When to Plant Black Sapote in Cairns, Tropical Guide
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
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This Black Sapote guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Nov to Mar
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 6.6–7.3
Black sapote is a persimmon relative whose fruit softens to a chocolate pudding texture.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Tropical
- Jan P
- Feb P
- Mar P
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov P
- Dec P
P = Planting window
Fruits February, March and September to December. Can fruit year round in the tropics (Rob Pyne). Water in the dry season, not the wet (Rob Pyne). Planting months are our estimate for a nursery tree: plant in the warm, wet months so the roots settle before any dry or cool weather.
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How to Grow Black Sapote in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Good drainage (Daleys). Moist sandy loam; build a mound if the site is swampy (Rob Pyne). Tolerates flooding on alluvial clay in Mexico (Morton).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 6.6-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Daleys, Rob Pyne). Summer sun burned the bark of a young tree in Adelaide (Daleys review).
- Keep away from
- Buildings and other trees (Rob Pyne), Windy spots (Daleys review)
Tropical Growing Tips for Black Sapote
Recommended Varieties
- Colossal (self pollinating, seedless if unpollinated)
- Maher (small tree about 4 m, few seeds)
- Bernicker (1 to 2 seeds, prolific)
- Superb (north Queensland)
Key Challenges
- Scale
- Large tree if unpruned
Pro Tips
- Prune to size
- Dry season water only
Pests and problems for Black Sapote in Tropical
Harvesting Black Sapote
When ready: Pick hard when the skin turns from bright green to olive or muddy green (Morton); ripe when the skin indents and the flesh is very soft and dark (Daleys).
How to harvest: Clip hard fruit and ripen on the bench 3 to 6 days (Daleys); bright green fruit takes about 10 days (Morton).
Storing and preserving black sapote
How to keep it
- freezing. Scoop the dark pulp, remove seeds, add lemon or lime juice if you like (Morton), freeze in portions. Keeps: Up to 12 months in a sealed container (NCHFP general guidance).
- fresh_storage. Pick hard, green; ripe when the skin indents (Daleys). Keeps: Softens in 3 to 6 days on the bench (Daleys); a few days in cold storage once ripe (Morton).
- jams_sauces. Pulp goes into pie fillings, ice cream and drinks (Morton). No tested shelf stable recipe found. Keeps: Days in the fridge.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Black Sapote
When do you plant black sapote in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Mar, Nov to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Oct to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): not recommended
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Nov
When should I plant Black Sapote in Cairns?
Fruits February, March and September to December. Can fruit year round in the tropics (Rob Pyne). Water in the dry season, not the wet (Rob Pyne). Planting months are our estimate for a nursery tree: plant in the warm, wet months so the roots settle before any dry or cool weather.
How do I know when Black Sapote are ready to harvest?
Pick hard when the skin turns from bright green to olive or muddy green (Morton); ripe when the skin indents and the flesh is very soft and dark (Daleys).
What are the best Black Sapote varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Colossal (self pollinating, seedless if unpollinated), Maher (small tree about 4 m, few seeds), Bernicker (1 to 2 seeds, prolific), Superb (north Queensland).
Are black sapote salt tolerant?
No. Black sapote are salt-sensitive, one of the more sensitive veggies. Use rainwater if your bore water is salty, or grow them in a raised bed of fresh mix if your soil is.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.