Alano Sapodilla Live Plant – 2-3 Feet Tall, Ship in 3 Gallon Pot

Overview

Discover the exquisite taste of the tropics with the Alano Sapodilla live plant. Widely acclaimed as one of the finest sapodilla varieties globally, the ‘Alano’ (scientific name: Manilkara zapota hybrid) is a must-have for any fruit enthusiast or home gardener. This particular offering includes 1 plants, each standing impressively at 2 to 3 feet tall, ready to thrive in your garden or a large container. Shipped securely in a 3-gallon pot, this grafted plant is designed to bloom and fruit sooner, providing a quicker reward for your efforts. The ‘Alano’ is celebrated for its medium-sized, oval fruits, which boast a uniquely sweet and delicious flavor with a delightful texture reminiscent of a fine pear. Its compact habit and tendency to fruit while young make it an excellent choice for those with limited space or northern gardeners who wish to cultivate tropical fruits in pots.

The Manilkara zapota Alano variety is known for its reliability and exceptional fruit quality. Unlike many fruit trees, the ‘Alano’ holds its fruit on the tree for several months, typically ripening from November to June, ensuring a prolonged harvest season. Once ripe, the soft, succulent fruit can be easily scooped from its brown peel and enjoyed with a spoon, making for a refreshing and healthy snack. This grafted tree grows slowly, maintaining a manageable size, which further enhances its suitability for container gardening. Experience the joy of growing your own gourmet tropical fruit with this high-quality Alano Sapodilla live plant.

Key Benefits

The Alano Sapodilla live plant offers a multitude of advantages for both seasoned gardeners and beginners alike, bringing a touch of the tropics and a bounty of delicious fruit to your home.

• Exceptional Fruit Quality: Enjoy medium-sized, oval fruits renowned for their incredibly sweet flavor and unique pear-like texture, often considered the best sapodilla variety available.
• Extended Harvest Season: The fruit holds onto the tree for several months, ripening typically from November to June, providing a long period to enjoy fresh produce.
• Early Fruiting: As a grafted plant, the ‘Alano’ variety blooms and fruits sooner than seed-grown trees, meaning you can enjoy your first harvest much quicker.
• Compact Growth Habit: This sapodilla fruit tree is a slow grower with a compact habit, making it ideal for container gardening, especially for northern gardeners who need to bring plants indoors during colder months.
• Home Gardener Friendly: Its manageable size and early fruiting make it an excellent choice for home gardeners seeking a productive and rewarding tropical fruit tree.
• Versatile Cultivation: Can be grown in the ground in suitable climates or in large pots on patios and indoors, offering flexibility for various growing environments.
• Healthy and Delicious Treat: The soft, ripe fruit is easy to eat and provides a natural, nutritious snack straight from your garden. Enjoy the unique flavor of Alano sapodilla care with ease.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Alano Sapodilla live plant is straightforward, ensuring a healthy tree and an abundance of delicious fruit. This tropical beauty thrives in warm, humid conditions but can be adapted for container growing in cooler climates. For optimal growth and fruit production, ensure your Manilkara zapota Alano receives plenty of sunlight. It prefers full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. If growing indoors, place it near a south-facing window or supplement with grow lights to mimic its natural environment. Good air circulation is also beneficial to prevent fungal issues.

When it comes to watering, the sapodilla fruit tree prefers consistently moist, but not waterlogged, soil. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out between waterings. Overwatering can lead to root rot, so well-draining soil is crucial. A good quality potting mix amended with perlite or coarse sand is ideal for container-grown plants. For in-ground planting, ensure the soil is rich in organic matter and drains freely. Fertilize your tropical fruit plant every 2-3 months during the growing season (spring through fall) with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer formulated for fruit trees. Reduce fertilization during winter dormancy.

The ‘Alano’ sapodilla is generally hardy in USDA Zones 9-11. If you live in a colder region, it’s essential to protect your plant from frost. Container-grown plants can be moved indoors when temperatures drop below 40°F (4°C). Pruning is usually minimal, focused on shaping the tree and removing any dead or diseased branches. Pay attention to pest control; common issues might include mealybugs or scale insects, which can be treated with horticultural oil or neem oil. With proper Alano sapodilla care, your tree will reward you with years of delicious fruit.

Size & Details

This offering includes 1 plants of the highly sought-after Alano Sapodilla live plant. Each vigorous specimen stands approximately 2 to 3 feet tall from the base of the pot to the top of the foliage, providing a substantial start to your tropical fruit orchard. These young trees are carefully nurtured and shipped in robust 3-gallon pots, ensuring they arrive with a well-established root system and minimal transplant shock. The 3-gallon pot size provides ample space for initial growth and allows for easy acclimation to its new environment, whether you choose to plant it directly in the ground or transfer it to a larger container.

The ‘Alano’ is known for its slow growth rate and compact habit, making it an excellent choice for home gardens where space might be a consideration. While it will continue to grow, its manageable size means it can be maintained in a large pot for many years, reaching a mature height of 15-20 feet in ideal conditions, though it can be kept smaller with pruning. As a grafted plant, it is expected to begin flowering and fruiting at a relatively young age, often within 2-3 years, allowing you to enjoy its delicious fruits sooner. The robust nature of this tropical fruit plant ensures it’s ready to thrive upon arrival.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Alano Sapodilla live plant get? A: This particular plant is 2 to 3 feet tall and shipped in a 3-gallon pot. While it’s a slow grower, mature ‘Alano’ sapodilla trees can reach 15-20 feet if grown in the ground, but can be maintained at a smaller, more compact size with regular pruning, especially when container-grown.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Alano Sapodilla live plant is a tropical fruit tree best suited for outdoor planting in USDA Zones 9-11. In colder climates, it can be grown outdoors during warm months and moved indoors as a container plant when temperatures drop.
• Q: How much sunlight does the Manilkara zapota Alano need? A: This sapodilla fruit tree thrives in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for optimal growth and fruit production. If growing indoors, a bright, south-facing window or supplemental grow lighting is recommended.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the ‘Alano’ sapodilla is considered relatively easy to care for, especially for those familiar with tropical fruit trees. It requires consistent watering, well-draining soil, and protection from frost if grown in cooler zones. Specific Alano sapodilla care instructions are provided.
• Q: What condition will the tropical fruit plant arrive in? A: Your plant will arrive healthy and well-rooted in its 3-gallon pot, carefully packaged to minimize stress during transit. We take great care to ensure it reaches you in excellent condition, ready for planting or continued container growth.
• Q: How long until it blooms and fruits? A: Since this is a grafted plant, the Alano Sapodilla live plant is known to bloom and fruit sooner than seed-grown varieties. You can typically expect it to start producing fruit within 2-3 years of planting, given proper care and growing conditions.
• Q: What’s the minimum temperature this plant can tolerate? A: The ‘Alano’ sapodilla is a tropical tree and is sensitive to cold. It generally tolerates temperatures down to about 40°F (4°C) but should be protected from frost. If temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, container plants should be moved indoors.