The flavor is sweet and pleasant, ranging from a pear flavor to crunchy brown sugar. The sapodilla prefers a sunny, warm, preferably frost free location. They are highly wind tolerant and can take salt spray. Sapodillas are well adapted to many types of soil. It thrives in very poor soils but flourishes also in deep, loose, organic soil, as well as light clay, sand or lateritic gravel.
Good drainage is essential, the tree doing poorly in low, wet locations.
It is highly drought resistant and approaches the date palm in its tolerance of soil salinity. The tree tolerates dry conditions remarkably well. Most mature sapodilla trees receive no watering, but irrigation in dry season will increase productivity. Newly planted trees need small and frequent feedings to become established. Thereafter, two to three applications per year are sufficient, in amounts proportionate to the increasing size of the tree.