{"product_id":"ox-sapodilla-tree","title":"OX Sapodilla Tree – Large-Fruited Oxkutzcab Nesberry","description":"\u003ch1\u003eOX Sapodilla Tree\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLarge-fruited nesberry • Sweet tropical flavor • Evergreen garden beauty\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eProduct description\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBring the familiar sweetness of nesberry to your garden with OX Sapodilla. Also known as Oxkutzcab, this Mexican selection of \u003cem\u003eManilkara zapota\u003c\/em\u003e is prized for large fruit and rich, sweet flesh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour supplied close-up shows an especially distinctive fruit: broad and rounded at the shoulders, tapering to a small pointed tip, with finely textured russet-brown skin. The product graphic follows that reference rather than substituting the uniform round fruit used for some other sapodillas. Shape varies between individual fruits; published cultivar descriptions also use “roundish.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRipe sapodilla has a sweet flavor often compared with brown sugar and pear. OX is described as having reddish-brown pulp. Enjoy it fully ripe, when the flesh has softened, and remove the seeds before eating.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Grow OX Sapodilla?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnjoy a large-fruited named selection of nesberry.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdd evergreen foliage to your edible landscape.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBring a Caribbean favorite into your home garden.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInclude a warm-season harvest in your food-forest plan.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFlavor and uses\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScoop ripe flesh fresh, blend into smoothies, or use it in frozen desserts. Let mature harvested fruit soften before serving. Hard, immature sapodilla can be astringent and may not ripen well. Discard the dark seeds; do not swallow them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowth and placement\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOX is a tree, not a compact fruiting shrub. Allow substantial canopy space and manage height with selective pruning. It should not be advertised as dwarf without nursery evidence. Use full sun and a well-drained site with protection for young trees during cold weather in Palm Bay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCare in Palm Bay and Central Florida\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWater during establishment, adjusting for rainfall and soil moisture. Established trees need less frequent watering; avoid persistently wet soil. Keep mulch away from the trunk, monitor pests, and manage fertility to suit the tree and soil. Prune for a sound branch framework and accessible fruit, especially as crops become heavier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHarvest and food-forest planning\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMain Florida season for OX: May–September.\u003c\/strong\u003e Mature sapodillas may have additional harvestable fruit outside the main season, with multiple flowering and fruiting cycles under favorable conditions. Do not promise uninterrupted year-round production in Palm Bay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest Planner label:\u003c\/strong\u003e May–September main season; additional mature-tree crops possible.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrimary month filters:\u003c\/strong\u003e May, June, July, August, September.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlanner note:\u003c\/strong\u003e Track off-season harvests separately using local observations. Maturity, weather, and tree condition affect production.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMy Food Forest:\u003c\/strong\u003e Compare the main season with your other trees, while leaving room for occasional additional crops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePicking and ripening\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrown skin alone does not establish readiness. A light scratch revealing tan rather than green tissue is one maturity clue. Latex at the scratch suggests the fruit needs more time. Pick gently when mature and allow to soften before eating.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePollination\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSapodilla fruit set can benefit from cross-pollination. OX-specific single-tree performance has not been confirmed here. Consider another compatible sapodilla cultivar with overlapping bloom, and ask the nursery about local experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eQuick Growing Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFeature\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDetails\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBotanical name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eManilkara zapota ‘Oxkutzcab’\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eListing name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOX Sapodilla Tree\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOther names\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOxkutzcab; nesberry; chico; sapota\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHabit\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEvergreen fruit tree\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFruit\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLarge; russet-brown skin; rounded body with tapered tip in supplied close-up\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlesh\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReddish brown\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlavor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSweet; brown-sugar and pear notes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLight\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull sun\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoil\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWell-drained\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMain Florida harvest\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMay–September\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAdditional harvests\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePossible once mature; conditions dependent\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCold concern\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProtect young trees from cold and frost\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePropagation and sale size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eConfirm selected nursery option\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy does the pictured fruit look different from other sapodillas?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSapodilla cultivars differ in shape and size. Your OX reference has broad shoulders and a distinct tapered tip. Individual OX fruits may vary, so the photograph is a guide rather than a guarantee of identical fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs OX the same listing as Gigantia or Silas?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis listing identifies OX\/Oxkutzcab. Do not treat separate nursery cultivar names as interchangeable without confirming the stock identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow soon will it produce?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTiming depends on propagation, age, establishment, and care. Confirm the actual nursery stock rather than relying on the illustrated mature crop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it produce only once a year?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMature sapodilla trees can produce additional crops. May–September is the published main window for OX, not a restriction that excludes every other harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I keep it in a container?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA young tree can grow in a suitable container, but OX requires adequate root space and ongoing canopy management. Ground planting offers more long-term room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it arrive with fruit?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFruit on arrival is not guaranteed. Check the selected nursery option for actual size and fruiting status.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLocal pickup\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShop The Island Gardeners in Palm Bay, Florida, convenient to Melbourne and the Space Coast. Follow checkout pickup instructions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrow what you eat and eat what you grow.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Island Gardeners","offers":[{"title":"3 Gal","offer_id":48319797985469,"sku":null,"price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"7 Gal","offer_id":47978119102653,"sku":null,"price":135.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"15 Gal","offer_id":48319798018237,"sku":null,"price":200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"25 Gal","offer_id":48319798051005,"sku":null,"price":350.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2801\/5293\/files\/sapodilla-fruit-cluster-green-leaves.jpg?v=1791771577","url":"https:\/\/theislandgardeners.com\/products\/ox-sapodilla-tree","provider":"The Island Gardeners","version":"1.0","type":"link"}