Overview

Bring the taste of the tropics to your garden with the White Sapote McDill live plant. This exceptional grafted fruit tree is highly prized for its delicious, large fruit and robust growth. Originating from a selection made in Orange, California by McDill in 1968, this variety has proven itself to be a reliable and prolific producer. The White Sapote McDill live plant is a wonderful addition for anyone looking to grow unique and flavorful fruit at home. It’s a fast-growing tree that quickly establishes itself, delighting growers with bountiful harvests.

The White Sapote, scientifically known as Casimiroa edulis, is a fascinating fruit tree native to Central America. The ‘McDill’ variety is particularly noted for its superior fruit quality and early bearing characteristics. This grafted fruit tree ensures you get a plant with established genetics, leading to quicker fruit production and consistent quality. Ideal for warm climates, this plant thrives with proper care and attention, transforming your garden into a productive orchard.

Our White Sapote McDill live plant comes as a healthy, well-rooted specimen, measuring 1 to 2 feet tall and shipped in a 3-gallon pot. This size makes it easy to transplant and establish in your chosen location, whether in the ground or a larger container. Experience the joy of harvesting your own sweet, creamy white sapote fruit directly from your garden.

Key Benefits

The White Sapote McDill live plant offers numerous advantages to the home gardener and fruit connoisseur:

• Exceptional Fruit Quality: The ‘McDill’ variety is renowned for producing some of the largest and most flavorful white sapote fruit. Its sweet, creamy flesh is a true delight, offering a unique taste experience that combines notes of peach, banana, and pear.
• Early Bearing: This particular grafted fruit tree is known for being precocious, meaning it starts bearing fruit earlier than many other varieties. You can look forward to enjoying harvests in early autumn.
• Robust Growth: The tree itself is large and vigorous, establishing quickly and providing a strong framework for abundant fruit production. Its lush foliage also adds an attractive, tropical aesthetic to any landscape.
• Unique Garden Addition: Growing White Sapote McDill live plant allows you to cultivate an exotic fruit that is not commonly found in regular grocery stores, providing a unique and rewarding gardening experience.
• High Yield Potential: With proper care, this variety is capable of producing a generous amount of fruit, ensuring a plentiful supply for fresh eating, desserts, and preserves.
• Adaptable to Containers: While it can grow into a large tree, the White Sapote McDill live plant can also be managed in a large container, making it suitable for patios or areas where ground planting isn’t feasible, especially in cooler zones where it can be brought indoors during winter.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your White Sapote McDill live plant is straightforward, ensuring a healthy tree and abundant fruit. This tropical fruit tree thrives in warm climates and requires specific conditions to flourish. It prefers a location that receives full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. In extremely hot climates, some afternoon shade can be beneficial to prevent leaf scorch. Ensure good air circulation around the tree to prevent fungal issues.

When it comes to watering, the White Sapote McDill live plant prefers consistent moisture, especially during its establishment phase and when actively fruiting. However, it is crucial to avoid waterlogging. Allow the top few inches of soil to dry out slightly between waterings. During dry spells, deep watering is essential to encourage deep root growth. For soil, a well-draining, fertile loam is ideal. Amend heavy clay soils with organic matter to improve drainage, and sandy soils to enhance water retention. The ideal pH range is slightly acidic to neutral, between 6.0 and 7.0.

White Sapote trees are generally hardy in USDA zones 9-11. They can tolerate brief dips in temperature, but prolonged freezes can cause damage. If you’re in a cooler zone, consider growing your grafted fruit tree in a large pot that can be moved indoors or protected during winter. Fertilize your plant with a balanced slow-release fertilizer designed for fruit trees, typically applied in spring and mid-summer. Watch out for common pests like aphids or scale insects, and treat promptly with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. Proper pruning can help maintain tree shape and encourage fruit production, focusing on removing dead or crossing branches.

Size & Details

This offering is for one White Sapote McDill live plant, a vigorous and healthy specimen ready for planting. Each grafted tree stands approximately 1 to 2 feet tall from the base of the rootball to the top of the foliage, providing a good head start for growth. It is shipped securely in a 3-gallon nursery pot, complete with its established root system and nutrient-rich soil, minimizing transplant shock. The ‘McDill’ variety is known for its relatively fast growth rate and precocious bearing, meaning you can expect fruit production within a few years of planting, especially since it is a grafted fruit tree. The mature tree can reach heights of 15-20 feet if left unpruned, but can be maintained at a smaller size with regular trimming, making it suitable for various garden sizes. The fruit itself is large, oblate, and develops a greenish-yellow hue when ripe, indicating its readiness for harvest in early autumn.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this White Sapote McDill live plant get? A: If left unpruned, a mature White Sapote McDill tree can reach heights of 15-20 feet. However, it can be maintained at a smaller, more manageable size through regular pruning, making it suitable for smaller gardens or large containers.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: The White Sapote McDill live plant is shipped in a sturdy 3-gallon nursery pot, providing ample space for its established root system and ensuring a healthy start in your garden.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: White Sapote trees are primarily outdoor plants, thriving in warm, subtropical climates (USDA Zones 9-11). In cooler zones, they can be grown in large containers and moved indoors or protected during winter months.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: For optimal growth and fruit production, the White Sapote McDill live plant requires full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. In regions with intense summer heat, some afternoon shade can be beneficial.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: While it has specific requirements for climate and soil, White Sapote McDill is considered relatively easy to care for once established, especially for gardeners in suitable zones. Consistent watering and feeding are key.
• Q: What condition will the grafted fruit tree arrive in? A: Your White Sapote McDill live plant will arrive as a healthy, well-rooted grafted tree, 1-2 feet tall, securely packaged in its 3-gallon pot to ensure minimal stress during transit.
• Q: When is the best time to plant a White Sapote McDill live plant? A: The best time to plant is in spring or early summer after the last chance of frost, allowing the plant ample time to establish its root system before cooler weather.
• Q: What does White Sapote fruit taste like? A: The fruit of the ‘McDill’ White Sapote is known for its sweet, creamy, custard-like flesh with notes often compared to a blend of peach, banana, pear, and vanilla. It’s a truly unique and delicious flavor.
• Q: Can I grow this large sapote fruit tree in a container? A: Yes, you can grow a White Sapote McDill in a large container, especially if you live in a climate colder than USDA Zone 9. Choose a pot at least 20-25 gallons and ensure good drainage.
• Q: How long until it bears fruit? A: As a grafted tree, the ‘McDill’ variety is precocious and can begin bearing fruit within 2-4 years of planting, much faster than a seedling tree. You can expect harvests in early autumn.