Mamey Sapote Trees, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Mamey sapote is a slow-growing tropical fruit tree with russet skin and soft, sweet, salmon-orange flesh, and it can grow in SW Florida with a little cold protection. It is a long-term tree, so plan on several years before a real crop. We deliver and plant 15 and 25 gallon mamey sapote, set at the right depth and watered in.
- Light:
- Full sun
- Water:
- Moderate; regular water when young and in dry spells, but no standing water
- Salt:
- Low to moderate; keep it out of direct salt spray
Mamey Sapote 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 |
|---|---|
| Mamey Sapote | 15 Gallon, 25 Gallon |
Mamey Sapote in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 25 to 40 ft tall; most growers keep it at 15 to 20 ft with pruning
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate; regular water when young and in dry spells, but no standing water
- Salt tolerance
- Low to moderate; keep it out of direct salt spray
- Cold tolerance
- Young trees are injured below 32°F; mature trees take about 28°F briefly with slight damage. Plant in a warm spot and cover young trees on frost nights
- Growth rate
- Slow to moderate
- Spacing
- 20 to 30 ft from other trees and buildings
- Florida native
- No, native to Mexico and Central America
- Botanical name
- Pouteria sapota
Where Mamey Sapote works in a SW Florida yard
Mamey sapote is a big tree, so give it full sun and 20 to 30 feet of clear space. Its large, glossy leaves cluster at the branch tips and make good shade. Most growers hold it to 15 to 20 feet with pruning, which keeps the fruit in reach and cuts wind damage.
Mango, avocado and abiu make easy companions in a tropical fruit planting, but keep their trunks well apart.
- Backyard fruit trees
- Mixed tropical fruit planting
- Large shade and fruit tree
How our crew plants it
Set the tree in a hole three to four times as wide as the root ball and no deeper, level with or just above the soil, on a mound where water stands. We water in well and mulch 2 to 3 inches deep, off the trunk.
Lee and Collier allow extra watering for new plantings, so water every day or two at first.
Care after planting
- Water mature trees one to two times a week with about an inch of water during dry spells, and never let young trees wilt.
- Feed from March through October with a fruit-tree fertilizer with micronutrients, skip nitrogen and phosphorus products from June 1 to September 30 where local rules ban them, and avoid nitrogen in winter so new growth isn't caught by cold.
- Prune after harvest to hold the tree at 15 to 20 feet.
- Keep mowers and string trimmers away from the trunk, since bark damage weakens the tree.
What to watch for
- Young trees are injured below 32°F, so cover them on frost nights for the first few winters.
- Wet soil causes root rot, and zinc or manganese deficiency can show in alkaline soil as pale, spotted leaves.
- Left unpruned it can reach 40 feet, and big trees can lose limbs or topple in strong wind.
Mamey Sapote questions we hear
How long does a mamey sapote take to fruit in Florida?+
Plan on about five to seven years for a good crop, though grafted trees can start sooner than seedlings. The fruit also takes a long time to mature after flowering, often a year or more, so a tree can carry flowers, green fruit and ripe fruit at the same time.
How can I tell when mamey sapote is ripe?+
Scratch off a bit of the rough outer skin. If the layer underneath has turned from green to pinkish-brown, orange or red, the fruit is mature enough to pick. Then let it ripen off the tree for a few days until it softens and gives under gentle pressure.
Can a mamey sapote survive a frost in Cape Coral or Fort Myers?+
Young trees are injured below 32°F, so cover them on frost nights for the first few winters. Mature trees take about 28°F for a few hours with slight damage, but a hard or long freeze can kill them. Plant in the warmest spot, within about 30 feet of the house.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Mamey Sapote
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.