Pouteria coelomatica

The true Pouteria coelomatica.

This rare and highly ornamental abiu species, first described by botanist Carlos T. Rizzini in 1976, is native to the dense Atlantic Forest of Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, and southern Bahia. It produces resembling an eggovoid, purple-skinned fruits measuring 4-5 cm, with a woody exterior and a sweet, creamy specialized outward growth surrounding a seedaril reminiscent of abiu (Pouteria caimito). The medium-sized tree has dense, glossy foliage and a rough, grayish-brown trunk, providing excellent shade and ornamental value. Thriving in tropical and subtropical climates, it prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained, organic-rich soils. Its fruit serves as an important food source for wildlife, contributing to Atlantic Forest biodiversity, while its rarity makes it a prized species among fruit collectors and conservationists.

If you like Pouteria coelomatica, you might also like Pouteria gardneriana or Pouteria butrocarpa - Butter Sapota