Sachamango, Paco - GUSTAVIA SUPERBAtop

A beautiful, ornamental tree from the lowlands of South America. The flowers are red or purple borne on the trunk. The grease surrounding the seeds is used and has a pleasant taste similar to avocado.

Salak Palm - SALACCA EDULIS top

This small cluster palm, armed with thorns, is native to Java. Usually dioecious, some have been found to be monoecious. The fruit, spherical and covered with overlapping brown scales, is the size of a plum with a delicious white meat and one seed. It is eaten fresh or preserved. Propagated by seed.

San Domingo Apricot, Mammee apple - MAMMEA AMERICANAtop

A tropical American upright, compact tree which grows best on a rich, well-drained, sandy loam. It bears fruit in 6 or 7 years from seed. The large, round fruit, up to 6" across, has a bitter, russet, roughened skin that should be removed from the flesh before eating. The bright yellow, firm, juicy flesh can be eaten raw, cooked, or made into preserves. The gum and seeds are used as insecticides. Propagated by seed. Air-layering has at times been successful.

Santol, Sentol - SANDORICUM KOETJAPEtop

This medium-size tree (to 45') from Southeast Asia has trifoliate leaflets and greenish flowers. The fruit is a 2", slightly flattened sphere with a brownish-yellow, velvety tough rind. Inside are five segments of white translucent, juicy pulp that has a sub-acid flavor and adheres to the seed. Propagation by seed or airlayering.

Sapodilla, Chicle Tree - MANILKARA ZAPOTAtop

An attractive Central American slow-growing evergreen tree that has tough branches which will withstand strong winds and a certain amount of salt spray. It is famous as the source of chicle, or chewing gum. The fruit varies from round to oval according to the variety, 2 to 3½" across, green at first, finally turning a russet brown. When perfectly ripe, the flavor and consistency of the flesh are similar to a pear and surround a center of hard, shiny black seeds. Propagated by seed, air layering, and grafting.

Sapucia Nut, Paradise Nut, Brazil Nut - LECYTHIS ZABUCAYO top

A family of large tropical trees bearing nuts similar to the Brazil nut, but smaller. The nuts are about 2" long by half as wide. They grow in large, hard, woody fruits which are shaped like urns with a lid. The tree is tropical and has rarely been grown successfully in the U.S.

Satin - Leaf, Damson Plum - CHRYSOPHYLLUM OLIVIFORME top

This landscape tree, native to South Florida. Bahamas and the West Indies, has the appearance of the star apple except the leaves are more copper-colored on their underside. The chewy, purple, sweet, ¾" fruits are good fresh, similar to chewing gum.

Screw Pine, Breadfruit, Pandang - PANDANUS ODORATISSIMUS top

A Polynesian and Southeast Asian medium-large tree, with a picturesque silhouette accentuated by prop roots projecting from trunk. Terminal bud is edible. The leaves' tender white base is eaten raw or boiled. Round, cannonball-size fruit resembles a pineapple. The inner fleshy end of each cell, a separate fruit, is sweet and starchy. Seeds at the woody end are edible. Propagated by seed or suckers.

Sea Grape - COCCOLOBA UVIFERA top

A native of Florida, used as a coastal area, landscape plant, it does well in areas of high salt and poor soil. The leaves are large and round; the fruit is grape sized, with woody, purple skin covering a thin purple flesh crowning a large seed. They are borne on stalks and ripen individually, falling off easily when picked. The musky sweet flavor is pleasant eaten fresh but best as jelly. Propagated by seeds or air layers.

Seaside Plum, Tallow Wood - XIMENIA AMERICANA top

A short shrub or small tree from Africa, with long, vine-like, thorny branches; its growth habit is regulated by its care and environment. It has small yellow, fragrant flowers that develop into small, round, yellow fruit which are edible raw or cooked. In quantity, they are purgative. The large seed contains a nut-like kernel that can be roasted. Propagated by seed or cutting.

Sesban, Sesnania, White Spinach - SESBANIA GRANDIFLORAtop

A native of the East Indies, this quick growing short-lived tree has thin branches and compound leaves. The flowers are large, white and showy. The fruit is a slender green pod up to 2'. The flowers, pods and leaves are edible raw or cooked. The leaves are often used as a diuretic and laxative. The bitter bark is used as a tonic. Naturalized in S. Florida and West Indies.

Shaddock, Pummelo - CITRUS MAXIMA (C. grandis)top

A favorite in its original S.E. Asia, it is natural to describe the pummelo in relation to the grapefruit because they are closely related with slightly more frost sensitivity. The size of the fruit is reflected by its botanical name. It is the largest among citrus. It is generally round to pear-shaped with thick skin, firm flesh and a lower juice content than grapefruit. Because of the firm flesh, you do not eat pummelos the same way you eat grapefruit. Instead, you peel the fruit, segment it and shell the edible pulp vesicles out of their membrane. Many varieties exist with yellow, pink or deep red flesh and acid to sweet.

Silk Cotton Tree, Kapok - CEIBA PENTANDRA top

A large deciduous tree of East Indian origin, it grows well in warmer areas of Florida. It is known for the cotton-like fiber around the seeds which is used for flotation devices. Young leaves are cooked and eaten.

Silverthorn - ELAEAGNUS PUNGENStop

A spiny, spreading shrub to small tree with evergreen leaves which are silver underneath. The fruit is brown and scaly at first, then turns red and tastes sweet and pleasant. Propagated by seeds, cuttings or air layering.

Soncoya - ANNONA PURPUREA top

From Mexico and Central America, this tropical lowland, moisture-loving tree has a fruit up to 6" in diameter. It is brownish-gray and covered with protuberances ending in hooks curved toward the stem. The flesh is bright orange and soft.

Soursop - ANNONA MURICATAtop

A small, upright evergreen which cannot stand frost. It may be grown only in warmest parts of Florida or in greenhouses. The leaves are dark green and glossy. The fruit is 6-9", yellow green in color, with white flesh. The pulp is excellent for making drinks and sherbets and, though slightly sour-acid, can be eaten out-of-hand.

South American Sapote - QUARARIBEA CORDATAtop

Medium to large, tropical evergreen tree with large dark-green leaves almost 1-2' wide. Grows well in protected areas. Large fruit has thick skin and sweet, fibrous, orange-yellow flesh containing 2-5 seeds. Propagated by seed.

Spanish Jointfur, Melindjo - GNETUM GNEMONtop

A Malaysian pine, this tree provides seeds which can be eaten roasted, boiled, or fried. The green leaves are cooked as spinach.

Spanish Lime, Mamoncillo, Genip - MELICOCCA BIJUGAtop

A large dioecious tree from tropical America, related to the litchi and rambutan. The fruit resembles a small green lime growing in grape like clusters. The green skin is thick, leathery, slightly brittle and surrounds a thin layer of yellow flesh enclosing a large seed or seeds. The flesh is soft, translucent and juicy. Flavor varies from sour to semi-sweet and refreshing. It is mainly eaten raw and the starchy white kernels of the seeds are roasted and eaten like nuts. Propagated by seed or air layer.

Spanish Plum, Ciruela, Purple Mombin, Red Mombin - SPONDIAS PURPUREAtop

This medium-sized, deciduous tree, from tropical America, needs to be protected from frost. An important fruit in native markets, it is strangely shaped,when young, it follows the outline of the knobby seed; later, it becomes rounded but retains a lip which covers the apex of the large seed. The flesh is slightly more acid than the other spondias but is delicious when cooked. Propagated by seed or cutting.

Spineless Cactus, Indian Fig - OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICAtop

A bushy or tree-like cactus. The flowers and subsequently the fruits are produced on the margins of the joints. The fruit, often called prickly pear, differs in size according to variety and varies in color from yellow to orange, brick red to purple. The pulp is sweet, white to pink or red according to the plant. Usually the flesh encloses many small, edible seeds. The pads themselves can be eaten cooked as a vegetable.

Star Apple, Caimito - CHRYSOPHYLLUM CAINITO top

This large, lovely tree of tropical American origin is used both as a landscape and fruiting tree. The leaves are glossy green on top and bronze beneath. It grows well in warm areas of Florida and has grown in San Diego, though it would prefer high humidity. The name "star apple" refers to the distribution of the seeds in the cut fruit. Skin color can be green, yellow or purple; shape is round. When ripe, flesh is melting, sweet and pleasantly flavored. Propagation by seeds (may never fruit) air-layer and grafting.

Star Fruit, Carambola - AVERRHOA CARAMBOLAtop

This dense, evergreen tree common in India and China grows to about 20'. Red and white flowers appear on bare branches or at leaf bases. Fruit has a thin, waxy, green-yellow, yellow or orange skin. Oblong and five-angled it is star-shaped when cut across the middle. It has a sweet, watery, slightly acid, pleasant tasting pulp that is eaten raw or preserved. Seedlings have been known to bear in 3 years. Large trees have been known to survive 26°F without damage but young trees must be protected from frost.

Strawberry guava, Cattley guava - PSIDIUM LITTORALEtop

This excellent landscape shrub, native to Brazil, has shiny, deep-green leaves, reddish when young. Two varieties are popular,the red one has 1½" round, red fruit with a sweet to subacid flavor while the yellow one has larger and sweeter fruit,both are eaten fresh or used in jelly. Propagated by seed, cutting or air layer.

Strawberry raspberry - RUBUS ILLECEBROSUStop

A native of Japan is used mostly as a mat-forming ground cover to hold soil on banks. The small bright red fruit is generally cooked to make it palatable and can be used as a raspberry.

Strawberry Tree, Capulin, Panama Berry - MUNTINGIA CALABURA top

A popular tropical tree, it is large, aggressive, open, rapid growing, and an early bearer. The small red or yellow fruit bears almost throughout the year. It is sweet, palatable, resembles a strawberry in taste and can be used in the same fashion, pies, cakes, or fresh. The leaves are sometimes used for tea. Propagated by seed or air layer.

Striped Screw Pine - PANDANUS VEITCHIItop

A low, spreading tree with a white-margined leaf. Native of the Old World tropics, does well as a potted ornamental. Fruit and nuts are edible. They are used by the natives in the Pacific as an important food tree.

Sugar Apple, Sweetsop - ANNONA SQUAMOSAtop

A deciduous tree, small and open. The fruit is green, heart-shaped, 3" long, broken up by protuberances on the skin. The flesh is sweet and refreshing, considered the best of the tropical annonas. It is eaten raw, in drinks or sherbets. The flavor is best when picked before maturity and ripened in a bag. The tree does well in alkaline soils but freezes at about 27°F.

Sunsapote - LICANIA PLATYPUS top

A spreading tropical lowlands tree with a dense canopy. The fruit is large, about 8 inches, oval-shaped, with tan-brown or grayish skin surrounding an orange-reddish fibrous sweet pulp containing one large seed. It is used fresh and is propagated by seeds but airlayers have been successful. It is grown in the warmer protected areas of South Florida.

Surinam Cherry, Pitanga, Florida Cherry - EUGENIA UNIFLORA top

Indigenous to South America, this plant is useful in landscaping for its red-colored new foliage against the dark green of older leaves along with its red to black, ribbed fruits. It also makes an attractive dense screening hedge amenable to clipping. The fruit can be excellent or only fair, depending on the variety. The deep red, almost black, fruited varieties tend to produce sweeter fruit.

Sweet Cup, Conch Apple, Sweet Calabash - PASSIFLORA MALIFORMIS top

From the West Indies, this vine bears an excellent fruit but is bothered by cold and nematodes. The dingy yellow-green shell is hard, the yellow pulp tastes like sweet non-acidic grapes. The vine is handsome, having deep red stems and brilliant green leaves.

Sweet Cassava - MANIHOT DULCIStop

A relative of M. esculenta, but largely free of bitter, poisonous prussic acid, which can be used in the same fashion. The green leaves of this plant can be eaten as cooked spinach. The boiled pressed juice is used as a condiment.

Sweet granadilla - PASSIFLORA LIGULARIStop

It grows well in the high elevations of Central America. The fruit is sweet, medium large, molded in patterns of orange and yellow. The pulp is sweet and has a distinctive flavor.

Swiss Cheese Plant, Ceriman - MONSTERA DELICIOSAtop

A jungle climbing relative of the philodendron from Mexico and Guatemala. It is seen in gardens in tropical and subtropical areas, growing well in partial sun or shade. The plant begins bearing after three years. Popular as a houseplant, it seldom fruits in the home. The large pinnate leaves are perforated with oblong or oval holes, hence one common name. The 9", dull, deep green, cone-like fruit is actually an unripened flower spike, covered with hexagonal scales that dry out and separate as the fruit ripens from the base upwards, revealing the white pulp. It takes a little longer than a year to mature to an edible stage. Unripe fruit, if eaten causes irritation to the mouth and throat because of the oxalic acid. It can be induced to ripen by picking when the base has started to wrinkle and wrapping in a bag for a few days. When unwrapped, the scales should have separated. Propagated by cuttings of mature wood or air layering.

Sweet Prayer, Katempfe - THAUMATOCOCCUS DANIELLItop

This West African plant has large, dark-green oval leaves on 2' stems. The light-purple flowers develop into red fruit that are 1500 times sweeter than sugar. It is being tested as a potential sweetener.