[3] It has spread to the Greater Antilles and the West Indies and is now grown throughout the tropics, including Southeast Asia.

The common names cainito and caimito likely come from the Mayan words cab (juice), im (breast), and vitis (sap), via Spanish.

[citation needed] The leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple oval, entire, 5–15 cm long; the underside shines with a golden color when seen from a distance.

[7] When ripe, it usually has purple skin with a faint green area appearing around the calyx.

[citation needed] A number of related species, also called star apples, are grown in Africa including Gambeya albida and G.