Generally — Most Areas
mamey sapote (zones 10-12) suits most of Florida (8b-12a) — zones 10-12 are in range, and the rest of the state is the exception.
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Zone Comparison
Mamey Sapote Needs
- USDA Zones: 10-12
- Frost-Free Days: 365+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 40 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: Low
Florida Has
- USDA Zones: 8b-12a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Jan 25 - Feb 10
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Dec 7 - Dec 18
- Annual Rainfall: 50-65 inches
- Common Soils: Sandy, Muck (Everglades), Shell-rock (Keys)
Plant Zone Range (zones 10-12)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / Growable Ground plant catalog. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Mamey Sapote in Florida
The frost window
Across Florida, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Jan 25 and Feb 10, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Dec 7 and Dec 18 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 300-day window you can count on — up to 327 days on a mild site in a kind year. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost, so tender transplants usually wait another 2-3 weeks.
Winter standing
Florida runs as cold as USDA zone 8, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for mamey sapote, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether mamey sapote is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Florida; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: USDA PLANTS Database. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says mamey sapote survives winter in part of Florida, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Mamey Sapote wants 365+ frost-free days; a typical Florida site sees ~320 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020) — 45 days short of what it needs. A typical Florida season does not carry this crop to harvest outdoors, and a gap that size is not one an earlier sowing date or a faster cultivar closes; growing it here means growing it under cover.
Growing degree days
Mamey Sapote needs ~5000 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~7743 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Florida's typical season clears that easily.
Chill hours
Mamey Sapote has no winter-chill requirement — its listed minimum is 0 hours (USDA PLANTS Database). Florida typically banks ~0 chill hours per winter (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so chill is not a constraint on this plant here — and not evidence in its favour either. Winter survival and season length are what decide it.
GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Each is the state median across its counties (P25/P75 span the within-state spread). Hardiness-zone range is USDA PHZM 2023.
Soil + Drainage Fit
Mamey Sapote likes near-neutral soil (pH 5-7). That's the common-ground band across Florida's sandy and muck (everglades) — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6 and 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Florida soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Florida site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Florida soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Mamey Sapote in Florida — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Generally — Most Areas
- Plant Zones: 10-12 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 8b-12a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Jan 25 - Feb 10 to Dec 7 - Dec 18 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
What Else to Consider for Mamey Sapote in Florida
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Florida growers also need to think about:
Sandy soils drain too fast and hold few nutrients — frequent fertilization needed
Humidity drives fungal diseases (powdery mildew, black spot, rust)
Hurricane season (June-November) can destroy plantings
Nematodes are a serious pest in sandy FL soils
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Florida grower, not just mamey sapote — is covered on the Florida growing guide.
Timing shifts within Florida
Mamey Sapote needs about 365 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. 11 of Florida’s 67 counties give it that outright. The tightest that does is Brevard County at 365 frost-free days — 0 to spare. Below that line you are transplanting or extending the season, not direct-sowing.
Across Florida’s 67 counties the frost-free season runs from 281 days in Holmes County to 365 days in Sarasota County — a spread of 84 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Florida county sees 320 frost-free days, which is 45 days short of what mamey sapote needs — so on a typical Florida parcel this is a transplant-or-protect crop, not a direct-sow one.
County last-freeze dates and frost-free day counts: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F freeze (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). Mamey Sapote's 365-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Where in Florida Fits Best
Even within Florida's zones 8b-12a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for mamey sapote (USDA PHZM 2023):
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Mamey Sapote draws honeybees (low value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, mamey sapote can only work that bloom inside Florida's frost window — roughly 320 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Jan 25 - Feb 10) and closing at the first (Dec 7 - Dec 18), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Florida Cooperative Extension
For Florida-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for mamey sapote, the canonical source is UF/IFAS Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Mamey Sapote native to Florida?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Mamey Sapote as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Florida's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Florida natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Florida growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Mamey Sapote in Florida
When can I plant Mamey Sapote in Florida?
Florida's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Jan 25 and Feb 10, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Dec 7 and Dec 18 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Mamey Sapote, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Florida and publishes no fall establishment date for it — check its hardiness range against your own zone before treating it as a permanent planting.
What hardiness zone is Mamey Sapote grown in across Florida?
Florida spans USDA hardiness zones 8b-12a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Mamey Sapote carries a range of zones 10-12, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Florida site have?
A typical Florida site sees ~320 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Mamey Sapote needs 365+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Mamey Sapote native to Florida?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Mamey Sapote as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Florida's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Florida natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Mamey Sapote in Florida?
Mamey Sapote prefers pH 5-7 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That sits in the common-ground band across Florida soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Mamey Sapote actually grow on my specific land in Florida?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores mamey sapote against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in Florida
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores mamey sapote against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Florida mamey sapote averages can't show:
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