Lucuma
9
6
3Will it grow where I live?
Lucuma is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 10): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
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Profile
- Family
- Sapotaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Height
- 10 m
- Spread
- 8 m
- Growth
- fast
- Lifespan
- 150 years
- First yield
- after 10 years
- Yield per plant
- up to 300 kg a year
- Yield in cultivation
- up to 8 t/ha
- Energy yield
- 800 kcal per m² a year
- Hardiness
- zone 10–12
- Shade tolerance
- full sun
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam
- Soil moisture
- dry – very moist
- pH
- 6 – 7.5
Flowering & harvest
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering | ||||||||||||
| Fruit harvest |
Uses
Other uses: Fruit (unripe) latex Wood (light, compact) A industrial & structural uses;
Notable
Special features: briefly tolerates drought, wetness, frost; prefers 14-27°C, at high temperatures sufficient water must be ensured; grafted plants bear fruit after only 5 years; fruit ripens in 8-9 months; fruits keep for 2-3 weeks at 15-18°C; in the Andes they flower & fruit year-round; various cultivars improve pollination;
Frequently asked questions
Lucuma: how big does it get?
Lucuma (Pouteria lucuma) grows as a Tree and reaches roughly 10 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 8 m. Growth is fast.
Lucuma: what site does it need?
Lucuma tolerates full sun. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range dry – very moist. The pH may lie between 6 and 7.5.
Lucuma: is it hardy?
Lucuma is listed as hardy in zone 10–12 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Lucuma: will it grow in Central Europe?
Lucuma is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 10): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
Lucuma: when does it flower?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate it flowers in May.
Lucuma: when is it harvested?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate the fruit ripens in November.
Lucuma: when does it start cropping, and how much?
Lucuma first crops after 10 years. A mature plant gives up to 300 kg a year, in cultivation up to 8 t per hectare. Figures assume a good site; variety, soil and climate shift them considerably.
Lucuma: is it poisonous?
Individual parts of Lucuma are noted as mildly problematic — the plant does not count as poisonous. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone, only on a confident identification.
Lucuma: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 9/10, Medicinal 6/10, Other uses 3/10.
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Community experience
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