Exotic Mexican apple tree
Scientific name: Casimoroa edulis
English Name: Mexican apple, White sapote
Local Name: Masuku yabazungu (N)
General information
Casimiroa edulis is a fruit tree originally from the highlands of Mexico and Central America now widely grown in the tropics. It is a medium‐sized evergreen tree up to 12m, much branched with a short trunk and leafy hanging branches with a smooth, pale brown bark. The flowers are small, green‐white‐yellow in loose heads beside leaves, 5 petals. It produces a fruit which is Green and rounded at first ripening green‐ yellow, with soft skin and sweet white pulp around 2–5 large dark seeds, 8–10 cm across.
Health benefits
The leaves and bark contain glucoside called casimirosine that has a sedative activity. They are used as sedatives, sopolifics and tranquilizers. The leaf extraction is taken as a treatment for diabetes. The consumption of the fruit relieves the pains of arthritis and rheumatism.
Human benefits
Extractions of the seed are attractive and lethal attraction for cockroaches, having the advantage of killing on the spot after ingestion. The fruit is eaten fresh and is used in preserves, fruit salads, milkshakes, various sauces and fruit curries. The wood is yellow, fine-grained, compact, moderately dense and heavy, medium strong and resistant, but not durable for long. It is occasionally employed in carpentry and for domestic furniture and is mostly grown as ornament.
Farmer benefits
The tree is planted in coffee plantations where they provide shade to plants.