Olosapo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Olosapo |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Couepia
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| Species: |
polyandra
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| Synonyms | |
The Couepia polyandra is a beautiful flowering tree. It is also known by fun names like olosapo, zapote amarillo (which means yellow sapote), baboon cap, and monkey cap. This tree belongs to the plant family Chrysobalanaceae.
Contents
Where the Olosapo Tree Grows
The Couepia polyandra tree naturally grows in areas from southern Mexico all the way down to Panama. It has also been brought to Florida in the United States. You can find it growing wild in wet forests and low woodlands. It likes places that are up to 2,000 feet (about 600 meters) high.
What the Olosapo Tree Looks Like
The olosapo is an evergreen plant, meaning it keeps its leaves all year round. It can be a shrub or a small tree. It usually grows between 10 and 49 feet (3 to 15 meters) tall and has a wide, spreading top.
Leaves, Flowers, and Bark
The leaves of the olosapo tree are dark green. They are shaped like an oval or egg, measuring about 2.3 to 5 inches (6 to 13 centimeters) long. They are smooth when they are fully grown. The leaves have a strong main vein in the middle and many smaller veins.
The tree's flowers grow in clusters at the ends of branches. They are white and have five petals. Each flower has several stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen.
The bark of the tree is brown and mostly smooth.
The Olosapo Fruit
The fruit of the olosapo tree is edible and quite special! When it's ripe, it turns a bright yellow to orange-yellow color. Unripe fruits are green. The fruit is oval-shaped and measures about 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 centimeters) long and 1 to 1.5 inches (3 to 4 centimeters) wide.
Each fruit contains one large seed. The outer skin is smooth and thin. Inside, the flesh is thick and soft, like an egg yolk. It has a mild, sweet taste, similar to a canistel fruit, when it is fully ripe. But be careful! If you try it when it's unripe, it will taste very bitter.
Growing Conditions
The olosapo tree needs a sunny spot to grow well. It can handle dry periods pretty well, so it's considered somewhat drought-resistant. These trees start to produce fruit when they are about six years old.
How People Use Olosapo
The fruit of the olosapo tree is often collected from the wild and eaten. Sometimes, people also grow these trees on farms just for their tasty fruit.
Pests that Affect Olosapo Trees
Olosapo trees are generally healthy and don't get many diseases. However, they can sometimes be attacked by small insects called seed weevils. These weevils can damage the seeds inside the fruit.
See also
In Spanish: Palo de fraile para niños
