Bully tree, Choky apple
Pouteria multiflora

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

It is a large tree. The young shoots can have fine hairs. The leaves are loosely clustered and arranged in a spiral. They are 10-30 cm long by 3-10 cm wide. The are broadly sword shaped. They taper to the base. There are 8-13 pairs of side veins. The flowers are in groups of 2-6. The fruit is rounded and like a canistel. It is 3-15 cm long. The pulp is sweet. There can be 1 or more seeds.

There are about 150-320 Pouteria species. They grow in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in humid forest regions. It grows in the lowlands. It is near rivers in seasonal forest. In Jamaica it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level. In Colombia it grows up to 2,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Antilles, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Greater Antilles, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Martinique, Montserrat, Nevis, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, South America (country/location of origin), St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Virgin Islands, West Indies, Windward Islands

How it is used for food

The flesh of the fruit is eaten fresh.

The fruit are sold in markets.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

j cana, Broadleaved Lucuma, Co'siarirotoa, Hakaba, Jacana, Logma, Menegowe, Pennepis

Synonyms

Achras acana Sesse & Moc.; Lucuma dussiana (Pierre) Pierre; Lucuma multiflora A. de Candolle; and many others