page_title: Pouteria caimito
section_title: Fruit
hierarchical_section_title: Pouteria caimito / Description / Fruit
caption_attribution_description: English: The Abiu fruit stem is short and separates flush with the fruit.
context_page_description: Pouteria caimito, the abiu, is a tropical fruit tree originated in the Amazonian region of South America. It grows to an average of 33 feet high, and can grow as high as 116 feet under good conditions. Its fruits' shape varies from round to oval, pointed at the distal end. When ripe, it has smooth, bright yellow skin and has one to four ovate seeds. The inside of the fruit is translucent and white. It has a creamy and jelly-like texture and its taste is similar to the sapodilla — a sweet caramel custard. The abiu tree is part of the family Sapotaceae and is very similar in appearance to the canistel.
context_section_description: Mature abiu trees produce 100 to 1000 fruits each year. These have a pale, translucent pulp of a custard consistency that is easily scooped out with a spoon; also, a few bits of tougher gel may be found. The seeds are easily removed and are covered with a thin layer of adherent pulp. The fruit has a sweet, mild taste, which may have a hint of pineapple, but is best described as reminiscent of caramel flan. It is often used in ice cream or eaten out of hand.
  Unripe fruits contain a gummy and unpalatable latex that hardens upon exposure to air. The skin of the ripe fruit is a pale yellow color with a leathery texture and residual latex. Because mature fruits continue to ripen when picked, the harvest can be timed to allow for transportation to market. However, this period may be as short as five days. Maturation can be recognized by the pale green-to-yellow color break and the ripe fruit can be identified by its yellow coloration and a slight softness.
caption: The short-stemmed fruit breaks off cleanly.
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