sapodilla

Tropical evergreen tree Manilkara zapota, in the family Sapotaceae, native to Central America and also cultivated in other tropical regions for its edible fruit. The tree grows to 18 m/60 ft. Its fruits are about the size of an apple, greenish-brown in colour, and rough-skinned. Inside, the pulp is sweet and soft, and has black seeds embedded in it. As well as fruit, the tree produces strong and long-lasting timber. Its sap, which becomes solid when boiled, provides a type of non-elastic rubber used for making shoe soles. It is also used as chewing gum (chicle). Chicle gum was known to the Aztecs, and large amounts are exported to the USA.