Showy pouteria
Pouteria speciosa

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows to 25 m tall. The trunk is 60 cm across. The leaves are simple and alternate. The leaves are 15-35 cm long by 6-15 cm wide. The flowers are in the axils of the leaves. The fruit has a single seed. The fruit is 4-10 cm long by 4-8 cm wide. The seed has a hard seed coat.

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

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in areas with 2,000 mm rain per year. The temperature is about 25°C. It grows in uplands and flood plains in the Amazon in Brazil.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Panama, Peru, South America, Suriname

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw.

Fruit are popular locally.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. The seeds are collected from ripe fruit that have fallen and the fruit are allowed to partly decompose in heaps to make removing the seeds easier. The seeds are washed then planted fresh. Seedlings emerge in 2-3 months.

Its other names

Local names

Caimitillo, Coquirana-gogo, Pajura, Pajura de obidos, Pupichiro

Synonyms

Englerella macrocarpa Pierre; Englerella speciosa (Ducke) Ducke; Lucuma speciosa Ducke; Richardella speciosa (Ducke) Aubrev.;