sphaerica (A.DC.) Pierre in I.Urban, Symb. Antill. 5: 97 (1904)
Achras zapota var. typica Stehlé in Caribbean Forester 4: 118 (1943)
Achras zapota var. zapotilla Jacq. in Select. Stirp. Amer. Hist.: 57 (1763)
Achras zapotilla (Jacq.) Nutt. in N. Amer. Sylv. 3: 90 (1849)
Calocarpum mammosum (L.) Pierre in I.Urban, Symb. Antill. 5: 98 (1904)
Calospermum mammosum (L.) Pierre in Notes Bot. Sapot.: 13 (1890)
Gambeya mammosa (L.) Pierre in Notes Bot. Sapot.: 61 (1891)
Lucuma mammosa (L.) C.F.Gaertn. in Suppl. Carp.: 129 (1807)
Lucuma zapota var. anguai Rojas Acosta in Bull. Géogr. Bot. 24: 213 (1914)
Manilkara achras (Mill.) Fosberg in Taxon 13: 255 (1964)
Manilkara breviloba Gilly in Trop. Woods 73: 19 (1943)
Manilkara calderonii Gilly in Trop. Woods 73: 18 (1943)
Manilkara conzattii Gilly in Trop. Woods 73: 18 (1943)
Manilkara gaumeri Gilly in Trop. Woods 73: 19 (1943)
Manilkara grisebachii (Pierre) Dubard in Ann. Mus. Colon. Marseille, sér. 3, 3: 15 (1915)
Manilkara meridionalis Gilly in Trop. Woods 73: 12 (1943)
Manilkara meridionalis var. caribbensis Gilly in Trop. Woods 73: 13 (1943)
Manilkara rojasii Gilly in Trop. Woods 73: 11 (1943)
Manilkara striata Gilly in Trop. Woods 73: 11 (1943)
Manilkara tabogaensis Gilly in Trop. Woods 73: 10 (1943)
Manilkara zapotilla (Jacq.) Gilly in Trop. Woods 73: 20 (1943)
Manilkariopsis lobulata Lundell in Wrightia 5: 253 (1976)
Manilkariopsis meridionalis (Gilly) Lundell in Wrightia 5: 172 (1975)
Manilkariopsis petenensis Lundell in Wrightia 5: 172 (1975)
Manilkariopsis rojasii (Gilly) Lundell in Wrightia 5: 176 (1975)
Manilkariopsis striata (Gilly) Lundell in Wrightia 5: 178 (1975)
Manilkariopsis tabogaensis (Gilly) Lundell in Wrightia 5: 178 (1975)
Mimusops grisebachii Pierre in I.Urban, Symb. Antill. 5: 173 (1904)
Nispero achras (Mill.) Aubrév. in Adansonia, n.s., 5: 19 (1965)
Pouteria mammosa (L.) Cronquist in Lloydia 9: 287 (1946)
Sapota achras Mill. in Gard. Dict., ed. 8.: n.° 1 (1768)
Sapota achras var. lobata A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle, Prodr. 8: 174 (1844)
Sapota achras var. sphaerica A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle, Prodr. 8: 174 (1844)
Sapota zapotilla (Jacq.) Coville ex Safford in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 9: 370 (1905)
Vitellaria mammosa (L.) Radlk. in Sitzungsber. Math.-Phys. Cl. Königl. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. München 12: 321 (1882)

PUBLICATIONS

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.

Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.

Baksh-Comeau, Y., Maharaj, S.S., Adams, C.D., Harris, S.A., Filer, D.L. & Hawthorne, W.D. (2016). An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical 'hotspots'. Phytotaxa 250: 1-431.

Davidse, G. & al. (eds.) (2009). Flora Mesoamericana 4(1): 1-855. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

Figueiredo, E., Paiva, J., Stévart, T., Oliveira, F. & Smith, G.F. (2011). Annotated catalogue of the flowering plants of São Tomé and Príncipe. Bothalia 41: 41-82.

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2009). Flora of North America North of Mexico 8: 1-585. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.

Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Pennington, D. (2001 publ. 2002). World Checklist and Bibliography of Sapotaceae: 1-364. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.

Idárraga-Piedrahita, A., Ortiz, R.D.C., Callejas Posada, R. & Merello, M. (eds.) (2011). Flora de Antioquia: Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares 2: 1-939. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín.

Karthigeyan, K., Pandey, R.P. & Mao, A.A. (eds.) (2023). Flora of Andaman and Nicobar Islands 2: 1-689. Botanical Survey of India. Ministry of environment, forest and climate change.

Linares, J.L. (2003 publ. 2005). Lista comentado de los árboles nativos y cultivados en la República de El Salvador. Ceiba; a Scientific and Technical Journal Published by Zamorano 44: 105-268.

López Patiño, E.J., Szeszko, D.R., Rascala Pérez, J. & Beltrán Retis, A.S. (2012). The flora of the Tenacingo-Malinalco-Zumpahuacán protected natural area, state of Mexico, Mexico. Harvard Papers in Botany 17: 65-167.

Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Nurtjahya, E. & al. (2026). Flowering Plants of Bangka Island: Native and Introduced. Acta Botanica Hungarica 68: 127-156.

Pasha, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Plunkett, G.M., Ranker, T.A., Sam, C. & Balick, M.J. (2022). Towards a checklist of the vascular flora of Vanuatu. Candollea 77: 105-118.

Santisuk, T. & Balslev, H. (eds.) (2014). Flora of Thailand 11(4): 499-666. The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok.

Villaseñor, J.L. (2016). Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.

Welsh, S.L. (1998). Flora Societensis: 1-420. E.P.S. Inc. Utah.

VERNACULAR NAME

Afrikaans: Sapodilla
Arabic: سبوتة مألوفة
Bengali: সপেটা - সফেদা Sapeta, Sofeda
Chinese (simplified): 人心果
Chinese (traditional): 人心果 - 查某李仔 - 兒
Czech: Manilkara zapota
Danish: Tyggegummitræ
English: Sapodilla, Sawo, Bully tree, Soapapple tree, Marmalade plum, Dilly tree, Chiku, Sauh menila, Naseberry, Nispero, Chicle, Chicle gum, Ciku, Chico sapote
Filipino: Chico, Tsiko
Finnish: Sapotillapuu
French: Sapotillier
German: Sapote, Sapotillbaum, Breiapfelbaum, Kaugummibaum
Guangdong: 人心果
Hindi: चीकू - चिकू - सपोटा Chikku, Chikoo, Sapota
Hong Kong: 人心果
Indonesia: Sawo manila, Sawo
Japanese: サポジラ
Java: Sawo
Kannada: Sapota gida, Chikku, Sapota
Khmer: ឡាមូត - ឡូមូត Lamoot, Lomut
Konkani: Chikku
Lao: ລະມຸດ Lamoot
Macao: 人心果
Malayalam: Chikku, Sappota
Malaysia: Chiku, Ciku
Marathi: Chiku, Chikku
Melayu: Sauh, Sauh manila, Ciku
Mizo: Thei-chini
Oria: Sapota
Polish: Pigwica właściwa
Portuguese: Sapotizeiro
Russian: Саподилла
Singapore: Chiku
Sinhala: රට-මි Rata-mi
Slovak: Manilkara gumová
Spanish: Chicle, Chicozapote, Níspero
Sunda: Ciku
Taiwan: 人心果
Tamil: சப்போட்டா - சிமியிலுப்பை Chappotta, Chimaiyiluppai
Telugu: Sapota, Seema ippa, Sima ippacettu
Thai: ละมุด
Turkish: Sapota
Urdu: چیکو Chikoo
Vietnam: Xa pô chê, Hồng xiêm, Xabôchê, hông xiêm, Tâ lu'c

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