The Seven Year Apple
Casasia clusiifolia
by Anne Baxter

The slowest ripening fruit is the seven year apple, Casasia clusiifolia. However, despite its name and general belief, its fruit takes only a year or so to ripen into a black, prune-like apple.

Flowers appear in early spring in clusters at the end of each branch. Each of the five elongated oval petals are white with a tinge of pink at their tips. They are also highly fragrant, being a cousin to the gardenia. Only one fruit appears at the end of each branch. The fruit is a two to three inch long light green, oval, apple with a protruding "navel." The fruit remains green for a long time. Then just before it intends to ripen, it turns yellow with rust-colored spots. When the apple turns black and wrinkled and softens, the pulp can be eaten. It has a licorice flavor that is not very tasty to humans, but favored by some birds.

The seven year apple grows wild in many places in the Florida Keys and in the Bahamas and Caribbean. Several trees may be seen in the State Park at Long Key.

Humm's Winter 85