Sapodilla Alano Tree Live Plant, 3 Gallon Pot, 3 to 4 Feet Tall, Tropical Fruit

Overview

Bring the taste of the tropics to your home garden with this magnificent Sapodilla Alano tree. This is a healthy, established live Sapodilla plant, air-layered for robust growth and quicker fruit production. Standing proudly at 3 to 4 feet tall and nestled in a 3 gallon pot, it’s ready for immediate planting in suitable climates or for container growing. The Sapodilla, scientifically known as Manilkara zapota, is renowned for its delicious, sweet, and malty-flavored fruit. The ‘Alano’ variety is particularly prized for its excellent taste and consistent yields, making it a favorite among tropical fruit enthusiasts. This tropical fruit tree is a perfect addition for gardeners looking to expand their edible landscape with something truly unique and rewarding.

Our Sapodilla Alano tree is carefully nurtured to ensure it arrives in optimal condition, prepared to adapt to its new environment. With its glossy green foliage, it not only promises delectable fruit but also adds an ornamental touch to any garden or patio. Ideal for USDA Zones 9-11, this tree thrives in warmer climates but can also be grown in large containers and moved indoors during colder months in cooler regions. Experience the joy of growing Sapodilla and harvesting your own sweet Alano fruit.

Key Benefits

Investing in a Sapodilla Alano tree offers numerous advantages, from its aesthetic appeal to the delicious harvest it provides. This tropical gem is a rewarding addition to any garden.

• Delicious Tropical Fruit: Enjoy the incredibly sweet, caramel-like flavor of fresh Alano Sapodilla fruit directly from your own tree. This variety is known for its superior taste and smooth texture.
• Established & Ready to Grow: This live Sapodilla plant is air-layered and comes in a 3 gallon pot, ensuring a well-developed root system and a strong start in your garden, accelerating its path to maturity and fruiting.
• Ornamental Garden Addition: With its attractive, dense green foliage, the Sapodilla tree serves as a beautiful evergreen specimen, adding a lush, tropical aesthetic to your landscape or patio.
• Relatively Low Maintenance: Once established, the Sapodilla Alano tree is moderately drought-tolerant and requires minimal fuss, making it suitable for both experienced and novice gardeners.
• Health Benefits: Sapodilla fruit is rich in vitamins A and C, antioxidants, and dietary fiber, contributing to a healthy diet directly from your backyard.
• Adaptable to Container Growing: For those in cooler climates, this tree can be successfully grown in large pots, allowing it to be moved indoors during winter, ensuring the continued enjoyment of your tropical fruit tree.
• Early Fruiting Potential: Air-layered trees typically begin producing fruit earlier than those grown from seed, meaning you can enjoy your harvest sooner.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Sapodilla Alano tree is straightforward, especially when provided with the right conditions. This tropical beauty thrives with consistent attention during its establishment phase and becomes more resilient with age. Understanding its basic needs for sunlight, water, and soil will lead to a flourishing tree and abundant harvests. The Alano variety generally prefers temperatures between 65°F and 95°F for optimal growth and fruit development.

For sunlight, the Sapodilla Alano tree requires full sun exposure, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily to encourage vigorous growth and maximum fruit production. When it comes to watering, consistent moisture is key, especially for young trees. Water regularly when the top inch or two of soil feels dry, ensuring the soil remains moist but not waterlogged. Once established, the tree exhibits moderate drought tolerance, but supplemental watering during prolonged dry spells will benefit fruit quality and yield. The ideal soil for growing Sapodilla is well-draining, rich in organic matter, and slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0-7.0). Amend heavy clay soils with compost and sand to improve drainage, or incorporate peat moss for acidity. Ensure good drainage to prevent root rot, a common issue for many fruit trees.

Fertilize your tropical fruit tree with a balanced slow-release fertilizer designed for fruiting trees, typically in spring and mid-summer. Follow the product instructions for application rates. Pruning is generally minimal, focusing on removing dead or diseased branches and shaping the tree for structural integrity and ease of harvesting. Watch out for common pests like scale insects or mealybugs, and treat with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap if necessary. Protecting young trees from strong winds can also help establish a strong framework. This dedicated care will ensure your Alano Sapodilla care routine results in a healthy and productive tree.

Size & Details

This offering is for one healthy Sapodilla Alano tree, ready for planting. The tree measures approximately 3 to 4 feet tall from the base of the pot to the tip of its highest branch, providing a substantial head start for your garden. It comes securely planted in a 3 gallon nursery pot, ensuring its root system is well-established and protected during transit and upon arrival. The mature height of a Sapodilla tree can vary, typically reaching 20-30 feet in optimal conditions, though it can be maintained at a smaller size with regular pruning, making it suitable for various garden sizes or even large container culture. The growth rate is moderate, allowing you to enjoy its development over time. This air-layered plant is designed to provide earlier fruiting than seed-grown specimens, often within 2-3 years, depending on growing conditions.

The tree’s dimensions in the pot are approximately 8 x 8 x 45 inches, making it a manageable size for transport and initial placement. It is a live plant, and as such, its exact height and foliage density may vary slightly from plant to plant. The vibrant green leaves are characteristic of a healthy Sapodilla tree, indicating its readiness to thrive in your care. This live Sapodilla plant is shipped in its nursery pot with soil to minimize transplant shock and ensure a smooth transition to its new home.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: This Sapodilla Alano tree is currently 3 to 4 feet tall and comes in a 3 gallon pot. In ideal conditions, mature trees can reach 20-30 feet, but can be kept smaller with pruning.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Sapodilla Alano tree is primarily an outdoor tropical fruit tree, best suited for USDA Zones 9-11. In colder climates, it can be grown in a large container and brought indoors during winter.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This tropical fruit tree thrives in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for optimal growth and fruit production.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, once established, the Sapodilla Alano tree is relatively low-maintenance. It prefers well-draining soil and regular watering when young, becoming moderately drought-tolerant.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your live Sapodilla plant will arrive in its 3 gallon nursery pot, with soil, carefully packaged to ensure its health and minimize stress during shipping.
• Q: How long until it blooms and fruits? A: Being an air-layered plant, this Sapodilla Alano tree typically begins to bloom and produce fruit within 2-3 years after planting, much faster than seed-grown trees.
• Q: What’s the minimum temperature this tree can tolerate? A: Sapodilla trees prefer temperatures between 65°F and 95°F. They are sensitive to frost, so protection is needed if temperatures drop below freezing for extended periods.
• Q: Can I grow this tree in a colder climate? A: Yes, if you live outside USDA Zones 9-11, you can grow the Sapodilla Alano tree in a large container and move it indoors to a bright, warm location during the colder months.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for growing Sapodilla? A: This tree prefers well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. A slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0) is ideal for growing Sapodilla effectively.
• Q: How often should I water my Alano Sapodilla tree? A: Water regularly when the plant is young, keeping the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Once established, it can tolerate some drought, but regular watering is still beneficial.