Native & adapted

Black sapote

Diospyros nigra

Also known as Chocolate pudding fruit · Chocolate persimmon · Zapote negro

A persimmon relative whose ripe fruit has soft, dark brown flesh often compared to chocolate pudding. A handsome evergreen with glossy leaves.

EdibleFruitingEvergreen

Landscape layersLower canopy

Mature size

15–25 ft tall and 15–20 ft wide in Phoenix

Climate fit

Urban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b

Plant spacing

15 ft from other trees

Frost

Leaves damaged near 30°F; mature trees survive brief dips to about 28°F.

Special categories

EDIBLE

Hardiness guidance

USDA 10–11; damaged below about 28°F

Winter chill

None

Typical harvest

Late fall through winter. Pick when the green skin turns olive, then ripen until very soft.

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Soil chemistry

Fast-draining soil rich in compost. Phoenix soil is alkaline, so work in soil sulfur and organic matter and use chelated iron if new leaves turn yellow between the veins.

Required microclimate

Placement is part of the growing system.

Sheltered, frost-protected spot with afternoon shade while young.

Cold hardiness

Cover in a hard freeze below 30°F

Young trees are damaged or killed at or below 30°F and mature trees at or below 28°F. Seedlings in southern California have all been killed by cold, so cover young trees every frost and established trees whenever a hard freeze is forecast.

Leaves and wood: damaged below 30°F

Heat tolerance

Needs afternoon shade

It tolerates daytime highs only to about 93°F, well short of Phoenix summers. Plant it with afternoon shade and steady water; there is little desert growing data, so treat it as a trial tree.

Sources:

edis.ifas.ufl.edu , hort.purdue.edu , tropical.theferns.info

Right plant, right place

Will Black sapote grow at your Arizona property?

Grafted trees fruit in 2 to 3 years. A slow-to-moderate grower that stays manageable with pruning.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b.

Light

Sun exposure

Morning sun with afternoon shade from June through September, such as the east side of a house or under a taller nurse tree. Protect from frost on winter nights.

Water

Irrigation

Moderate. Deep water once or twice a week in summer.

Fruit set

Pollination

Most varieties are self-fertile.

Harvest

How to use it

Scoop the soft flesh and eat fresh, or blend into desserts and smoothies.

Planting & stewardship

How to help Black sapote thrive

1
Shade young trees in summer and cover them on frost nights.
2
Feed with iron and micronutrients if leaves yellow.
3
Pick fruit firm and ripen it indoors.
4
Prune lightly after harvest.

Read the horticultural reference ↗