University of Florida Plant Information Caimito (Star Apple) Growing in the Florida Home Landscape

Scientific Name: Chrysophyllum cainito

Common Names: star apple, golden-leaf tree (English), caimito, estrella, caimo morado, caimito maduraverde, (Spanish), cainito, ajara (Portuguese), caimite, caimitier (French).

Family: Sapotaceae

Relatives of Caimito: mamey sapote, green sapote, abiu, and canistel.

Origin: West Indies and Central America. Distribution: Caimito is found throughout the Caribbean Region, Central America, northern South America, Australia, and some countries of Southeast Asia and Africa.

History: Caimito was observed growing by Spanish explorers in Peru during the 1500s. Seeds were introduced into Hawaii in 1901 and into Florida around 1887. During the 20th century it was distributed to parts of Asia and Africa.

Importance: Caimito is not grown commercially on a large scale but is mostly appreciated as a fruit tree in home landscapes and along roadsides. A small commercial industry exits in south Florida.

1. This document is HS1069, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date January 2006. Revised January 2009 and November 2016. Reviewed December 2019. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

2. Jonathan H. Crane, professor, tropical fruit crop specialist, UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center; and Carlos F. Balerdi, professor, multicounty tropical fruit crops Extension agent (retired), UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.