Mamey Grafted Tree Live Plant – 1-2 ft Tall – Ships in 3 Gallon Pot

Overview

Introducing the magnificent mamey grafted tree, a prized addition for any tropical fruit enthusiast or gardener seeking an exotic, rewarding plant. This live plant offers the promise of delicious, creamy mamey fruit, known for its unique flavor profile often compared to a blend of sweet potato, pumpkin, and almond, with a hint of vanilla. Our mamey trees are grafted, ensuring earlier fruit production and true-to-type fruit quality compared to seed-grown specimens. Standing approximately 1 to 2 feet tall and shipped securely in a 3-gallon nursery pot, this plant is well-established and ready for its new home. The mamey sapote, scientifically known as Pouteria sapota, is a beautiful evergreen tree that can provide both ornamental value and a bountiful harvest of its highly sought-after fruit. Growing a mamey fruit plant brings the joy of harvesting your own tropical delicacies right to your backyard or patio.

Key Benefits

The mamey grafted tree offers a multitude of benefits, making it an excellent choice for both experienced and novice gardeners looking to expand their edible landscape. Its robust growth and delicious yield are just the beginning.

• Exotic Fruit Production: Enjoy the unique and delectable taste of fresh mamey fruit directly from your own tree. The creamy, sweet flesh is perfect for smoothies, desserts, or eating fresh.
• Grafted for Early Fruiting: Our grafted trees ensure faster maturity and fruit set, allowing you to enjoy harvests sooner than with seed-grown plants. This also guarantees the desired fruit characteristics.
• Ornamental Appeal: Beyond its fruit, the mamey tree is an attractive evergreen with large, glossy leaves, providing a lush, tropical aesthetic to any garden or patio.
• Rich in Nutrients: Mamey fruit is a good source of vitamins A and C, fiber, and potassium, contributing to a healthy diet.
• Versatile Culinary Uses: The fruit’s unique flavor makes it incredibly versatile, perfect for milkshakes, ice cream, pies, and other culinary creations, offering a taste of the tropics.
• Container Growing Potential: While it can grow large in the ground, a sapote mamey tree can also be successfully grown in large containers in cooler climates, allowing it to be moved indoors during winter.
• Long-Lived Plant: With proper care, a mamey tree can provide decades of fruit and beauty, becoming a long-term investment for your edible garden.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your mamey grafted tree involves understanding its tropical needs to ensure healthy growth and abundant fruit. Mamey trees thrive in warm, humid environments and require specific conditions to flourish. They prefer full sun exposure, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. In extremely hot climates, some afternoon shade can be beneficial to prevent leaf scorch, especially for young plants. The ideal soil for a mamey fruit plant is well-draining, rich in organic matter, and slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0-7.0). Established trees are moderately drought-tolerant but perform best with consistent moisture. Young trees, particularly during their first year, should be watered regularly to keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Allow the top few inches of soil to dry out slightly between waterings.

For optimal growth and fruiting, fertilize your mamey tree with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer formulated for tropical fruit trees. Begin fertilizing in spring as new growth emerges and continue monthly or bi-monthly through the growing season. Reduce fertilization in fall and winter. Mamey trees are sensitive to cold and are best suited for USDA hardiness zones 10-11, where temperatures rarely drop below freezing. If you live in a cooler zone, consider growing your sapote mamey tree in a large container that can be moved indoors during colder months. Protect young trees from strong winds and cold snaps. Pruning is generally minimal, focusing on removing dead or diseased branches and shaping the tree for structural integrity and ease of harvest. Watch out for common pests like scale insects and mealybugs, and treat promptly with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap if necessary. Proper mamey plant care is crucial for a successful harvest.

Size & Details

This offering is for one mamey grafted tree, a live plant that has been carefully grown and nurtured. Each tree stands approximately 1 to 2 feet tall from the soil line, providing a good head start for establishment. It is shipped in a sturdy 3-gallon nursery pot, complete with its existing soil to minimize transplant shock and ensure a smooth transition to your garden or larger container. Mamey trees are known for their moderate to fast growth rate once established, eventually reaching heights of 20-50 feet in ideal conditions, though they can be kept smaller with pruning or container cultivation. Grafted trees typically begin producing fruit within 3-5 years, much quicker than the 7-10 years often required for seed-grown plants. The fruit ripens over an extended period, allowing for a continuous harvest once the tree matures. The unique characteristic of mamey fruit is its ripening process; it does not change color externally like many other fruits. Instead, a scratch test on the skin revealing pink flesh indicates it’s ready to pick, after which it will soften over 4-5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: This mamey grafted tree is currently 1-2 feet tall. In optimal ground conditions, it can reach 20-50 feet, but it can be maintained at a smaller size with regular pruning or by growing it in a large container.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Mamey trees are tropical plants best suited for outdoor growth in USDA zones 10-11. In cooler climates, they can be grown outdoors during warm months and brought indoors as a container plant for winter protection.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: A mamey fruit plant requires full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day, for best growth and fruit production.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: While tropical, mamey trees are relatively low-maintenance once established, provided they receive adequate sun, water, and warmth. Consistent mamey plant care tailored to its tropical needs will ensure success.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your mamey tree will arrive as a live, healthy plant, approximately 1-2 feet tall, securely rooted in its 3-gallon nursery pot, ready for planting or repotting.
• Q: How long until it blooms and fruits? A: As a grafted tree, you can expect your sapote mamey tree to begin flowering and fruiting within 3-5 years under good growing conditions, significantly sooner than seed-grown trees.
• Q: What is the best time to plant a mamey tree? A: The best time to plant is in spring or early summer, after all danger of frost has passed, allowing the tree ample time to establish before cooler weather.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: Mamey trees are not frost-tolerant. They will only survive outdoors year-round in USDA zones 10-11. In colder zones, they must be protected from freezing temperatures, typically by bringing them indoors.
• Q: What kind of soil does a mamey tree prefer? A: Mamey trees thrive in well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter, with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0).
• Q: How do I know when the mamey fruit is ripe? A: Mamey fruit doesn’t change color. To check for ripeness, gently scratch a small area of the skin; if the flesh underneath is pink, it’s ready to pick. It will then soften over 4-5 days.