Diospyros conzattii

Diospyros conzattii is a tree from the tropics. It belongs to the ebony family, Ebenaceae. It sheds its leaves rather than keeping them year-round. Kew gives its native range as Mexico and western Costa Rica. Other accounts focus on the south of Mexico. They include Oaxaca and Veracruz. In Mexico, names include zapotillo and zapote negro montés. The tree grows in areas with a dry season.

It reaches about 33 feet [10 metres] in height. Plants For A Future gives much the same width. It also says the tree grows slowly. Wild trees grow on coastal slopes in dry tropical forest. They also grow in pine-oak woods and alder-oak forests. Other sites include deciduous forests, where trees shed their leaves. Known sites range from 722 to 7,218 feet [220–2,200 metres] above sea level. The accounts give no details about bark or leaf shape. They do not describe this species' flowers or bloom dates.

People gather fruit from wild trees for local food. The accounts praise its taste and say people eat it raw. Each fruit is about 0.13 feet [0.04 metres] across. Its length is about 0.07 feet [0.02 metres]. It holds five to ten seeds of fairly large size. The sources do not confirm how this species breeds. They discuss male and female trees in the wider genus. This does not show whether this tree needs a partner.

Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 10–12 for this tree. It needs sun and soil that drains well. The soil types listed are sand, loam, and clay. The stated pH range runs from mildly acid to mildly alkaline. The same source allows dry or moist soil. These details describe a tree from the tropics. They do not prove it suits a cold climate. The sources give no garden trials or named landscape uses. They do report that both its fruit and wood have value.

The seed-growing account says to sow fresh seed soon after harvest. First, remove the flesh, which can hinder seed sprouting. The account calls for a shaded nursery bed at this stage. Water seeds and young seedlings often so they do not dry out. This shade advice differs from the sun listed for growing the tree. Neither source reports a use as medicine or a known hazard. This does not prove all plant parts are safe to eat. The evidence names only the fruit as food. It gives no pest or disease details for this species.