Prolific

Prolific is the oldest widely planted Florida sapodilla still in commerce, originating as a seedling grown at the Agricultural Research and Education Center in Homestead and released in 1941. It earned its name honestly: Morton recorded that it bears early, consistently and heavily, historically six to nine bushels a year from a mature tree, and UF/IFAS still rates its yield very good. Fruit is round to conical, about 2.5 to 3.5 inches across and 6 to 8 ounces, with smooth pinkish-tan flesh and a skin lighter than the older Russell that loses its scurf as the fruit ripens. Quality is rated very good, slightly behind the modern Mexican and Thai imports but dependable. It remains the reference point against which newer Florida selections are compared.