Sachamango, Paco
GUSTAVIA SUPERBA
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
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 AMERICANA
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. See San Domingo Apricot

Santol, Sentol
SANDORICUM KOETJAPE
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. See Santol

Sapodilla, Chicle Tree
MANILKARA ZAPOTA
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 31?2" 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. See Sapodilla

Sapucia Nut, Paradise Nut, Brazil Nut
LECYTHIS ZABUCAYO
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
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, 3?4" fruits are good fresh, similar to chewing gum.

Sea Grape
COCCOLOBA UVIFERA
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
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.

Sentol, Santol
SANDORICUM KOETJAPE
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. See Santol

Sesban, Sesnania, White Spinach
SESBANIA GRANDIFLORA
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. See Sesban

Shaddock, Pummelo
CITRUS MAXIMA (C. grandis)
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. See Pummelo

Silk Cotton Tree, Kapok
CEIBA PENTANDRA
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.

Soncoya
ANNONA PURPUREA
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. See Soncoya

South American Sapote
QUARARIBEA CORDATA
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 GNEMON
A Malaysian pine, this tree provides seeds which can be eaten roasted, boiled, or fried. The green leaves are cooked as spinach. See Melindjo

Spanish Lime, Mamoncillo, Genip
MELICOCCA BIJUGA
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. See Mamoncillo

Spanish Plum, Ciruela, Purple Mombin, Red Mombin,
SPONDIAS PURPUREA
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. See Purple Mombin

Spineless Cactus, Indian Fig
OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA
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. See Cacti

St. John's Bread, Carob
CERATONIA SILIQUA
Dioecious. This Mediterranean tree is adapted to the same range as the orange. It is slow growing, but needs little care once established. The fruits are thick leathery pods up to a foot long, containing seeds and sweet pulp (24-48% sugar), which ripen May to July. The pulp is edible raw or cooked. In the U.S., it is well known as a chocolate substitute. Legend says St. John ate the pods, thus the second common name. See Carob

Star Apple, Caimito
CHRYSOPHYLLUM CAINITO
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. See Caimito

Star Fruit, Carambola
AVERRHOA CARAMBOLA
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. See Carambola

Strawberry guava, Cattley guava
PSIDIUM LITTORALE
This excellent landscape shrub, native to Brazil, has shiny, deep-green leaves, reddish when young. Two varieties are popular,the red one has 11?2" 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. See Strawberry Guava

Strawberry Raspberry
RUBUS ILLECEBROSUS
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
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. See Capulin

Striped Screw Pine
PANDANUS VEITCHII
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 SQUAMOSA
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. See Sweetsop

Sunsapote
LICANIA PLATYPUS
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
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. See Surinam Cherry

Sweet Calabash, Curuba, Tacsonia, Banana Passion Fruit
PASSIFLORA MOLLISSIMA
Native to the Andes where it grows wild. Rampant grower suited to colder conditions.

Sweet Cassava
MANIHOT DULCIS
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 Cup, Conch Apple, Sweet Calabash
PASSIFLORA MALIFORMIS
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 Granadilla
PASSIFLORA LIGULARIS
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.

Sweet Prayer, Katempfe
THAUMATOCOCCUS DANIELLI
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.

Swiss Cheese Plant, Ceriman
MONSTERA DELICIOSA
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. See Ceriman

Sachamango
Salak Palm
San Domingo Apricot
Santol
Sapodilla
Sapucia Nut
Satin
Sea Grape
Seaside Plum
Sentol
Sesban, Sesnania
Shaddock
Silk Cotton Tree
Soncoya
South American Sapote
Spanish Jointfur
Spanish Lime
Spanish Plum
Spineless Cactus
St. John's Bread
Star Apple
Star Fruit
Strawberry Guava
Strawberry Raspberry
Strawberry Tree
Striped Screw Pine
Sugar Apple Sweetsop, Sunsapote
Surinam Cherry
Sweet Calabash
Sweet Cassava
Sweet Cup
Sweet Granadilla
Sweet Prayer
Swiss Cheese Plant