Chikoo (සැපතිල්ලා)

Manilkara zapota, commonly known as sapodilla is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. An example natural occurrence is in coastal Yucatán in the Petenes mangroves ecoregion, where it is a subdominant plant species. It was introduced to the Philippines during Spanish colonization. It is grown in large quantities in India, sri lanka, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Mexico.

Sapodilla fruit which can be round or oval. Its thin skin is slightly rough and the flesh is dull, beige to terra cotta in colour and slightly granular with flat black seeds. Peel the skin away to reveal the apricot-coloured, honey-flavoured flesh. If it is eaten slightly under-ripe it may leave a residue of gum in the mouth. This can be dispelled by eating something fatty or wiping the lips with butter. One variety provides the gum for chewing gum.
Flower : Flowers small, bell-shaped, with 3 brown-hairy outer sepals and 3 inner sepals enclosing the pale-green corolla and 6 stamens.

Fruit : Fruit nearly round, oblate, oval, ellipsoidal, or conical; varies from 5-10 cm wide, when immature it is hard, gummy and very astringent; the flesh ranges in color from yellow to light- or dark-brown or sometimes reddish-brown; may be coarse and somewhat grainy or smooth; becomes soft and very juicy, with a sweet flavor resembling that of a pear; 3 to 12 seeded. Seeds 2 cm long.

Height : more than 30 m (98 ft) tall

Leaves : Leaves 7.5-11.25 cm long and 2.5-4 cm wide