Star Apple, tropical American tree, member of the sapodilla family. The star apple is widely cultivated in warm regions, both ornamentally and for its edible fruit. It is an evergreen tree reaching a height of 15 m (50 ft). The tree has oblong leaves, shiny above and covered beneath with a silky, golden brown down. It bears purplish white flowers. The smooth, globular, purple or light green fruit grows as big as 10 cm (4 in) in diameter and has 3 to 8 shiny seeds. In cross section, the core of the fruit makes a star-shaped figure against the translucent white pulp.