Canistel Varieties

There are a number of canistel varieties available in Florida. Most are of good quality, but fruit vary in size and shape.¹

Variety	Origin	Weight (oz)	Seed number	Season	Comments	Rec.^z
Bruce	Florida	6-24	1-4	Aug.-Oct./Feb.- March	Dry flesh, fair eating quality, large fruit	M
Fairchild #1	Florida	4-13	1-7	Sept.-Oct.	Moist pulp, good eating quality, medium-large fruit	Y
Fairchild #2	Florida	2-9	1-4	Year-round	Moist pulp, good eating quality, small fruit, low production	N
Fitzpatrick	Florida	2-3	1-3	Sept.-Jan.	Greenish-yellow peel at maturity, moist pulp, productive, small fruit, good eating quality	Y
Keisau	Florida	7-11	1-4	Winter	Medium dry pulp, medium-large fruit	N
Oro	Florida	7-18	1-4	Sept.-Oct./Feb.- April	Moist pulp, large fruit, heavy producer, good eating quality	Y
Ross	Florida	3-6	1-3	Fall-winter	Greenish-yellow peel at maturity, moist pulp, small fruit, O.K. eating quality	N
Trompo	Florida	8-15	1-4	Sept./Oct./Feb.- May	Moist pulp, large fruit, heavy producer, good quality	Y
USDA 1	Florida	3-10	1-5	Fall-Winter	Dry and mealy pulp, large number of seeds	N
^z Recommendation: Y, yes; N, no; M, maybe.

Canistel cultivars

‘Bruce’ is a large, uniform and attractive fruit shaped much like a Hersey’s chocolate kiss (only yellow). Fruiting occurs in two major waves during August to October and again from February to March. There are 2 to 3 seeds in each fruit and plenty to eat. Fruits have dry flesh, are large and are of fair eating quality.²

‘Fairchild’ is a compact tree with slightly curved more elongated fruit. The production is heavy and its timing is roughly the same as with the previous variety. ²

‘Ross’ is distintive among the others selections. The fruit are flattened like a hole-less doughnut and often is slightly flutted. The flesh is juicy and there are from 3 to 5 seeds in the fruit. The tree is slow growing and easy to control. ²

'Trompo' (formerly 9681) is a University of Florida selection. The fruit is large, sweet and has excellent texture.²

Further Reading

Evaluation of 'Oro' and Trompo' Canistel {Pouteria campechiana Baehni) at the University of Florida Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. ^pdf
Canistel Cultivars in South Florida, Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. ^pdf

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Canistel Page

Bibliography

¹Crane, Johathan H., and Carlos F. Balerdi. "Canistel Growing in the Florida Home Landscape." Horticultural Sciences Dept., UF/IFAS Extension, HS1049, Original pub. Nov. 2005, Revised Oct. 2006, and Nov. 2016, Reviewed Dec. 2019, AskIFAS, edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs299. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017, 2 July 2020.
²Ledesma, Noris. "The Canistel, A Winter Fruit for South Florida." Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 20 Apr. 2012, fairchildgarden.org. Accessed 24 Dec. 2014.

Published 16 Jan. 2015 LR. Last update 26 Oct. 2020 LR