Caimito (Star Apple) Trees, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Caimito, or star apple, can fruit in Southwest Florida, but only in a warm, sheltered yard, since it is cold-tender and dislikes salt. It is a tropical tree with glossy leaves that flash copper underneath and sweet, jelly-textured fruit that ripens from late winter into spring. We deliver and plant the 15 gallon size.
- Light:
- Full sun to part shade
- Water:
- Moderate; keep young trees moist
- Salt:
- Low; keep it out of salt spray and away from brackish irrigation water
Caimito (Star Apple) sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Caimito (Star Apple) | 15 Gallon |
Caimito (Star Apple) in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 20 to 40 ft tall and nearly as wide if left alone; many growers hold it near 15 ft
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate; keep young trees moist
- Salt tolerance
- Low; keep it out of salt spray and away from brackish irrigation water
- Cold tolerance
- Tender: young trees can be damaged near 31 to 32°F and mature trees near 28 to 29°F; protect on frost nights
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Florida native
- No
- Botanical name
- Chrysophyllum cainito
Where Caimito (Star Apple) works in a SW Florida yard
Plant caimito in the warmest part of the yard, with full sun and room for a rounded crown. The leaves are shiny green above and coppery below, so the canopy shimmers in a breeze.
Keep it 15 to 20 ft from the house and pool, and give it more room if you will not prune it. Mamey sapote, sugar apple and jaboticaba make good fruit-tree neighbors.
- Backyard fruit tree
- Shade tree with edible fruit
- Tropical fruit collection
How our crew plants it
Caimito needs good drainage, so set the root ball a little high, on a low mound if your lot floods in summer, in a hole twice as wide as the 15 gallon container.
Mulch 3 inches deep, off the trunk. The crew sets it, waters it in and cleans up. Extra watering is allowed for new plantings under Lee and Collier rules.
Care after planting
- Water young trees deeply through the first dry seasons, then follow your assigned two days.
- Feed a few times a year with a balanced fruit-tree fertilizer that includes micronutrients, timed around the June 1 to September 30 ban.
- Cover young trees with frost cloth on nights forecast near freezing.
- Pick fruit only when it is soft and the skin has lost most of its green, because unripe fruit is full of sticky latex.
- Prune lightly to hold it near 15 ft, which makes picking and cold protection easier.
What to watch for
- Cold is the main risk: young trees are hurt near 31 to 32°F and a hard freeze can kill older ones, so it suits warm, sheltered spots rather than inland frost pockets.
- Salt spray and brackish irrigation water burn the leaves, so keep it off exposed waterfront.
- Red algae and fungal leaf spots can mark the foliage in humid weather, though serious pests are few.
Caimito (Star Apple) questions we hear
How long until a caimito tree fruits?+
A grafted tree can fruit within a few years of planting, while seedling trees often take 5 to 10 years. Flowers come in late summer to fall and the fruit ripens from late winter into spring. Young trees need protection from cold, because a freeze can reset the clock.
Is star apple fruit good to eat?+
Yes, when fully ripe. The skin is not eaten. Scoop out the soft, sweet, jelly-like pulp and spit out the seeds. Picked early, the fruit is astringent and full of sticky latex. Both purple and green types exist, and ripeness shows as a slightly soft feel and loss of green.
Can caimito grow in Cape Coral?+
Yes in a warm, sheltered yard, but it is one of the more cold-tender fruit trees we plant. Coastal Lee and Collier usually avoid damaging cold, though a hard freeze can hurt or kill a tree. Plant it in full sun with good drainage, away from salt spray, and keep frost cloth ready for the first few winters.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Caimito (Star Apple)
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.