Family: SAPOTACEAE
Genus: Chrysophyllum
Species: cainito
Species Author: L.
Vernacular: Star Apple, Caimito
The star-apple tree grows to about 10-20 m tall with dark scaly bark. Leaves are oblong shaped, pointed on both ends, and 6-15 cm long by 1.5-6 cm wide. The underside of the leaf is hairy and dark red. The flowers are pale purple, and tiny, but very fragrant. Star-apples are round and 8-10 cm in diameter, with either a green or dark purple skin. The fruit is called the star- apple, because when it is cut in half the dark brown seeds form the outline of a star in the white pulp.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places.Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
(http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/star_apple.html)
The fruit of the pulp is used to sooth inflammation in laryngitis and pneumonia. It is given as a treatment for diabetes mellitus, and as a decoction is gargled to relieve angina. In Venezuela, the slightly unripe fruits are eaten to overcome intestinal disturbances. In excess, they cause constipation. Tea from the leaves is used to treat chest and lung congestion. The bark is extremely bitter and is drunk as a tonic and stimulant, and is taken to halt diarrhea, dysentery and hemorrhages, and as a treatment for gonorrhea. The crushed seeds are eaten as a tonic, diuretic and to bring down fever. In Brazil, the latex of the tree is applied on wounds and, when dried and powdered, is given to cure worms.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/star_apple.html
The skin and rind both leak a white, sticky latex (like Breadfruit) when cut, and cannot be eaten. A better way to eat the star-apple is to cut it in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
The exact origins of the star-apple tree is not known, although it is believed to come from the Greater Antilles islands in the Carribean. The tree now grows naturally where it was introduced to Central America, and is cultivated commercially in parts of S.E. Asia.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
Star-apple is a very tasty, sweet fruit, which can be eaten directly off the tree. In Haiti, King Christophe liked the star apple so much, that he held court under the shade of a particularly large one big one.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
We currently have 6 herbarium specimens for Chrysophyllum cainito in our collection. Click on any specimen below to view the herbarium sheet data.
- 082709 - collected by Michelle & Ole Hamann in 1972
- 032868 - collected by M. Nee in 1973
- 022660 - collected by F. R. Fosberg in 1980
- 002815 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1989
- 039767 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2003
- 041008 - collected by Liloa Dunn in 2003
