Canistel (Pouteria campechiana)

Canistel is a tropical fruit that is sweet and creamy with a unique taste that resembles pumpkin pie, with an unusual but pleasant texture. This listing is for a tree highly similar to the one pictured but a bit bigger.

Also known as ‘eggfruit’ because dry selections or unripe fruit resemble a boiled egg in look and texture, however, this seedling was grown from a moist small-fruited selection that may ripen easier in our marginal climate.

This tree is capable of thriving under subtropical conditions but I recommend growing in a container or in a greenhouse except for in the hottest parts of New Zealand. Young trees can be killed at approximately -1c while mature trees may withstand down to -4. That said, prolonged wet periods at low temperatures are also harmful without perfect drainage, which makes container growing an attractive option.