Pouteria campechiana (canistel)

Japanese name: カニステル
Scientific name: Pouteria campechiana

[Overview]
An evergreen tree about 10 m tall.
It is said that under good conditions some reach 30 m.
When the tree is wounded, white milky sap (latex) comes out.
The leaves are simple and alternate, glossy on the upper surface, with entire margins.
If the temperature is high, it flowers all year round.
The flowers are borne in the leaf axils; they are small and white.
The fruit is ovoid to spindle-shaped with a pointed tip, and ripens yellow to orange.
The flesh has a mealy texture like the yolk of a boiled egg, but if not fully ripe it has a peculiar smell and does not taste good.
The fruit contains a large seed.

[Uses]
The fruit is eaten.
The wood is used as construction material, for example for rafters.
Chicle can also be obtained.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by grafting or by layering.
The seeds remain viable for only a few days, so sow them immediately after collecting.
They germinate within a few weeks after sowing.
It tolerates cold as long as it is exposed only to light frost.
It prefers a well-drained, fertile soil.
Grow young trees in partial shade, and in the sun once they have grown larger.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Apply slow-release fertilizer in spring and autumn.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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