Star apple.

Auf einen Blick

Pflegestufe

Mittel

Pflanzenart

Tropical fruit tree

Licht

Full sun to partial shade

Licht im Innenraum

Hell, indirekt

Gießen

Alle 3 bis 7 Tage

Endgröße

25 to 50 feet

Wachstum

Mittel

Winterhärte

USDA 10 bis 12

Blütezeit

Late spring to early summer

Pflege

Keep this tree in a spot with plenty of warmth and protection from strong winds. Watch for yellowing leaves which might signal poor drainage or nutrient issues. It thrives best when you maintain consistent moisture during its active growing season.

Gießen

Water deeply whenever the top few inches of soil feel dry to the touch.

Düngen

Apply a balanced fertilizer during the growing season to support fruit production.

Schneiden

Prune lightly once a year to maintain shape and remove any dead branches.

Umtopfen

Repot only if the tree is in a container, otherwise it prefers to stay in the ground.

Boden

Well draining loamy soil

Boden-pH

5.5 to 7.0

Temperatur

10 bis 35°C

Luftfeuchtigkeit

60 bis 90%

Sicherheit

Menschen

The plant is generally non-toxic, but the sticky latex sap can cause irritation if it contacts sensitive skin.

Kinder

The fruit contains seeds that could pose a choking hazard to small children.

Kontaktallergene

The milky latex sap may cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals.

Allergene in der Luft

The small flowers produce pollen that may trigger mild respiratory symptoms in sensitive people.

Essbarkeit

The fruit is edible when fully ripe, but the milky sap in unripe fruit is sticky and unpleasant.

So erkennst du die Pflanze

• Glossy dark green leaves
• Golden or purple leaf undersides
• Star pattern inside fruit
• Small white or purple flowers

Höhe

8 bis 20m

Breite

4 bis 10m

Blätter

dark green, golden brown, evergreen

Blüten

white, purple, 0,5 bis 1cm

Früchte

purple, green, Late winter to spring

Häufige Probleme

• Scale insects — Small sap-sucking insects that cluster on stems and leaves.
• Root rot — Fungal infection caused by overly wet or poorly drained soil.

Standort und Pflege

Vermehrung

seed, cuttings, air layering

Pflanzzeit

spring, summer

Plant this tree as a central canopy element to provide shade for smaller, understory tropical crops.

Gute Pflanzpartner

• Kaffeepflanze — It provides excellent dappled shade for coffee plants.
• Zwergbanane — They share similar moisture and soil requirements in a tropical garden.

Ähnliche Arten

• Manilkara zapota — Another tropical fruit tree with similar growth habits and requirements.

Botanisches

Familie

Sapotaceae

Gattung

Chrysophyllum

Ordnung

Ericales

Klasse

Magnoliopsida

Ursprüngliche Heimat

Tropical regions of Central America and the Caribbean.

Artenschutz

Not currently of conservation concern in its native range.

It grows in tropical rainforests where it utilizes its dense canopy to compete for light.

Nutzen für Wildtiere

nectar source, provides shelter

Bestäuber

Bienen, Schmetterlinge

Verwendung

ornamental shade tree, edible fruit, traditional medicine

Taxonomie abgeglichen mit GBIF.

Häufige Fragen

Does it need full sun?

Yes, it grows best in full sun but tolerates light shade.

How long until it fruits?

Trees grown from seed can take 5 to 10 years to bear fruit.

Woher der Name kommt

Chrysophyllum comes from the Greek words for gold and leaf, referring to the golden underside of the foliage. Cainito is the common name used in many Spanish-speaking regions.

Gut zu wissen

• It is commonly called the star apple because the seeds inside form a star pattern when cut crosswise.
• The tree is highly valued for its dense, glossy foliage.
• It thrives in tropical climates with consistent moisture.
• The fruit pulp is sweet and often eaten fresh or in desserts.